The Seiko Speed Challenge supported by SEIKO and Velocitek, is open to any current 49er Class member   The Seiko Speed Challenge will be help from March through the conclusion of Sail 4 Gold in Weymouth.  More information is below. 

SEIKO SPEED CHALLENGE - 2011  

HELSINKI 2011: Speeds have been recorded for the spring season with the leaders being Polish sailors Lukasz Przybytek & Pawel Kolodzinski who hit the top speed so far of 18.9 knots in Helsinki.  TracTrac recorded the data in race 3 for the blue fleet during the European Championship.  More attempts and speeds will be posted. 

Read the Notice of Challenge here

Follow the latest attempts on this link

Reports:

WEYMOUTH 2010:  Will and Sam Phillips of Australia have broken the Seiko Speed Attempt record with a 24.1 knots, verified from the Velocitek Speed Puck!  The boys were training in Weymouth, just off the breakwater in flat water when a gust of approximately 25 knots hit.  Congratulations to Will & Sam for winning not only the 2010 attempt but the overall speed record since the SEIKO Speed Attempt was initiated. Both will receive checks of $1500 each for the 2010 record and overall.  2nd overall (and a check for $1000) goes to Lauri Lehtinen and Kalle Bask of Finland who recorded a 21.9 in Poland and 3rd place (with a check for $1000) to Andre Fonseca and Marco Grael of Brazil with a 21.8.  You can view a video of the winning run on Channel 49er!

SEIKO SPEED CHALLENGE - last event

The final days for the SEIKO Speed Challenge will culminate by Saturday, August 14 in Weymouth.  Sam/Will Phillips top the 2010 chart with a verified 24.1 knots sailed on Friday in Weymouth.  To watch the results, go to the Events section of this website for current postings.  Who will be the winner for 2010 and possible overall speed champion?  Stay tuned this week!

PALMA 2010: A predominantly light wind regatta did not lend itself to ideal speed conditions. Despite this, a number of teams put down some impressive markers.  First up were the French team of Vincent Berthed adn Sebastien Durand with a 14.9 knots.  Simon Hiscocks and Simon Marks thent opped that with 15.4 but it was the American team of Peeter Must and Trevor Moore that pushed the mark to just over 16 knots. 

The SEIKO Speed Challenge continues during the ISAF World Cup events as well as the European Championships.  There will undoubtably be many windy days before the final event at the 2012 Olympic venue in Portland, GBR.

HYERES 2010: Mistral Late for a very Important Date: Semaine Olympique Française

It was apparent no one was going to break the record this week, as the 49er racers spent the entire first day of 30 degrees postponed on shore.  The famous Mistral wind that howls down the South of France, enticing the worlds fastest sailors, whistled not once at the ISAF Semaine Olympique Française. 

The fleet was tantalized with predictions of 18 knots, causing a frenzy to sign up for the Seiko 49er Speed Challenge.  But as the hours wore on with flags barely flickering, sailors began to lose their enthusiasm for tracking their speeds as they drifted around the race course. 

49er skiffs are known for their fast flight, and their sailors are speed addicts.  Jonathan Goldsberry of the US made light using the Seiko Speed Pucks in the winds, "I don't want to know I'm only going 5 knots!"  Many racers joked they wanted to use them just to prove to the Race Committee how painstakingly slow the conditions were.  When asked if he wanted to take a Seiko Speed Puck on board for racing, John Ladha of Canada replied, "Ya!  If the Mistral wasn't late!  Someone should get the Mistral a Seiko watch!"

No luck in Hyères, but the year is not over.  The fast and furious 49ers are gearing up for another ISAF race week in Medemblik, facing a promising forecast of 12-15 knots.  This is great news for the Seiko 49er Speed Challenge as so far this season the record has yet to be broken and is open for the taking...

GDYNIA - EUROPEANS 2010: Finally we had a great day of wind in the 12-20 knot range with a few puffs recorded to 24 on the outer course.  Several sailors took the Velocitek pucks out and tried to break the current record, which they managed to do.  With a record number of participants, everyone was vying to break the speed record.  Erik Storck and Trevor Moore led the pack after the first day with a 20.3 however, with more reports coming in, Lauri Lehtinen and Kalle Bask of Finland are the current speed leaders heading into the final event in Weymouth with a 21.9.

Make sure to plan to stay for an extra day after Sail For Gold in Weymouth where the 2010 SEIKO Speed Challenge kings will be crowned!