By Eric Bellande
≠NAMINUS – The annual ≠Naminüs (Lüderitz) Challenge, which serves as the world record attempt in speed sailing, is to welcome 19 different nationalities and potential new world records later this month.
During this year’s event, more than 50 top-class competitors will battle to push the limits even further after the huge success of last year, proving this particular event to be regarded as the fastest in the world with 55 national records and 11 world records due to tumble.
The warm Namib Desert winds accelerate through the surrounding hills and on reaching the cold waters of the Atlantic Ocean, thermal atmospheric pressure create incredibly high wind speeds.
Statistically, the wind blows an average of 35 knots for at least three times a week during the event, often reaching 40-45 knots and sometimes,even up to 50 to 60 knots of warm and stable winds.
Six years of intense research and development made Sébastien Cattelan two times World Record Holder and World Champion, with an average speed of 103-kph over 500m (55.49kts) and Sophie Routaboul, 2nd fastest woman in the world, with 90kph over 500m (48.64kts). Both these professionals share their knowledge and skills with the best speed sailors on the planet.
Since 2007, the famous names in speed have achieved their official records at the ≠Naminüs, (Lüderitz Speed Challenge) using the specially developed 500m canal run which ensures top performances.
Windsurfing legends, including Antoine Albeau, Bjorn Dunkerbeck and Anders Bringdal have all performed at the event. Dunkerbeck believes after the top performances of 2010, whereby kite surfers had broken world records, that these had been achieved mainly because of the channel and its location. It was obvious to him that windsurfers could also achieve very high speeds in these conditions.
In 2012, all participating competitors realised that it was possible to go even faster than their past best while Antoine Albeau was surprised at the ease of achieving top speeds in the channel. The original channel is key to world-class performance and during 2011 it turned out to be the beginning of a new era for this historic speed sailing project.
Although the new canal was dug in the lagoon in 2010 it made a significant difference and the ultimate speed sailing world record was broken. The channel still required further improvements to ensure more records, especially in the world of professional windsurfing.
In 2011, the organisers, Sébastien Cattelan and Sophie Routaboul, did some research on the possibilities of widening and lengthening the channel to create a smoother water surface for faster speeds and deeper water for increased safety.
After 12 months of setting up the project and obtaining the necessary authorisation, they managed to dig an artificial channel just outside of the lagoon with the support of the Namibian Ministry of Environment and Tourism, thus ensuring the perfect conditions to set new world records.