Records tumble at Walvis Bay Speed Sailing

by ISA media on 1 Nov 2006
Day two at the Walvis Bay Speed Sailing record attempt and three world records were broken, subject to WSSRC ratification!

Bjorn Dunkerbeck (T1, North) bettered the old nautical mile record by more than one knot to 41.14 knots, Zara Davis (T1, Gaastra) also bettered the world record by more than one knot to 34.74 knots and Rob Munro (Cape Doctor, Naish) set a new Kitespeed world record over the mile with 35.65 knots.

Day one - The first windy day here in Walvis Bay brought again a real flood of new records on the nautical mile course set up today.

Bjorn Dunkerbeck missed the world record by only 0.5 knots, but set a production record on the mile with 39.52 knots. Hennie Bredenkamp (RSA), Alain de Gendt (BEL), Dave White (GBR), Franz Grabner (AUT), Frank Stein (NAM), Nick Vardalachos (GRE), Thomas Doeblin (GER), Morten Knutsen (NOR), Maaike Kallenborn (NED) on the windsurfers and Juergen Geiger (NAM) as well as Rob Munro (GBR) on the Kiteboard all set new national records on the mile (records subject to WSSRC ratification).

A lot of national records have been also broken, full report and pictures will be posted tomorrow.

Venue

Namibia offers to us perfect speed venues. A sandbar, about two kilometers long, only a few centimeters above water line. Strong thermal winds, perfectly offshore. And the flattest water you have ever seen.

Both 500m as well as the nautical mile course are perfectly prepared to see the fastest men and women go for new records. As the 500m course might be not broad enough on several windy days, we are working on a system to give the course an extra 20° angle and still keep the water flat. A few meters to the outside might give us the perfect conditions.

Event website: http://www.50-knots.com