The United Kingdom’s publication, The Telegraph, posted an amusing story and video in their Traveler section featuring Peter Stordalen, a Scandinavian millionaire hotel owner. The video begins with Stordalen piloting a powerboat in “James Bond” type attire. There is a jet ski loaded in a compartment near the stern of the boat. The camera zooms in on the Clarion stickers that the ski is tagged with.
Shortly after, Stordalen leaves his captain’s post and climbs aboard the personal watercraft, taking off and pulling a few giant doughnuts in the waterway. He attempted to pull off an epic entrance as part of the live grand opening of his brand-new Clarion Hotel and Congress in Malmo. He wound up on his backside and played it off quite well by jumping up and running onto a stage where he acknowledged his waiting fans as though everything was okay.
The stunt was awkward from the beginning with Stordalen breezing in on his powerboat, disembarking and climbing aboard his personal watercraft in which he proceeded to pull off the big doughnuts. He was wearing a tuxedo and dark glasses, emulating James Bond, as previously stated. He looked real cool until he rode up a makeshift ramp covered in astro turf and then hit a patch of asphalt which immediately stopped him in his tracks. That is where the stunt went completely awry, with him taking a tumble. However, Stordalen recovered quite well and even made fun of himself in a Tweet he posted in which he joked about the wipeout.
Fair play to him, Jetski riding is a lot of fun but not the easiest thing in the world. He took a tumble, recovered and did his bit. That’s all that counts. Proper showmanship from someone who obviously cares about his business and the image he portrays as its owner.
Overall he did a great publicity stunt. The details are minor.
Again, hats off to the guy.