Making life a holiday with interesting vacation and adventure ideas.

Speed freaks will again be gathering at Portland harbour, Portland, DT5 1SA, on Saturday 10th October, 2009, for Weymouth Speed Week. The event runs through to Friday 16th October and is open to any sailing craft over a 500m Course.
Portland harbour is bounded on its south western side by Chesil Beach . Chesil Beach is a pebble bank, forming a huge natural breakwater that stops the waves but not the wind. The Harbour therefore has ideal speed sailing conditions, with a combination of smooth strong winds (prevailing south westerlies) and flat water. Chesil Beach itself, is regarded as one of the natural wonders of the world; it is an 18 mile, shingle bank or tombolo (shown as a blue line in the satellite image), that forms part of the World Heritage Jurassic Coast.

Spectators are always welcome and the Weymouth Sailing Centre is usually open to all during Speed Week. The event also hosts the International Speed Windsurfing Class, Speed World Cup and the British Championships sanctioned by the United Kingdom Windsurfing Association. Wemouth has been chosen as the site to host the sailing events during the 2012 Olympic Games.

It has been pointed out that strictly speaking, Weymouth is a separate area to Portland, so to avoid confusion I have included a Google map. The event will be based at the Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy that is located at the Portland end of Chesil Beach. It is reached via Portland Beach Road. Note that the red map marker"A", may not be located exactly over the Sailing Academy, which is clearly adjacent to the harbour; you turn left at the roundabout, so as to keep the water on your left, in view.


View Larger Map

Labels: Chesil Beach, Portland harbour, Weymouth, Weymouth Speed Week, world speed sailing record

Another year, and again teams from the north and south hemispheres are both vying to be the first to the 50 knots barrier.

Frenchman Alain Thébault's flying trimaran, l'Hydroptère, holds the record for being the fastest sailing craft over one nautical mile, with an average speed of 41.69 knots, and l'Hydroptère team's next goal is to be first to cross the elusive 50-knots speed barrier.

However, the Australians are determined to beat the French to sailing's holy grail. Mindfull of l'Hydroptère's recent forays in the mediterranean, their entrant Wot Rocket has announced an official attempt during August, to break the 500m world speed sailing record in Botany Bay.

But don't think that the sailboarders will be sitting back and allowing the big boys steal their thunder, one of their number, French sail boarder Antoine Albeau currently has the fastest recorded speed over 500m of 49.09 knots.

Lisa Ratcliff reports in Sail-World on the Australian push to secure the prize.

Labels: 50 knots, Antoine Albeau, sailing, world speed sailing record