This is the third world record that Bertish has achieved on his ocean adventure. Bertish broke a record set by Bart de Zwart of Hawaii in 24 hours. De Zwart set the record on his solo journey that took him between the islands of Tahiti and Bora Bora in 2014.

“It was a beautiful morning,” Bertish says. “ I decided to give the Impifish a belly clean and changed out the centreboard to a smaller one and my paddle to a slightly smaller blade. It seemed like the conditions were good and I decided to give it a go beginning at 12:00 on Valentine’s Day.”

"I had been thinking about trying to see if it was possible to break this current world record, but I knew it would all be down to finding the right conditions, late in my journey, when the trade winds are the most consistent, when the craft is a little lighter, after eating a great deal of the rations and being at a point in the journey where I was most comfortable with myself and my craft. I have actually got over 46 miles a couple of times over the last month, but I wanted to do it officially and see if I could crack paddling 50 nautical miles in 24-hours, as I knew deep down inside, it was possible," Bertish adds.

"I'm going to personally donate and pay for one operation for a child in South Africa through Operation Smile for every world record I achieve on this epic trans-Atlantic world journey. I believe it's important to set a good example to other sportsmen and women to follow by using their sporting achievements for good to positively influence, help others and give back whenever possible, as it's our responsibility to be the best role model possible for our youth and those that look up to their heroes and idols."

"Chris' willingness to make a donation for each milestone achieved speaks to a larger impact in which his every stroke continues to change lives," says Tamlin Abrahams,  Operation Smile South Africa's regional director, Central, Southern and West Africa. "We are so honoured to be not only recipients of this momentous journey but also partner with Chris as he literally changes lives one paddle stroke at a time. The SUP Crossing is a world record breaking event but the legacy it will leave will be a world-changing one."

Bertish began the Sup Crossing on Tuesday, 6 December 2016 from the mainland of Agadir, Morocco, travelling south-west past the Canary Islands. He has already completed over three-quarters of the journey.

The main goal of The SUP Crossing is to raise funds for The Lunchbox Fund, Operation Smile, and Signature of Hope with the target of raising over R18-million and making the entire project a completely self-sustainable charity initiative that will have a lasting legacy for generations to follow.

For more information, visit chrisbertish.com. Alternatively, connect with him on Facebook or on Twitter.