French speedsters are world champs

THE new sail- and kite-boarding world champions were crowned in Walvis Bay at the weekend, marking the end of the International Speedsailing Association (ISA) and the Professional Kiteriders Association’s (PKA) Grand Prix Tour World Championship that formed part of Walvis Bay Speedweek.

Frenchmen and women took the honours this year in both the sail- and kite-boarding classes. The overall winners for the sail-boarding division for men and women respectively were Antoine Albeau and Valerie Ghibaudo.Both are also the ISA’s new World Champions for 2007.In the kite-boarding division Alex Caizergues and Charlotte Consorti were crowned 2007’s PKA World Champions.Although the world championship could have gone to anyone of the top five competitors this year – especially in the sail-boarding division – Albeau and countrywoman Ghibaudo managed to maintain their lead in the 2007 ISA Speed Windsurfing World Tour, just ahead of former world champions Karin Jaggi of Switzerland and Finian Maynard of British Virgin Islands.This year Jaggi finished in second position, with Zara Davis of Great Britain taking the third place.Finian Maynard had to settle with a third place this year, while legendary Swiss speed-sailer Bjorn Dunkerbeck took the second place.Although the awards were handed out on Saturday to mark the end of the world championship finals, the speed-sailers won’t be packing their bags yet to return home.From Sunday until today they will try to break the world speed record over the nautical mile – depending on the wind.The current world record over this stretch is held by another Frenchman, Alain Thebault, at 41,69 knots.Before him, Dunkerbeck held the record after he smashed it at last year’s Speedweek with a speed of 41,14 knots.The Chairman of the Namibian Sailing Association and co-organiser of Walvis Bay Speedweek, Juergen Geiger, said he was grateful for the weather, which ensured some good runs from the competitors.He said several records were broken this year in both the sail- and kite-boarding divisions.”This year’s event was a success, and we’re looking forward to the attempt to break the world record over the nautical mile,” he said during the prize-giving event.”We’re also looking forward to have Walvis Bay host the final again next year, seeing that the venue is growing in popularity amongst our international amateur and professional speed-sailers.”The overall winners for the sail-boarding division for men and women respectively were Antoine Albeau and Valerie Ghibaudo.Both are also the ISA’s new World Champions for 2007.In the kite-boarding division Alex Caizergues and Charlotte Consorti were crowned 2007’s PKA World Champions.Although the world championship could have gone to anyone of the top five competitors this year – especially in the sail-boarding division – Albeau and countrywoman Ghibaudo managed to maintain their lead in the 2007 ISA Speed Windsurfing World Tour, just ahead of former world champions Karin Jaggi of Switzerland and Finian Maynard of British Virgin Islands.This year Jaggi finished in second position, with Zara Davis of Great Britain taking the third place.Finian Maynard had to settle with a third place this year, while legendary Swiss speed-sailer Bjorn Dunkerbeck took the second place.Although the awards were handed out on Saturday to mark the end of the world championship finals, the speed-sailers won’t be packing their bags yet to return home.From Sunday until today they will try to break the world speed record over the nautical mile – depending on the wind.The current world record over this stretch is held by another Frenchman, Alain Thebault, at 41,69 knots.Before him, Dunkerbeck held the record after he smashed it at last year’s Speedweek with a speed of 41,14 knots.The Chairman of the Namibian Sailing Association and co-organiser of Walvis Bay Speedweek, Juergen Geiger, said he was grateful for the weather, which ensured some good runs from the competitors.He said several records were broken this year in both the sail- and kite-boarding divisions.”This year’s event was a success, and we’re looking forward to the attempt to break the world record over the nautical mile,” he said during the prize-giving event.”We’re also looking forward to have Walvis Bay host the final again next year, seeing that the venue is growing in popularity amongst our international amateur and professional speed-sailers.”