World Sailing Speed Record Council
The World Sailing Speed Record Council was established by the International Yacht Racing Union (now renamed the International Sailing Federation) in 1972, with the objective to provide impartial results for increasing numbers of claims to high speed sailing craft.
Early on the decision was made to base such speed ratifications on a one-way leg of exactly 500 metres. Meetings are held every year, in various high wind locations in the world. Speeds have climbed with boats of various configurations and more recently with sailboards raising the competitive bar higher still.
Over recent years as well as the speed increasing the medium of challenging the record has changed to include hydrofoils and kitesurfers: the imagination of speed sailors world wide seemingly knows no boundaries.
On Sunday 7th December 2008 the WSSR Council released the ratification of a new World Record that has been fully endorsed by the International Sailing Federation, ISAF. This new uncontested World Record was set by a kitesurfer, competing at Luderitz in the 2008 edition of the Speed Challenge.
“The new Outright World Sailing Speed Record (over a 500 metre course) is Alexandre Caizergues who, on the 4th of October 2008, recorded an average speed of 50.57 knots using a 7 square metre kite and travelling the 501 metres in an elapsed time of 19.22 seconds! The previous best was held by Sebastian Cattelan, average 50.26 knots.” WSSRC.