Speed of Sight goes on Guinness Blind Water Speed Record test run

by Mike Newman on 22 Aug 2012 On Monday, 20th August 2012 at Torbay in Torquay, the World Blind Land Speed record breaker Mike Newman met up once again with Drew Langdon, offshore powerboat racer and team owner of a Marathon class Fountain, to undertake a test run for the future Guinness World Blind Water Speed Record attempt that Mike plans to take on later this year.

In the sleek ‘Team Bullet Racing Silverline’, twin diesel powerboat, one of Langdon’s own fleet, two high-speed runs were achieved at 85 and 90mph. The conditions were excellent and have given Mike and his ‘Speed of Sight Team’ great encouragement for achieving his goal of reaching 100mph.

'It’s a great difference between thinking you can achieve something like this and knowing you can. Taking part in this test was a step nearer my dream to be the first blind person to take a boat over 100mph and being out on the sea was one of the most memorable and exciting experiences that I’ve ever had'.

Mike hopes to achieve the World Blind Water Speed record in another Drew Langdon ‘Silverline’ powerboat, powered by two V8 950HP engines.

He has previously held with the support of the sponsors the World Blind Land Speed record; twice in a car and once on a motorcycle and, more recently, could be found flying 26 loop the loops with ‘The Blades aerobatic Team’.

The ‘Speed of Sight Team’ is hoping to combine the Guinness World Blind Water Speed Record with another Guinness World Land Speed Record that would make Mike the first blind person to hold both records simultaneously. By doing so Mike will become the first blind person to take a powerboat over 100 miles an hour and drive a car unaccompanied over 200 miles an hour.

With the Paralympic Games about to start in the UK, the concept of people with disabilities having access to sport is at the forefront of the public’s mind and it is paramount as it is part of Mike’s motivation to make sport available to as many people as possible regardless of their abilities.

Mike and his ‘Speed of Sight Team’ have designed and built the first of ten track cars that will allow people, who would never be able to get a license of any sort, to experience a motor sport, track event.

Speed of Sight website