SPEED TALKS

Magic Finian on his record 48,7 knots run:

What was different to your last record run?
Finian: “More focused on the task at hand and the run was good. The wind was more consistent than the last record Mistral day.”

What size was your board?
Finian: ”I was on a 35 cm wide board by 214 cm long. It was a nice ride.”

How windy was it?
Finian: “For Karin 35-40 and for me 40-45. Efficiency came out on top.”

World´s fastest woman on the water (41,5 knots):
Karin: “I feel great. In the last year I started working on the goal breaking the record seriously again:new boards, new sails, first attempts on the canal… To be honest it was quite an effort: money and time. But now it all paid out. The record is probably the biggest achievement ever for me. Better than 9 PWA world titles together.“

Why did it take 12 years to break the old women´s record ?
Karin: “For sure there was a lot of development in the material since 1993. That should easy be a knot. But then you still have to do it. That it’s not at all that easy I saw in the last fall when I missed the record by just a quarter knot. Also I believe the “masters of speed” is a true record event. It’s really a event for the sailors. The timing crew, the people working on the canal, Pascal Maka, Finian Maynard – they all make sure we can get the best out of us. They give us the best set-up and also a lot of support mentally.”

How was your record run ?
Karin: “The runs are always similar. You prepare yourself already by walking over to the ditch. Whoever helped you stays back by the cars. The equipment is set perfectly earlier. Now it’s just you. Then I reached the canal and made myself ready for the run. “This is your time – you can do it!!!” I turned around and saw Finian just climbing up and over the ditch’s walls behind me. Not sure why but I just said to him: “you go first”. Finian looked at me and then said: “ok, but you have to follow close. The gusts don’t last that long.” Gusts don’t last that long? It’s blowing steady over 35 knots. What’s he talking about? When he was half way down the course I started getting going. Easy start, I accelerated – just follow him – same position – same everything – …. As usual I got the gust right before the starting line. My sail blew up – I let it do that – don’t work against the power: use it – “glide, glide, glide” I repeated to myself. Then everything went really quick – halfway mark – still the same gust – and then it even hit me harder – “let it glide, let the board follow his own course” – with that last gust I accelerate into the finish line. Next thing I see is Finian rising his arms – I turn around as soon as I have full control over the equipment again and check the timing board “41.5” – World record!!!! Finian jumped into the water to hug me, the timing crew sounded their siren to signalize that it was all correct with the time and to congratulate me. Pascal Maka jumped out the observer caravan and started running towards me. I’ve seen it all before when Finian had done his record in fall – but now it was all for me. Looking back I believe my “lucky run” had a lot to do with Finian’s timing of sending me on the run. Nobody seems to read the wind better than him. I scored that gust all the way through the 500-meter run. Looking back at that run it felt really easy – and not that fast. 5 hours after me Finian would repeat that same sentence to describe his own new record run “ easy – not that fast”.

Which gear did you use ?
Karin: “I used a 33cm wide needle shaped by Patrik Diethelm, a 19cm speed fin from Deboichet and a 4.6 Arrows sails (on a Arrows skinny mast) made by Willy Blauw. It was the perfect set-up!”

Do you ever think to go so fast?
Karin: “YES. To be able to break a record I’m sure you first have to be sure about it yourself. Last November I missed it by just a 1/4 knot. By then there were a lot of things not yet right: it was my first time on the canal – the wind was super strong – I had not small enough sails… Now I really was ready for it. But sure I was lucky as well. Everything just has to work our perfect for a world record: the windstrenght and direction, your equipment, your body,… On Sunday it just all worked in my favour. “

Which is your next goal ?
Karin: “I’m sure that I could go faster with the right conditions. In fact if the conditions would have stayed like during my record run then I’m sure I would have reached 42 knots easily. But in the afternoon the wind was much stronger and also more downwind which added a lot of chop to the course. “

Which role did Patrik Diethelm play ?
Karin: “Patrik was a crucial point in my record run. From the time I knew he would be here for this weekend I started having a very confident feeling. For the record you need somebody to help you. Somebody that drives your car with yourself and the equipment back up to the start again. And somebody that supports you and helps you reaching your own limits. Patrik immediately supported me when I said I wouldn’t wanna sail in the Port St. Louis Event on Saturday. So we left a day early for Saintes Maries. Even though it was pretty cold I sailed two sessions on the canal that Saturday. Patrik filmed every single run I made. Then we discussed the right equipment trim, my sailing position and the line I would choose on the canal. The wind was rather light and the course completely square. Nevertheless I was sailing better and better from run to run. Patrik taught me what he called “Maynard style”. If you compare the pics and the video from my record run to those ones I did last November you will see a big difference. On Sunday it was all easy then. Rig – also with the help of Patrik – sail – and on the second try I already beat Babette’s record! The second run on Sunday but probably the 30 for that week-end. That was my big chance.”

Were Antoine Albeau and Bjorn Dunkerbeck there watching?
Karin: “Nope – they fighted in Port St. Louis”

For more info and video footage of Finain’s record run, check out http://www.f2surf.com