Records tumble at Wind surfing Challenge
After 4 weeks of the Lüderitz Speed Challenge 2015 event, conditions this week improved considerably. The wind was strong and perfect to break world and national records.
The wind had been strong but not enough to break world records. On Monday, the wind was much stronger than predicted and the angle had been better to be able to sail in a multiple performance speed channel with flatter water surface.
The day began with 25-30 knots average wind speed starting the race at 12.30. From 2pm, the wind suddenly starting to increase and strongly, reaching more than 50knots in the gusts. Sand was flying and sailing down the channel started to be really challenging due to the strong sand blasts.
After a couple of runs over 50 knots, Antoine Albeau who achieved 51.66 kts 2 days ago was determined to beat his World Record (set at the 2012 Lüderitz Speed Challenge: 52.05 kts) and records started to tumble one after the other.
Boris Vujasinovic set yet another new Croatia Record with 48.28 kts (was 47.37 kts), while Karin Jaggi (29 World titles) improved her Swiss record again with 45.3 kts (was 44.92 kts). Boris Vujasinovic followed up with another Croatian record with 48.99 kts.
Antoine Albeau started to go over 51 knots and was joined by Patrik Diethelm (ITA). At about that time, around 1.15pm, Karin pushed hard and broke the Female World Record in Windsurfing with 46.31 kts and, just 15 minutes later, Antoine Albeau broke his world record, for the first time, achieving 52.41 kts.
After the first new world record set by Antoine, it was then the turn of British Record Holder Farrel O Shea to show his true skills and determination. After breaking his own British record 2 days ago with 49.24 kts, he improved it further with 49.99 kts. But he knew he couldn’t stop as he was so close to the 50 knots.
After a couple of runs, he smashed the 50kts with a highly impressive 51.20 knots, which place him 5th in the Windsurfing World Speed rankings.
Patrik Diethelm who has broken his Italian record earlier and was leading with 51.77 kts, smashed his Italian record with a highly credible 52.33 kts, and he now occupies the 2nd spot in the World Speed rankings.
Meanwhile, the Lüderitz speed Channel, masterminded by Sebastien Cattelan, twice World Record Holder in Kitesurfing, is the true diamond of this event. He has proved to all in the world speed sailing fraternity, yet again, that his original well engineered channel, combined with the famous winds of Lüderitz; smashed world and national records and took once average speed performances to much higher levels.
