2012 Lüderitz Speed Challenge – results & videos

The highly successful 2012 Lüderitz Speed Challenge was broadcast in several slots on M-Net Supersport in January 2013.

 

“A completely unique combination of wind and speed in a forgotten paradise, have created this amazing speed challenge.

Held every year in Luderitz in Namibia, windsurfers and kitesurfers were treated to the best conditions on the planet.

This year the windsurfers broke record after record and finally smashed through the 50 knot barrier. The event changed the history of speed sailing forever.” (YouTube)

Here are two of the clips which appeared on the popular sporting channel. The speed challenge event and the broadcast worldwide in various media platforms, was a huge boost for the sport.

Moreover, the event, which is growing in popularity each year, clearly shows that Namibia is an adventure capital equal to the best in the world. 

Bruno de Comarmond, the Marketing Manager of the Lüderitz Nest Hotel (a major sponsor of the global event), said they were proud to be part of an event that smashed 16 national and three world records.

In addition, Bruno says the historical 50 knot / 92.5 kph barrier was surpassed by no less than five windsurfers and two kitesurfers (World # one and four).

In December 2012, the French speed sailor Antoine Albeau  French received a Lüderitz-produced diamond as a prize for the fastest mark in windsurfing.

“La Balle” set a new speed windsurfing record – 52.05 knots – during the 2012 Luderitz Speed Challenge. He is also the only windsurfer to reach 52 knots.

The event went down as one of the biggest speed sailing competitions in history, where various speed records were broken.

The Namibian speed strip was generous to all windsurfers, as more than 10 world, national and personal records were smashed and everyone improved their previous best speeds.

Pascal Maka, who clocked at 38.86 knots in 1986, set the first-ever windsurfing speed record.

The distance for kiteboarders is narrower, although kiters will still have a chance to improve their marks.

(additional text and windsurfing records from http://www.surfertoday.com/windsurfing/8260-the-windsurfing-records-of-the-2012-luderitz-speed-challenge)

List of windsurfing records at the 2012 Speed Challenge:

Antoine Albeau | 52.05 knots | New World Speed Windsurfing Record

Anders Bringdal | 51.45 knots | New Swedish and Production Speed Record

Jurjen Van der Noord | 51.26 knots | New Dutch Speed Record

Bjorn Dunkerbeck | 51.09 knots | New Swiss Speed Record

Nikolaos Vardalachos | 50.56 knots | New Greek Speed Record

Patrick Diethelm | 50.49 knots | New Personal Speed Record

Cédric Bordes | 50.17 knots | New Personal Speed Record

Mark Grinnell | 49.66 knots | New South African Windsurfing Record

Farrell O’Shea | 48.82 knots | New British Speed Record

Matthias Rottcher | 47.51 knots | New Namibian Speed Record