Luderitz Speed Challenge 2011

Oktober/November is altijd de tijd dat de wind weer begint op te steken in Zuidelijk Afrika en dus is het ook weer tijd voor de Luderitz Speed Challenge. Dit jaar is het doel de 60 ktns barriere te door breken, 115 km/u!

Het speciaal uitgegraven kanaal:



The « Lüderitz Speed Challenge” has been held in Namibia since 2007, and is a World Record Attempt in Speed Sailing that has produced more than 40 World & National Records to date.

The organisers, Sophie Routaboul and Sébastien Cattelan have constantly innovated in their attempt to push the limits, and have recently obtained authorisation to dig a new channel away from the Second Lagoon shoreline, which has been used thus far. This is necessary to make it possible to break the 60 knot barrier (over 500m), which is the new challenge (115km/h under sail).
Last year, the famous hydrofoil boat “L’Hydroptère” held the Outright Record with 51.36 knots (95km/h over 500m), but was beaten during “The 2010 Lüderitz Speed Challenge” by the kitesurfers who established the World Record in Speed Sailing with 55.65 knots (103km/h over 500m).

This has been a large scale and difficult project to undertake, which made these two driven extreme sports enthusiasts decide to officially test the newly built channel before taking on the responsibility of organising a fully-fledged event. A full scale event is planned for 2012 where numerous international competitors will be invited.
As the stakes increase and the speeds achieved are pushed higher, the organisation of each event has become more challenging in itself.

The consequences of this recognised official record attempt are far reaching. This event combines an environmental aspect together with the efficiency of wind power, and the human, tourism and commercial aspects, while bringing to the front stage an African country: Namibia.
This is where kitesurfing (while still in its infancy), has been propelled into the headlines as being the world’s fastest craft on water.

Will this incredible and daring feat allow them to beckon in the dawn of a new playground for the windsurfing community, and give them access to the exclusive 50+ knot club?
The results speak for themselves: over the past four years everything possible has been done to increase the potential of this unbelievable site, which has made the constant climb of speed sailing records possible.

The answer will be revealed between 20th October and 17th November 2011, which are the dates of the event during which windsurfing and kitesurfing performances will be done…. with the kind support of the sponsors : LM Wind Power, Genetrix and his Team, SunPass Cream, The agency Chaffron Insurance, Kitaddict and the Lüderitz Community.

Test runs: