New Irish Speed Sailing Time Set at the Luderitz Speed Canal Subject to Ratification

8th November 2019

The new time set by Van Gelderen in Africa

There are unconfirmed reports coming from the Luderitz speed canal in Namibia that Irish Windsurfer Oisin Van Gelderen has broken the Irish speed sailing record time over 500m.

Van Gelderen has joined the fastest sailors in the world at this event to make an attempt at the Windsurfing World Record (53.27 knots / 98.6 kmph), currently held by French Sailor Antione Albeau.

Van Gelderen told Afloat: "My GPS shows 49.66 knots over 500m and my peak speed was 51.7knots but all record claims are subject to checking and ratification first".

As Afloat reported this time last year, the multiple times National Windsurfing Champion smashed the Irish Sailing Speed Record twice during his first two days competing at the 2018 Luderitz Speed Challenge.

The Luderitz course (a canal dug in a lagoon at the edge of the desert) has been specially designed to take advantage of the gale to storm-force winds common in this part of Africa.

Van Gelderen's goal is to become the first Irish Sailor to break the 50-knot barrier.

Published in Surfing

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Oisin Van Gelderen

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