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Results of the Lüderitz Speed Challenge 2008

The Lüderitz Speed Challenge 2008 is finished, and it was a triumph, both for the competitors, who broke almost every record there was to break, and for Lüderitz which proved to be one of the best speed sailing destinations in the world.

The Lüderitz Speed Challenge 2009 is already being planned, and will likely run over four weeks in October next year. The media coverage of this event has been phenomenal - specialist speed-sailing Websites, monthly sailing magazines, general sports periodicals, prime-time television. To see some of the coverage highlights, visit the "Media" section on Luderitz-speed.com.

"This event has been fantastic in every way. We achieved what we came to do - to break the 50 knot barrier and set a new world record in Lüderitz. We also saw every competitor sail faster than they've ever sailed before.

The speed strip here has massive potential - we have only just started. We are looking at new ideas for the chop killer, other strips that can provide windsurfers great sailing, and getting a better idea of how the wind and tides work here to get the best possible conditions to take us to the 100kph level and beyond," said Fred Dasse of ESF Events.

After the red flag went up to end the sailing yesterday, Sebastien Cattelan and the Netherlands' Rolf van der Vlugt stayed out to see what could be done as the wind suddenly picked up even more in the late afternoon.

On GPS they both far exceeded the current records, with Cattelan going over 60 knots peak speed, and 54 knots average over 250m! With the right conditions, there is no end in site for how much faster speed sailors can go at the second lagoon in Lüderitz.

Below is a list of all the records that were broken:

Record
Name
Speed (knots)
Speed (kph)

Outright world speed sailing record
Alexandre Caizergues (France)
50.57
93.65 

Outright world women's speed sailing record
Sjoukje Bredenkamp (South Africa)
45.20
83.70

Outright USA  speed sailing record
Rob Douglas
50.54
93.59
         
Outright South Africa (and Africa) speed sailing record
Grant Ross
48.79
90.35

Outright Netherlands speed sailing record
Rolf van der Vlugt
46.95
86.94

Outright Namibia speed sailing record
Jurgen Geiger
44.90
83.15
Ocean Spirit, North, Free Air
    
Outright UK speed sailing record
David Williams
44.78
82.93

Open water windsurf record
Bjorn Dunkerbeck (Switzerland)
44.74
82.85

Outright France women's speed sailing record
Charlotte Consorti
44.74
82.85

Spain kitesurf record
Marc Avela
42.76
79.19

Outright Slovenia speed sailing record
Jernej Privsek
43.42
80.41

Outright New Caledonia (and Pacific) record
Joan Henaff
41.01
75.94

Outright Belgium speed sailing record
Christian Baret
40.87
75.69

Outright Netherlands women's speed sailing record
Katja Roose
39.58
73.30
Protest, Maui Magic, Airush, X-tremeboards
    
UK women's kitesurf record
Jemma Grobbelaar
38.18
70.70
Flexifoil, Xelerator, Dakine, Arnette, Derevko, Cti, Lizzy, Island Tribe

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