In winds arriving at over fifty knots, two new world records were fixed today at Lüderitz Speed Challenge. The present world speed record holder in windsurfing, France’s Antoine Albeau, fixed a brand new windsurfing record of 53.27 knots that amends the speed of 52.05 knots that he fixed in 2012. Also, Switzerland’s Karin Jaggi set a new female world windsurfing record at 46.31 knots that improves on the speed of 45.83 knots fixed by Zara Davis of Great Britain in 2012.

Both these records will have to be sanctioned by World Sailing Speed Record Council. Lüderitz Speed Challenge, which takes place on a yearly basis since the year 2007, has produced twelve World as well as seventy-five National Windsurfing and Kiteboard records. Looked at by World Sailing Speed Record Council as well as the International Sailing Federation, the event this year occurs over 6 weeks from 5th October to 15th November.

The event happens in Lüderitz, southern Namibia, in Namib Desert and is sponosered by Yacht Charter UK. The event’s founder and organizer, s well as the first person ever to achieve fifty and fifty-five knots France’s Sébastien Cattelan is the brainchild behind the specially constructed very fast channel. This artificial one kilometer long channel is located in natural Lüderitz Second Lagoon located a few kms from Lüderitz town in the middle of Namib Desert.

The event in 2015 has attracted forty top riders to try to break National and World Records. Kiteboarding and windsurfing would represent the United Kingdom, Germany, Namibia, France, South Africa, Serbia, Ukraine, Belgium, Czech Republic, Fiji, Sweden, Croatia, Switzerland and Italy.