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choco said..
Remote desert spot in SA but if everything aligned would be a ripper not much in the way of interfering with the wind when it does blow, 2.5km run

Does the wind ever blow gale force from the right direction there?

The canal is open:

www.facebook.com/pg/luderitzspeedchallenge/posts/?ref=page_internal

Web page here: luderitz-speed.com (Not much ib the way of updates though)

Luderitz Wind Stats:

.be

You can also follow Norio's blog, yet good use of google translate is advised.
www.yaplog.jp

It looks like there could be to big action and speeds today!

The blog is great. The combination of anticipation, fear, culture shock, the vagaries of weather, what appears to be amateur hour by the Challenge organisation and less than accurate translation make this an engaging read.

windsurfing.tv/video/speedsailing-luderitz-second-lagoon-twan-verseput/

Check out Windsurfing.Tv, they are covering the event. Ben Profitt is a funny bugger.

Just posted on facebook, "30 to 40 kts already this morning expecting 60kts this afternoon"

Interesting video from Luderitz. Day 3
But is will be quite interesting could be to know who was sailing and what speed achieved.
Are there any statistics or post available to view with results of the day ?

Saw some white boards with speeds of competitors at Luderitz on facebook video, Competitor A 51.6kts if windsurfer would be Mark Grinnel but dunno whether windsurfer or kiter, then competitor B 56.64 kts must be Sebastian Catalan (kiter)

Only 5 entrants running! That would be nice. As many runs as you like with no waiting!

I thought it was two kites and three windsurfers, but Hardie could be right.

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Timed results from yesterday 26th October 2017 (still to be ratified by WSSRC):
JPN-311 Mio Anayama - National Record 38.79knots
JPN-25 Noria Asano - National Record 43.95
FRA-69 Sebastien Cattelan - Best run 52.05
SA-321 Mark Grinnell - (one Panda test run) 44.14
Timed results from yesterday 26th October 2017 (still to be ratified by WSSRC) Mark Grinnell and Sebastien Cattelan where crazy enough to try it but it was to gusty!!! Later in the afternoon at 16:30 the riders started again with 40-50knots of wind...
Today we'll have lighter winds and lets see!!! Cheers... Raffi

It's a pity that the homepage seems not to cover the event. You get a few glimpses of what's going on on facebook, which make me believe they already had one day with very strong winds: gusts over 60 knots, but at a poor angle (too tight?). I can't believe people run a world-class sports event in a discipline struggling for attention and media coverage, but make it virtually impossible even for the interested and well-informed to follow.
Not many riders have arrived, maybe this gives reason to hope they will let us know more once the top dogs start competing.
Twan Verseput has posted his personal record, presumably on a light day with a 6sqm sail, on the Channel here:
gps-speedsurfing.com/?mnu=user&val=255155&uid=3923
Cheers, Sven

Damn! I was in Namibia on the 23rd!

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Windxtasy said..
Damn! I was in Namibia on the 23rd!

Wrong place the right time.

It looks like there is some wind coming up Saturday through to Monday.

But then an unusual long calm period again.

the penalty for Catman who ruined the best chance of his life

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Dr Speed said..
the penalty for Catman who ruined the best chance of his life

Can you explain a bit more?

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sailquik said..

Fancy living there and having to spell that to everyone..

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hardie said..

Dr Speed said..
the penalty for Catman who ruined the best chance of his life

Can you explain a bit more?

wind over 60 kn on Tuesday last week

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Dr Speed said..

hardie said..

Dr Speed said..
the penalty for Catman who ruined the best chance of his life

Can you explain a bit more?

wind over 60 kn on Tuesday last week

Yes maybe at those wind speeds it can be a matter of life and death, and he chose not to take the risk, same thing happened in 2015 when AA broke windsurfing speed record, Cat could only manage 48 kts, I thought he was too busy organizing and not in form to take advantage of the extreme winds?

this year he is NOT the organizer and can fully concentrate on racing. He has reached 55 kn already on the canal. If more speed is too risky it does not make any sense anymore for him to take part there.

I think one of the reasons he failed on big Tuesday is that he is quite alone there. No Rob and no Alex who are pushing him.

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Dr Speed said..
this year he is NOT the organizer and can fully concentrate on racing. He has reached 55 kn already on the canal. If more speed is too risky it does not make any sense anymore for him to take part there.

I think one of the reasons he failed on big Tuesday is that he is quite alone there. No Rob and no Alex who are pushing him.

Yes I think have the motivation of others pushing the limits can make a difference

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Dr Speed said..
this year he is NOT the organizer and can fully concentrate on racing. He has reached 55 kn already on the canal. If more speed is too risky it does not make any sense anymore for him to take part there.

I think one of the reasons he failed on big Tuesday is that he is quite alone there. No Rob and no Alex who are pushing him.

That is quite harsh DS.

Everybody has to make the judgement call for his own safety every time.

On that topic, when conditions were extreme there, the best kiters still needed some experienced helpers to launch and retrieve safely. Perhaps that was not available?

or perhaps the course angle was just too tight?

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Dr Speed said..
He has reached 55 kn already on the canal. If more speed is too risky it does not make any sense anymore for him to take part there.... I think one of the reasons he failed on big Tuesday is that he is quite alone there. No Rob and no Alex who are pushing him.

As I understand it on big tuesday inch-sized pebbles were flying at 1 metre high, making runs not just dangerous but impossible to do

But there was a short period with record conditions before and after the pebble storm

BenProffitt has arrived and there is some vids/info on the www.facebook.com/luderitzspeedchallenge/ and Windsurfing.tv starting to go up.



www.facebook.com/windsurfingtv/videos/1970726129882144/

www.facebook.com/windsurfingtv/videos/1970826849872072/

04.11.2017 runs wind 25knots gusting to 30knotsGunnar 46.5
Bj?rn 44.10
Twan 44.30
Farrel 41.70
Heidi 40.10
Ben Proffitt 38.90
Karo Van Tonder 36.30
Sebastian 48.70

Episode 2