Born to a Malaga mother and a Dutch father, Christian remembers the first time he dived into the sea. into the sea. "I was 4 years old and I was holding my father's hand, diving in a Posidonia forest, along with bands of seahorses. I stuck my head out and saw flying fish swimming next to me. It is a I will never forget," he recalls. This intimate relationship with the sea has led him to become a has travelled the world and faced extraordinary challenges in all the seas and oceans. seas and oceans. From swimming across the Straits of Gibraltar, the English Channel and the Cook (New Zealand), to circumnavigating the island of Manhattan twice or crossing the tricky Molokai Strait (Hawaii). Molokai Strait (Hawaii), "where I spent almost three hours swimming in the same spot against strong currents".

It is clear that Christian is in great physical shape for the sport he practises, But he says it is "the mental component that counts the most".My real My real motivation is that what I do can make a difference to the lives of many people on this planet. on this planet. More than 15 years ago, together with three friends, he founded the association Brazadas Solidarias. Solidarias, which works with the Vicente Ferrer Foundation on projects such as building schools and water of schools and water purification plants. Never losing the desire and motivation to motivation to improve himself, he never loses his determination to make a crossing that he has not been able to make for years, that of crossing the border. years, to cross the Alboran Sea. "I work with the University of Malaga, and each attempt to record the temperature and salinity of the water", he comforts himself.

He consoles himself. Christian concludes his fascinating talk with a warning about the need to protect the marine environment. marine environment. "Unfortunately, we've already lost a generation, and with my son now diving, I haven't been able to rely on him. I haven't been able to relive that magical moment of my childhood," he laments, but he looks to the future with optimism. But he looks to the future with optimism, hoping that the new generations will know how to take up the baton "and make this a better world". and make this a better world".