After 3 successful events, The Lüderitz Speed Challenge has earned its credibility and made its mark in the World of Speed Sailing. In 2010, for the first time in the history of Speed Sailing, all 3 of the sailing disciplines (windsurfing, kitesurfing and hydrofoils) will jointly compete in the same event for the coveted title of the “Fastest sailing vessel”.

In 2004 Sébastien Cattelan together with Sophie Routaboul, co-organiser of the event, discovered the now legendary speed location in Luderitz. This natural lagoon in the Namib Desert has all the qualities to become the top international speed sailing venue in the world. The warm desert winds accelerate through the surrounding hills and on reaching the cold waters of the Atlantic Ocean, thermal atmospheric pressure creates incredibly high wind speeds.

3 Oct 2008, Luderitz Bay, Namibia: French kite surfer Sebastien Cattelan was the first person to break the mythical 50 knots sailing barrier (+ 90 km/h over 500m averages).

Speed Sailing has become an international inter-disciplinary sport. For many years an ongoing challenge existed between windsurfers, hydrofoil boats and kitesurfers to smash records - capturing the imagination of the media in a battle where speed barriers are constantly being broken.

So what’s in store for 2010?
The favorable results of the previous year which offered a tempestuous run for our sportsmen recording upwards of 90 km/ph  on a 20-50cm deep, 500m long and 2m wide canal, has initiated continual improvement of the speed strip. In 2010, conditions for navigation have been improved by way of a more efficient canal of 10m of wide, 700m long, with a depth of 1m.

The aim this year is to widen the canal at the start as much as possible, making entry much easier. The sand taken from the canal will be laid up wind, creating a wall for protection against chop created in the water at high tide. The canal will have sufficient water depth to conform to the WSSRC rule (15cm minimum throughout) and even at low tide when the water recedes, the canal will remain at least 50cm deep throughout the run.  These increased proportions of the canal will result in greater safety compared to the previous wooden chop killer.

The 2010 Luderitz Speed Challenge promises to be the most hotly contested competition held in the history of Speed Sailing.

Source: Sébastien Cattelan and Sophie Routaboul

Click here to visit Luderitz Speed Challenge’s website.