German Speedweek in Dranske / Isle of Rügen, 20.to 27. October:
After using GPS-devices to tune up my Slalom equipment since last year, I was interested to take part in a speedsurfing-contest! The German speedsurfing championships fit very well in my narrow time table between work and other competitions in the disciplines Slalom and Formula Windsurfing.
Before the event I was a bit nervous, because of reading about good results from other German competitors with top speeds over 40 knots. My personal best is only 36 knots, sailed in real life choppy conditions with a 90 liter slalom rocket and a 5.6m² Blade.
The first three days of the event had only light wind conditions under 15 knots. Funraces were run-two long-distance races across the Wieker Bodden. I won both easily with the enormous light wind power and acceleration of the Blade 8.5m²… but the fun was a bit limited in air temperatures around 7° Celsius.
From Tuesday noon to Thursday enough wind for speed races arrived, but more cold air temperatures between 8-10° Celsius. The ideal wind direction for flat water conditions would be west, but we had easterly winds which formed the water surface really choppy.
After 90 minutes action, changing between 8.5 – 7.5m², 125 - 105 litre slalom boards and a lot of different fins, I was really excited what the gps-data would tell. I had no expectation what the other competitors managed over the course in the same time. As big surprise I won the first race of the event and my first speed race ever!
Next day the wind increased up to 24 knots. We ran two races and I used 7.5 and 6.8m² Blade with the 90 litre and sometimes in gusty phases the 105 litre board. In race two I was second really close to the first. The third race I won again.
Thursday the wind was a bit lighter again and we sailed one race in the morning. Victory in the fourth race was mine, too. Later we tried a second race that was cancelled because of the gusty conditions. After this, the wind left for the rest of the event.
With one discard, I had three wins in the scoring- and the event overall standing was clear.
I never expected this domination as newcomer between speedsurfing specialists. Maybe the rough choppy conditions played a bit for me to win the title German speedsurfing champion.
In addition I won the trophy of the best event top speed. Since the first time with a Blade in my hands a noticed the easiness of these designs. The rougher are the sailing conditions the bigger is the difference in sailing comfort.
On the list is the maximum event speed in km/h as average speed on the 250m course of each competitor. The top speeds were reached in maximum gusts up to 24 knots and chop heights around 50cm -> not classic speed conditions!
We had easterly winds, but the expectation for this spot in this season are
westerly winds; then the water surface is flat.
My maximum speed was around 64 km/h with the 7,5m² Blade and WS 90,
Hurricane Fin Speed Slalom 33cm… that makes 58.2 km/h average on 250m.
In this way I want to thank The Loft, Hurricane Fins, Exocet and Fysio firms that support me well. A special thank goes to the development team around Monty Spindler (The Loft) and Otmar Schleenvoigt (Hurricane Fins) for nice discussions about tuning, many speed tips and fun on the water!
2nd: Oliver Schmidt, Ger-38 Tabou/Gaastra
3rd: Manfred Merle, Ger-82 Tabou /Gaastra
4th: Patrik Oberländer Ger-256 T1/Naish
5th: Torsten Mallon, Ger-818 F2 /North
Results
Aloha from the southern Baltic Sea,
Michael
