Wow.....what an experience! Getting used to the run in fully powered conditions today - it felt a lot windier than it was. Firstly Luderitz is definitely not easy. Gusty at the start making getting going one of the hardest challenges with huge gusts and sand hitting you before you can hook in. Then hook in very quickly, clear your eyes and accelerate round the bend and try and get everything locked down for the start gate. The next 500m is pretty hardcore...big gusts hitting you in the narrow channel but you also have to be ready for any lulls as your board steers upwind. I had one run when I was half way down when the course disappeared for 50m in a sheet of sand as a huge gust came through - goriila stance adopted :-) Then its full power through the finish with plenty of room to stop this year. I was completely breathless for 1 minute after the run!

Completely unique experience today - will never forget it! I tried to take it easy within the context of what I've written above....kept the bigger fin in and played it as safely as possible in the bigger gusts.

My verified 500m time was 44.57kts (very close to the GPS result). I'm proud of that today....good base to build from and I think it placed me respectably.  Faster times to come for sure.

Will upload photos to facebook shortly.

First windy day in Luderitz for me. Did 3 safe runs with mXr 49 and NP EVO IV 5.8 and HA asy 24 fin when wind still was not soo strong. Then I took Mistralboard and Loft Racing Blade 5.6 with UFO rake 30 ast 19 fin and did my best run. To bad that runs stop was more of a crash and my ribbcage hurts now.

I hope this will not affect my sailing tomorrow.

What and day full of adrenaline:-)

First real day of sailing at Luderitz. Started on the 6.3 KA Race and broke the current AUS record on the 2nd run raising it to 43.38. The 6.3 Race was awesome as I knew it would be.. I peaked around 45 on it. Then i changed to the 5.8 Koncept. The speeds increased and it was awesome! It was brand new out of the bag.. The first run started well then I spun out slightly. I must have picked up some mud or crap on the fin in the shallow starting area. The 2nd half of the run was sheeted out in spin out mode. The start had a 47.9 peak and a 46.89 10 second. it would have been the fastest run of the day. I did more runs and the 2nd last had the quickest 500. It is super hard getting going at the start. Its broad and gusty. I need to work on starts.. I tried the wieght jacket but couldnt start a run with it on (in 21/2 hrs..) so I took it off and did my best 500. One of us 3 will have re broken the Aus record around 44.5 knots. We wont know till tonight who it is. All 3 of us sailed well for the first time here. Its like nowhere else in the world.. All 3 of us will be in the top 6 for the day at least.. :-) Mistral 41, KA 21 assy fin, Ka Race 6.3 and Koncept 5.8

New Belgian record.

Got it back from a kiter who took it from me here in Luderitz a few years ago.

Sailed only the 2 last runs on my small custom 37,5*220, the thing is 8 years old  by now but still working fine!  

Had a nice tactical battel with the only other Belgian present here Ben (Bel 02). You can read the story on my website surfgasm.org (asap) or on my fbook. 

Great day at the canal. We got there early to get in some runs before the wind built to maximum and were pretty confident by the time they opened the course. When the wind kicked in soon after I suddenly went from sub 40 runs to PB's! The course is very broad in in less than 30 knots of wind you just can't get down it. As soon as the wind hit 30-35 it is sailable but when it hit 35-40 we were really flaying.

I don't think I have ever sailed a 5m Koncept in that strong wind before, but on this course I can do it ( with 8 or 9 KG of lead in the vest) and the new 2014 5m sail felt fantastic at this extreme!

After my best run I rested for a while and did another that seemed slower and was lower on peak and 10 sec but was my best 500m run and at that time, a new Aiustralian WSSRC 500m record at 44.775. On his last good run a few hours later, Tony did a 44.85 to take back the record. At least I had it for a couple of hours!

A few big PB's but the best one if the 5 x 10 sec. I have finally cracked the 44's