This October, Gavin Broadbent will travel to Namibia, Africa, to compete in the 2010 Luderitz World Speed Kiting Challenge.

The 4th World Speed Kiting Challenge will be held in the remote coastal town of Luderitz, Namibia from 4 October to 31 October 2010. With consistent winds of up to 40 plus knots, Luderitz is widely recognised as the world’s best speed sailing spot. Accredited as a World Sailing Speed Record Council (WSSRC) and International Sailing Federation (ISF) competition, the records set here are internationally recognised.

Gavin is the fastest kite boarder in New Zealand and currently ranked 7th fastest in the world through GPS overall rankings, with a record speed of 51.29kts knots (94.98 km/hr) maintained for ten seconds. He is also ranked 7th overall, over 500m, with a speed of 49.83kts (92.29km/hr). Out of the top 10 rankings he is one of only two, to set speeds outside of Luderitz, Namibia. www.gps-kitesurfing.com/

This year’s competition will see Gavin go head to head with the current world speed kiteboarding record holder, Alexandre Caizegues (50.98kts), Sebastien Cattelan (the first man to reach 50 knots over 500m and event organiser), and numerous other riders pro-riders. Gavin will undoubtedly set an official New Zealand record, and be a strong competitor to challenge the world outright sailing record of 51.36kts over an official WSSRC 500m course.

The upcoming World Challenge is going to be an epic journey, and we hope kiters, windsurfers and sailors alike behind Gavin and New Zealand in this challenge!!


Cheers,
Charlotte

www.luderitz-speed.com

Awesome!

Good luck Gavin - those speeds are insane, and I respect the control needed in speed-kiting.

Keep us posted

jez gav aint u getn 2 old 4 this kinda carry on hehe,na bro just messn round eh,u go getm boi

good luck dude. thats some insane speeds. keep us posted with updates.

Thanks to my lovely wife for posting the info. Charlotte will be in Luderitz also as support. She would have been competing and would certainly have set a NZ Womens record and given the world record a good crack. Sadly, although excitingly at the same time, she will have a large baby bump going on by that time, so maybe next year.
Thanks for the reply's we will keep you updated starting right now:

Today in a hail/rain storm with winds of around 40 knots I ran a 53.36knot(98.8kph) 10 second run. This is the fastest 10 second run in the world for 2010! and the 2nd= fastest 10 sec run on the all time GPS world ranking(although I believe Alex C, Frenchy has a faster as yet unratified run)
Looking forward to some consistent 40 to 45knot Luderitz winds!
Cheers Gavin

With that speed looks like yourl be right on target for the world record. good shit.

Worlds fastest pregnant woman then? no just kidding.

Go for your life this year because once you have little nippers running around the house it'l get real hard to bust over to africa for speed kiting.

where are you doing you speeds in nz Gavin? i'm presuming manukau harbour?

wow 53 kts bro thats great but just imagine how fast ud go with a naish kite lol.

plummet wrote:


Mangawhai estuary if I recall...

Another good training session yesterday:
PB for average speed(average of 5 fastest 10 second runs)
Stoked with 2 x 50+ runs and new PB for 5 best ave... very gusty day and the wind angle made for a difficult course... centre strut bladder on my Rally 10m blew out sometime early in the day so all runs were on a 2 strut kite... flew fine, what an awesome kite! Winds 26 to 38 knots.
Average speed 49.91 knots ( 50.93 50.03 49.76 49.56 49.26 )
Max. GPS (display) 55.53 knots
Max. 2 sec. (software) 55.01 knots
100 m run 54.08 knots
250 m run 50.93 knots

Hi Gavin

Firstly, a big congratualtions to you and your wife, Charlotte on your large impending bump that will no doubt have a largely influential start into the kiting world on its journey. Well Done!

And good luck representing NZ at the Luderitz Speed Challenge in Africa. Such an amazing and beautiful place, and Luderitz a very windy part of the country.

From the KiteForum crew, ride hard and do your best.

P.S Keep us posted on your progress. Really enjoy reading about the speeds you are getting in your training runs. You can upload photo's easily at in the photo section or you can link to video's uploaded into YouTube, Vimeo etc in the video section.

yeah bro, get some helmet or board cam footage! i need to see close up 100kph +

Stoked to break the 50 knot mark on ave of 5 best 10 sec runs and get in 3 50+ runs on Friday and another 3 on Saturday.
The big storm never really delivered though with winds of 25 to 38knots or so.
Counting down the days to Luderitz and hopefully some 40 to 50 knot winds.
Fridays Stats
Average speed 50.23 knots ( 50.96 50.67 50.67 49.64 49.21 )
Max. GPS (display) 53.82 knots
Max. 2 sec. (software) 53.4 knots
100 m run 52.98 knots
250 m run 50.96 knots
500 m run 46.43 knots

Saturdays Stats:
Average speed 49.93 knots ( 51.22 50.78 50.48 48.9 48.26 )
Max. GPS (display) 54.38 knots
Max. 2 sec. (software) 54.33 knots
100 m run 53.33 knots
250 m run 51.22 knots
500 m run 47.74 knots

Fridays session ups my GPS ranking to 5th on the all time list.

Hi Gavin,

Stoked for you! WELL DONE on breaking the 50 knot barrier! I would be wrapped. That's a geat achievement by any means. Thanks for keeping us all informed.

Safe Travels and keep us posted.

Has been a great month of wind in NZ perfect build up for Luderitz.
Final session on the speed board before I leave was on Thurdsay with new PB's
Super stoked with a 49.64knot 500meter run and new PB on ave of 50.4knot.
stats below
50.4 knots ( 51.57 51.07 50.12 49.77 49.45 )
Max. GPS (display) 54.36 knots
Max. 2 sec. (software) 54.16 knots
100 m run 53.6 knots
250 m run 51.57 knots
500 m run 49.64 knots

Gavin takes out the NZ national speed title on first session at Luderitz!
while still unofficial Gavins first session has him sitting in second place overall with a 44.5 knot run that will give him the outright NZ record once ratified.. Stronger winds forecast for Monday / Tuesday so should be some good speeds set
www.luderitz-speed.com/

Cheers CT! Yes, we're just waiting on the offcial results.

It has been spring tides the last couple of days which has made it less than ideal conditions, with a short window of opportunity for any 'flat' water racing.

Race organisers are spending the next four mornings re-digging/modifying the trench in preparation for the strong winds forecast on tuesday. The tides will be back to normal and the trench increses the amount of time the racing can be held ensuring all requirements are met (water depth / current), not to mention flatter conditions!

We'll keep you posted! In the mean time there's a lot of book reading/internet and $2 heinekens to be had.

Charlotte

We now have the results from Day 1 of racing (Best 500m speed run):

1 Gavin Broadbent 44.51
2 Rob Douglas 44.09
3 Alex Caizergues 43.97

Congrats to Gav for kicking ass, Day 1, in trying conditions. This is a new New Zealand record, just waiting on offical record ratification.

YAY!!!

gavin posted up higher speeds than that before he left. does it not count towards a nz record because its not ratified?

ps good work dude.

While Gav has posted many faster times .. only a speed recorded at a WSSRC event can be claimed as a national or international speed sailing record ...not an easy thing to do as the event has to be under the direct supervision of an official from the World Speed Sailing Record Council who checks things like water depth and has to ratify the equipement and speeds attained ....The gps kite speed sailing website where Gavin and others post has its own verification system based on proven gps units but these cannot be claimed as records as the WSSRC has not allowed gps units to be used... a contradiction in itself as boats like Hydrophere and sail rocket have used trimble gps units for their record runs

Brilliant effort Gav... and looking forward to some more kickbutt with Tuesdays forecast winds

End of a long day here, a solid 30 knots, pushing to 40kts for a short time. I can report Gav completed 3 runs over 50kts down the 500m course today!!! Fastest displayed run was 50.5kts, smashing his record from the other day.

I need to wait for the verifiied results, this is just based on the instant screen and will change.

I think about 5 guys posted over 50kts today, about 52.5kts was the top. Again this all needs to be verified. There is a rumour Alex Cageriouz got about 53.5kts however he failed (yet again)to wear his offcial lycra as clearly outlined in the skippers meeting and therefore his results will likely be void.

Full confirmed results should be available on www.luderitz-speed.com in about 12 hours.

12 Oct 2010 : Tsunami Tuesday – Hydroptere Record Smashed!

It’s official – after today the Hydroptere is no longer the fastest sailing vessel. It’s previous record of 51.36 was broken numerous times today by Kite surfers!
2nd Lagoon Luderitz lived up to all expectations today with many new records being broken.

Scores of competitors dramatically improved on their Personal Best sailing speeds and 5 competitors reached 50 knots and more!
Winds of around 40 were recorded. The new Speed Channel is proving to be a definite winner for competitors. Once again the organizers of the Luderitz Speed Event have produced record breaking conditions for competitors to be recorded in the Speed Sailing Hall of Fame.

We are waiting for speeds to be officiated by the World Speed Sailing Record Council (WRSSC) to officiate these incredible new speed sailing times, which will be released later tonight.
We shall share these historical results with you as soon as the WRSCC officiates them!

..and from kiteforum
www.kiteforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=2366900&p=671533#p671533

"Unofficially (via word of mouth) Alex set a 53 knot 500m, so the outright record has returned to the kiters.
Seb (Catman) also clocked some insane speeds; 52 or 53; Seb Salerno and Gavin Broadbend clocked 52 and 51... respectfully, so a big day in every respect".

Congratulations, Gavin !
Interesting board, very unusual !



Looks like a waterski, how does the tail look like ?
Like a waterski, too ?
Any pics ?
How wide is it ?

Press release
Thursday, 14 October 2010

KITE BOARDER BREAKS NZ SPEED SAILING RECORD


Auckland kite boarder Gavin Broadbent has smashed the existing national speed sailing record at the international Luderitz Speed Challenge for sail powered craft.

At 50.93 knots, Broadbent has become the first NZ kiteboarder to break 50 knots - at the international competition on Namibia’s coast, attended by 40 of the world’s fastest speed sailors.

The event attracts the top speed sailors in kite surfing and wind surfing. It was the competition where the 50 knot record was first broken and where kite surfers attained the outright speed record for sail powered craft - the sailing equivalent of breaking the sound barrier, or achieving the four minute mile.

A former New Zealand men’s water ski and wake board champion, 46 year old Broadbent says: “The organisers have created a new channel and improved the course so there are good odds for the competition to regain the world record and faster speeds if the wind blows more than 40 knots.

“So far there has been less wind than I expected so I’m looking forward to some strong wind tomorrow and some real speed.”

On day one of the event, Broadbent’s official average speed over 500m was already recorded at 44.51 knots – the previous record being 40.68 knots.

Resident of Auckland’s North Shore, he is the only New Zealander competing at this year’s competition.

Broadbent’s time has been ratified by the World Speed Sailing Record Council (WSSRC). It is a speed measured and video-timed race, over a 500m course.

For results and event information, see www.luderitz-speed.com and

View the current international record holder: www.hydroptere.com

French man, Alex Caizerques achieved the new world outright record of 54.1knots at Luderitz this week. The competition ends on 31 October.

ouch.talk about threading the needle. with sand downwind theres no tolerance for error if something goings wrong.

Excellent performance(s)!!!
Well done Gavin! Well done Alex!

My heart is torn between France and NZ in terms of people to support! But there's room to support everyone!!!

I'm a bit pissed off that nowhere in the national press can we see any mention of those results. For a nation with such a history of great sailors, smashing the national record, and the first NZer over 50kts are HUGE milestones. That's the kind of things that made me dream when I was a kid, I remember Erik Beale's 1st > 40 stickers all over my school note books...
And still nothing whatsoever about that, just F'in cricket, bloody soccer, rugby, V8 superbollocksracing...


Very proud of you guys!!!

its kinda odd no one is really that aerodynamic above the water, i would have thought just a super thin full wetsuit with a back zip and a RUROCK helmet would be pretty good. But some blokes are wearing t shirts over and board shorts ! i gues its not the most important aspect of going fast. You need a good kite, a good board and good skills, be a bit nuts too but if the kit i meantioned were worn id say a 1% difference maybe up to 5% , that = 2 knots faster doesnt it ?!?! seems to me that kite surfers are capable of 60 knots beacause the sport is not that evolved yet. Imagine a canal 50foot wide in a banana shape for 1km run up and so you can point higher as you go faster and be at peak speed before you enter the 500m.

As for plastering the glory of fast kiting on the news, maybe it will just let swimmers know that we can do a little more than 5 knots inside 200m ! good press or bad press for the majority of kite surfers ?! id say its ammo for banning kite surfers from smaller beach locations all certified and in black and white.

Well, it sounds like a very moot point... swimmers are not that common in beaches exposed to 30kts winds...
And speed is a very extreme aspect of the sport that should be considered as such.

As for banning 10kts grovels in dead on shore Orewa in summer on sundays, I can see some merit behind that, but it's not to be discussed here.

I'm sure we'll see profiled helmets and profiled body suits (with padding) eventually.

I dont think the body drag is anywhere near the possible percentage gains you mention...
check the vid of Alex and watch his harness straps hanging out ... they are barely moving ... if you held a bit of webbing out the car window at 100 k it would whip your hand to shreds... if you consider the wind is blowing at 40 knots and he is traveling down the course at 50 knots at 140 degrees off the wind... then if you create a vector diagram you will see he is traveling down wind at about the same speed as the wind...creating virtually no resistance ... so the body drag factor is minimal... very different to say cycling where they are traveling at say 70 k through still wind...ie wind 70 k in your face or running into a 30 k headwind.. ie 100k in your face
when kiting at high speed downwind you barely feel the wind unlike beating square across the wind where you feel the full brunt of it
just my thoughts
Chris

has anyone told the media? maybe they are out of the loop. you need to give em a call Alex and make it happen!!

Heres a gps screen shot of Gavins record breaking run showing wind/ angle and speed..speed at the red marker is 52.95 knots and angle to wind 138 degrees
Chris

Yes the media have been told about the story. They are interested and will be running a stories soon. Just waiting for interview footage for TV. Newspaper will be running a feature in the weekend.
As a side note, just because you do something good doesn't necessarily mean the media will know about it. It takes some time and effort to get a good story to fruition. Having good footage, contacts and making it easy for the media does help.

That answered it for me Chris, thank you for posting the graph i guess its minimal gains from that area given the wind angle. my point about the high speeds is that stats can be used out of context and can be hard to play down later especially to 95% of voters who know nothing about kites or kitesurfing. The ARC are wickedly good at asking leading questions in a survey to protect birds

EDIT : Chris, what is the name of the software that shows the wind direction and has the gps overlay (i assume) ? Im guessing that is stright from sailing tech ? I am interested to know the setup , instruments etc. I have been trying to attach some gear to a kite buggy such as a load cell , apparent wind and actual wind with GPS on top.

EDIT : Chris, what is the name of the software that shows the wind direction and has the gps overlay (i assume) ? I’m guessing that is straight from sailing tech ? I am interested to know the setup , instruments etc. I have been trying to attach some gear to a kite buggy such as a load cell , apparent wind and actual wind with GPS on top.

There are several programs out there for analysing gps tracks... the gps websites recognises the Navi Gt 31 as the best tracking gps for our sports at the moment

GPS action replay GPSAR is the program shown in screenshot .. 60 day free trial available at
gpsactionreplay.free.fr/
you can overlay maps of your local region etc and load numerous tracks to show competing buggies/kites blow by blow
I can recommend as a great programme as I have used it for years to validate and analyse gps tracks for both kite and windsurf!

Ha I was laughing at this reaction from the yachties. Sour grapes perhaps?
crew.org.nz/forum/viewtopic.php?f=34&t=15210

you are discussing with Anatole from sky toys quite funny indeed.

Open means OPEN , make some rules and don’t call it the open class i guess then sailors could make a boat and go hard with out being overtaken by a kiter barefoot water skiing with 2 keels on their heels ??

hi guys, just chilling in Cape Town for a day or so before we fly home. Fantastic trip and a great result for NZ! Gavins ratified speed was 50.93kts, awesome stuff! This leaves him in 4th spot for the event behind the three 'big' names, Alex, Seb, and Rob.

Unfortunately the wind/tide didn't play ball in the last week for another good crack at the title. NZ beckons, work calls, and the finances are grim, so thats it for us. The event closes 31st Oct, I gather there was better wind today, haven't seen the results yet, and some forecast for the last two days.

There might be something on TV1 tonight, keep an eye out for us.

cheers,
charlotte

good effort! congrats

Rob Douglas smashes the records again... 55.65 knots is the new World Record (once ratified)
5 kiters yesterday bettered Hydropteres old record
Plus Charlotte Consorti First Woman to beat 50 knots .. New World Record for women!

Yeah a huge day in Luderitz yesterday, Congrats to all, some awesome runs! Unfortunately I was on a flight home to NZ while these speeds went down. While being very happy with my results I am disappointed to have missed the last week(especially Thursday). When I booked the trip back in May I decided that 3 weeks would be enough particularly at the $1000/week entry fee. As it turns out the wind in Luderitz is more fickle than I believed and weeks one and three were basically a write-off wind wise for serious speed. Now I can only imagine what might have been.... Many lessons learnt and a great trip and experience had by Charlotte and I.

yeah. thats kiting for you. your effort is still huge amd you have balls the size of tractor tires.

I was watching TV1 sport news tonight and they had the nz's top 10 sailing achievements of the year.

Who did i see mentioned but Gav punching 50+ knots in the trench at luderitz. Good on ya mate. There was a bunch of multi million dollar yatchs mentioned and you standing on a plank hauling faster than any of them.

top effort.