NEW BRITISH RECORD by Farrel O’Shea

Luteritz speed challenge

New British record by Farrel oshea

Conditions have been firing in Luterizt and Monday was a record breaking day on all accounts! The winds blew up much stronger than predicted reaching more than 50 knots in the gusts! (creating some gnarly conditions for the riders down the channel as they battled through strong sand blasts).

Antoine Albeau started to go over 51 knots and was joined by Patrik Diethelm

Antoine Albeau broke his world record, for the first time, achieving 52.41 kts!

Then he continued to break it another 5 times: 52.50 kts – 52.76 kts – 53.1 knots and then the actual World Record which now stands at a highly impressive 53.27 kts.

Huge contratulations to Farrel O’Shea who smashed the British record and broke the 50 kts barrier with massive speed of 51.2kts- putting him 5^th in the windsurf world speed rankings!!! The previous British record was 48.82 kts

The Luteritz speed challenge is an annual speed sailing event where the fastest sailors from over the globe attempt to smash speed records on the water!

The International Sailing Federation (ISAF) and the world sailing speed record council overlook the event. Challengers will sail over a 500-meter distance, during which the average speed is determined. Speeds are measured with high precision by two cameras placed on the start and finish lines of the run, and computer monitored. A display at the end of the run instantly displays the riders average speed and ranking as they pass the finish line.

Its held West of Lüderitz at the Southern end of a 7km lagoon. Between the months of August and March each year

every year there is a consistent, strong wind, blowing from the south at the perfect angle of 140 degrees to the sailing course.

The course has been developed since its first run in 2007 where challengers sailed over a curved course. The following year a straight course was created by digging along the shore- this provided a uniform depth over the entire run. It was the developed further by placing sand upwind of the run and using tempory wood to reduce the chop formed from the 40-50 knot winds. The full course is 800m, which includes the launching and slow down stages before and after the official 550 WSSRC distance.