DUNKERBECK TO GO FOR WORLD SPEED SAILING RECORD

Big Bjorn aims to bring the title back to where it belongs…

While the media attention was focussed on the freestyle event at
Fuerteventura, a few people were wondering a) what Bjorn Dunkerbeck was
doing there, and b) why what looked suspiciously like a speed course was
being set up. Sure enough, the word is that the big man is poised for an
attempt on the world speed record. Windsurfing lost the outright title
back in 1993, to the Yellow Pages Endeavour craft which clocked 46.52
knots in Australia, beating Thierry Bielak’s 45.34 knots, set earlier that
year. Since then, speedsailing as a discipline has faded slightly. But now
big Bjorn is looking to bring it back in to the limelight, with some new
boards designed by his Proof shaper Carlos Sosa, and new sails from Neil
Pryde. He’s got top speed sailor Roddy Lewis (best time 44.6kts) on hand
to advise, and his sights firmly set on both the outright record and that
50 knots holy grail.

And right now, they’re there – waiting for the conditions to peak. The
equipment is set, the winds are picking up steadily.

Following several days of setting up the course and testing some of the
newly designed equipment, Björn Dunkerbeck with the support of Roddy Lewis

– who once already clocked 44, 6 knots on the open ocean – is carefully
watching the development of the winds, which have picked up significantly
over the last 24 hours.

For up-to-date images and quicktime movies please go to:

http://homepage.mac.com/bognerp/World-Speed-Sailing