60 knots+? This will be interesting...

http://www.luderitz-speed.com/News/tabid/182/EntryID/46/Default.aspx

Well, there are conflicting reports about that. The original 2008 prospectus for the event claimed the water would be 50cm deep during the running of the event but I seem to remember the windsurfers who went there finding it too shallow much of the time.

Quote from: http://www.luderitz-speed.com/Event/About/tabid/207/Default.aspx

"Another interesting feature of the speed strip we have designed for the 2008 L?deritz Speed Challenge is that the depth of the water over the 500m is very consistent. Professional measuring shows that the water depth does not vary more than 20 cm between maximum and minimum depth over the entire distance. Combining this with the tide charts, we have determined a scheduled 60 hours of afternoon sailing with the water level over 50cm deep over the entire 500m of the run (the wind blows harder from around 14h00 to 18h00 every day). This is fantastic news for the windsurfers!"

I read somewhere in this years blurb (can't find it now) that it will be only Kitesurfers this year because of the depth issues but they are investigating another run in the bay which they think may be suitable for windsurfers.

It also appears that the chop breaker fence they built last year may be a bit too high and interfere with the wind for a windsurfer on at least some tides.

speak to Slowie Chris, he sailed there a few years back and spoke about how shallow it is in parts. Too dangerous for him. Bjorn gave it a run last year and got a pb from memory but it was still pretty crazy. A couple of the kiters take windsurfing gear with them when they go so they have something different to do. I know last year Hennie Bredenkamp (sic) did both sailing and kiting.
I agree with you Daffy, tis going to be very interesting considering the fact guys are now breaking 60 knots peaks.

News from Rob Munro about those kiters 'warming up' (!) for the official start of the event:
Wow! Luderitz went off the scale today and so did the internet!!!

Massive winds hit 2nd Lagoon today during the warm up to the Luderitz Speed challenge 2009! Not only were potential GPS records set and broken, but the wind took out the internet dish and the whole of the Luderitz area is now official cyber-blacked out!

BUT, the information via old-school-comms, the telephone is simply insane.... Sebastien Cattelan hit a VMax of 61.7kts and, subject to ratification, has set a new Record for the 10 Second average of 56.5kts including a 56.8 10 Second run and an even more important 53.058kts 500m just before the official start of the WSSRC event!

Hennie Bredenkamp and Basil Cambanis were on hand, as well as World Kitespeed Record holders Alex Caizergues and Sjoulkje Bredenkamp, who all went out in some serious winds hitting 48kts! Alex and Hennie were touching on the 58's VMax with 53's on the 10 second runs, but Hennie, who borrowed a new Bandit promptly destroyed it after his 2nd run, with what he muted as his "worst beating for years," went on to to Diaz Point with his sailboard, but couldn't keep the tail down using a 4.2 Stealth! Manu Taub trashed an 8m Bandit, Sophie has damaged her ankle and most were on the sidelines watching the day unfold due to the super strong winds. Sjoukje's 4.5m was too much to risk and Charlotte was tip-toeing down the strip. Luderitz showed it's teeth today and all are hoping for more to come!

Winds were solid all day, with a good angle, but spin drift and more, didn't stop Seb from using a 9m kite in winds close to 50 knots! What is to come for the month ahead??? Who knows, but it has certainly been preempted by major and World beating GPS speeds so far (subject to ratification!)

Keep an eye on www.gps-kitesurfing.com for sessions being posted and on www.luderitzspeed.com for all of the news from Luderitz (once the internet has been restored!)

Got a West Aussie in it this year as well
Tim Turner

As I understand it, it is very strong thermal enhancing of the gradient winds. It is on a coast with a very cold ocean current and a very hot dry desert inland so the thermal effect is really strong. There is also a bit of a local funneling effect I believe between hills on the coast.
And yes, as we well know after the reminder of our recent experience 48 knots is indeed Freakin' strong!

I am just a little puzzled though because I am expecting the Kiters to be more efficient than that. In this I mean that David Trewern demonstrated mid to high 40's speed at Sandy Point in around 20-25 knots of wind. I was expecting the best guys to be going 50 plus in 30-35 knots. Maybe we will still see it? Perhaps they need more wind to do it in deeper water?