The stars aligned for Weymouth Speed week 2017. With Hurricane Ophelia and Storm Brian on the horizon, the event’s forecast had more purple than a Prince tribute concert. But would these strong winds be enough to break the existing event harbour records? With all the improvements in windsurfing equipment would the windsurfers smash it or would the kitesurfers have their time in the history books? It was back in 2008 that the event had such an amazing forecast and the big Swede, Anders Bringdal, and the UK’s Zara Davis set the men’s and women’s event harbour records of 38.38 knots and 32.44 knots respectively. Pete Davis reports on how the action went down.
Weymouth Speed week (WSW) has become an institution with windsurfers, kitesurfers and wacky boats since the early sev-enties. Now in its 45th year, it is the longest running speed event in the world and has attracted some of the biggest stars in speed sailing over the years. In the 80s Fred Haywood broke the 30 knots barrier and Jenna de Rosnay set the women’s world record of 22 knots here also. Weymouth is not the fastest site anymore, being superseded initially by the trench in Saintes Maries de la Mer in France and now the canal in Lüderitz in Namibia, but this has not diminished the attraction of Speed Week. Still super popular 45 years on, drawing in recent years the big stars of the sport like Bjorn Dunkerbeck and Anders Bringdal, who wanted to sail on the hallowed waters where speed sailing started. This year again it was like the who’s who of speed sailing with Erik Beale, the 1st man to break 40 knots, Paul Larson of Sailrocket and outright world record holder at 65.45 knots and Farrel O’shea, British record holder, dropping in just to say hi.
WELCOME ALL
Esta historia es de la edición Issue 372 - January February 2018 de Windsurf.
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Esta historia es de la edición Issue 372 - January February 2018 de Windsurf.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.
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New School
Slingshot’s windsurfing brand manager, Wyatt Miller, has noticed that kids are drawn to playing with wings and puts forward an interesting case as to why he thinks this could help entice them and others into windsurfing.
Changes
Wave sailor Flo Jung reflects on our changed world during his lockdown in Germany.
THE LAST WAVE
Lockdown stirred the creative juices of reader Björn Alfthan, who peers into the future to present a fictional story set in the wild waves of Norway, five years from now.
STILL IN THE GAME
After a horrific fracture in his leg from a crashed aerial in 2018, Alessio Stillrich is back! John Carter talks to the highflyer from Gran Canaria about his move to the Simmer team, recovering from injury and how he learned to windsurf in Gran Canaria!
MOVE ON UP - GET ON THE FRONT FOOT
This month we look at how our front foot weighting can affect and improve different aspects of our main windsurfing moves.
SOUTH' KIPA
Nik tweaking it over home waters.
A NEW NORMAL
On a trip to La Tranche-sur-Mer in France last year, Tris Best estimated over 80% of the windsurfers were foiling. This summer in Portland Harbour, foiling activity has increased dramatically too he reports. With the market offering plenty of choice to recreational windfoilers, our test team check out some of the latest foil offerings.
TACKING – THE SEQUEL
Having given you time to practice, Harty concludes his tacking series by critiquing various tacking options, including the carve tack, as well as offering solutions to common slip-ups.
‘NO VAPOUR TRAILS TO SCAR THE SKY' *
Realising we may be about to enter an extraordinary period in our lives, Harty decided to keep a windsurf-centric lockdown diary. Here are some of his choice excerpts.
REDEMPTION DAY!
Renowned for its windsurfing and variety of spots to sail at, Kimmerdige Bay is a wave sailing jewel on the south coast of England. Timo Mullen gives a guide to its shores while reflecting on why a recent session there was a reminder that there is no place like home!
