It was a massive Friday at the Lüderitz Speed Challenge, with a new world record, and the magic 50 knot barrier broken by Sebastien Cattelan of France with a blistering run of 50.26 knots (93kph). The new record, still subject to ratification by a sitting of the World Speed Sailing Records Council, has placed the small coastal town in the southern part of Namibia firmly on the map for the extreme sport of speed sailing, where sailing boards, windsurfers and kitesurfers use only the natural elements to power them to almost 100kph speeds.

In the 35 to 40 knot winds that blew today, gusting to more than 45 knots (83kph), the speed sailors braved very rough water conditions to achieve these records speeds, with numerous runs by top sailors of over 49 knots. Several new outright records were set:

Sebastien Cattelan 50.26 knots – new world outright speed sailing record, and the first person to break the magic “50 knot” barrier
Rolf van der Vlugt 44.9 knots – new Dutch outright speed sailing record
David Williams 44.82 knots – new UK outright speed sailing record
Charlotte Consorti 42.19 knots – new French women’s outright speed sailing record
Katja Roose 36.83 – new Dutch women’s outright speed sailing record

Other top times today were from Jerome Bila 49.26 knots and Alexander Caizergues at 49.21 knots. Note that these times are verified by the official time keeper, but are still subject to final ratification by the WSSRC.

Cattelan, who has been kiting for over ten years, is a pioneer of speed sailing, and was the driving force behind establishing this speed strip in Lüderitz, where a smooth stretch of water in the lagoon is buffeted by the already strong winds of the area that are accelerated by a shallow valley. His new record ups the ante in this 2008 edition of the month-long Lüderitz Speed Challenge, where American Rob Douglas’ 49.84 knots on the 19th September smashed the 49.09 knot world record set by windsurfer Antoine Albeau in the ‘trench’ at St Marie de la Mer in France earlier this year.

Coming into today’s event, he was struggling with an unrelated small injury, requiring him to reduce his activity. “I’ve been in bed the last three days, concentrating on what I would do today. Then I just did it,” he says. According to Cattelan, his record breaking run of today saw a maximum speed of 58 knots – 107kph – on the GPS, with an average of 54.5 knots over 200m.

Saturday promises even stronger winds, with a new milestone ahead of the competitors – the psychological barriers of 60mph and then 100kph.

Both the competitors and ESF Events, the organisers of the Lüderitz Speed Challenge are expecting even more world-beating performances tomorrow.

www.bymnews.com . . .

Fifty knots broken again - New Speed Record

Alexandre Caizergues (FRA) is the fastest sailor on earth now, with a blistering 50.57 knots run today, accompanied by several more 50s and high 49s.

Yesterday the Lüderitz Speed Challenge saw Sebastien Cattelan of France become the first human being to sail at more than 50 knots (93kph) – a world record he held for only 24 hours before compatriot Alexandre Caizergues snatched it away with not one but three runs over 50 knots – reaching a top speed of 50.57 knots (93.65kph).

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www.sail-world.com . . .

Further proof that the French don't do aerospace.

Frenchman beats sailing world speed record

speed sailing, where sailing boards, windsurfers and kitesurfers

Mouse wrote:

Frenchman beats sailing world speed record

speed sailing, where sailing boards, windsurfers and kitesurfers

*lol*...

When are you going to start paying for the privilege of using the bandwidth on this site for your own sad, deluded but hilarious ends

Moron, no boat is going faster than that, this is indeed the outright sail speed record (over 500 m).

I live in the sailing capital of the world...

Cowes? La Rochelle?

Mouse wrote:


I live in the sailing capital of the world...while I'm quite sure you've never stepped foot on one...

*lol* indeed...

If you sailed, instead of sitting at home wanking...you'd have an idea of what and where I am talking abou

Mouse, if it was not for European sailors, you would still be speaking Siouan-Catawba.

It's good to see you admitting your imperialist past..

Looks likes the stinkies are still trying to catch up to the Brits in that deparment.

Atlantic wrote:


Looks like every time you want to post about a British success, you have to browse the 19th century...

Atlantic wrote:

And that's if siding with that time's European worst dictatorships against the French Revolution's ideals on which your country was founded can be considered as a success...

Duh! That's is when sailing was actually relevant. Welcome to the 21st century moron.

Atlantic wrote:

You wouldn't know but leisure and sport are highly important and relevant in the developped world's 21st century, both culturally and economically.

And I sure did kick your ass on that french revolution part.

What worthless stuff you going to post about next? The records you stinkies hold in the sport of cheese-rolling?

SCIENCES > Santé
11h35>Le prix Nobel de médecine couronne l'Allemand Harald zur Hausen et les Français Françoise Barré-Sinoussi et Luc Montagnier

Atlantic wrote:

As for the excesses of the Revolution, they were acceptable collateral damages in late 18th century standards and were pre-Napolenian.