The World's Fastest Kite. Period

[Toby]

Cabrinha News:

The World's Fastest Kite. Period

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Ludertiz Namibia - October 28th, 2010 resulted in success for Team NASSP. Rob Douglas age 39 USA 55 has proudly and courageously recaptured the Outright World Speed Sailing Record. Not only is the Switchblade the fastest kite on the planet...it’s the fastest sailing device!

In winds in excess of 45 knots, sand storms and sea spray surrounding him, Rob entered the Ludertiz Trench. A 4 foot wide, 2 foot deep man made specifically for this world record breaking attempt. With his 9m Cabrinha Switchblade, speed board of choice, and various body protection (not to mention balls of steel), Rob once again sailed into the annals of history with a World Record Speed of 55.65 knots (nearly 65 mph)! If sailing down a 4’ wide x 2’ deep trench at speeds over 64 mph sounds dangerous. It is! The added fact that to retain the water level to the minimum depth of 18cm as required by the WSSRC, organizers were forced to completely close the end of the trench with a wall of rocks and sand, makes the challenge absurdly dangerous. Rob has the scars to prove how dangerous it can be. His second run was fouled during the finish and he
fractured his right wrist. The NASSP Team decided to have Rob return to Boston, MA two days later to undergo surgery that left him with a titanium-reinforced wrist. However daunting this endeavor may be to the common man, Douglas says “No one in the world has ever reached
that speed with sail power. To be the best of something in the entire history of the planet is incredible, so I’ll defend the title for another year or two.”

Sourse: NASSP

[Toby]

[kiteforumtv]http://www.kiteforum.tv/video/THE_FASTE ... ORLD_.html[/kiteforumtv]

[threebad]

Sounds like an ad for a sanitary towel

Maybe they should sell it with a free iPad

[Me3]

Nevermind the kite what about the t-shirt?

That is one amazingly fast t-shirt he has on over his wetsuit. If I had a t-shirt like that I could go really, really, really fast.

Anyone know who makes Rob's t-shirts? And do they do a big air version?

[KiteboardingTampaBay]

In my opinion that Cabrinha ad is a major slap to the face of kiters. It comes across as "We know what's best for the sport, we told you so!"
You're going to hijack our friggin' sport and give all the credit to sailors? WTF?
Who enables your rock star lifestyles by buying your overpriced kites- sailors?

It's not a "sailing device", its called a kite, you ungrateful fucks.....
I can see wanting to pimp your gear and riding Rob's talent for all its worth, but the fact remains that kiteboarders do not want to be sailors.

In closing, Congratulations to Rob for his accomplishment. Good stuff, that's crazy fast!

[skyte]

the fastest kite in the world is the Flexifoil Stacker 6

[Clew In]

Hey,

What a wipe out. Ouch!

Did you just let go of the bar or did the kite flag out?

I was thinking you may need to come up with a hand held QR. When you let go of the bar you automatically flag the kite or release the kite. Maybe that way you would would have a chance of skipping across the water and not the ground downwind.

Clew In

[tomatkins]

I wonder why he doesn't use a Crossbow?

I would think that with all the struts, and higher aspect, that the Crossbow would be faster.

Is it because the Switchblade is more controlable?

[GraemeF]

Whilst it might seem un professional to 'have a go' at a competitor (except the bastards at Best upon whom it has always been Open Season), I have to say we'd do well to ostracise Cabrinha for their attempts to make Kite surfing just another discipline of sailing and thus fall into the arms of ISAF.
This purely for their own commercial ends in an attempt presumably to get a kite version of the despicable RSX they foisted onto the competitive windsurfing scene.

This for those unaware would mean if you wanted to compete at Olympic level in their distorted view of the future would involve buying the Cabrinha Switchblade One Design and board, which of course would be heavier, more likely to warranty issues and cost more than any other item, with a license fee paid of course to ISAF.

There would of course be an Olympic 'Trial' but the results of which would already have been secured well in advance in smoke filled rooms by officials with dubious agendas that can be traced right back to you know who.

[BWD]

a 4’ wide x 2’ deep trench

huh? 4' wide? 4m even? maybe...

Not that it take anything away from his record