What a day!! This morning went to Budapest (Hungary) and back to Brussels. Then full speed from Zaventem to Herkingen for a nice speed-session. The sun was shining and many had already some very nice speeds. With my featherweight of <75 Kg decided to rig a 4.7 iaw the Missile Xs. Suddenly the wind dropped and there I was with my storm sail… Luckily the wind picked up again, but the angle was too square to get the maximum out of the gear. Also my harness lines were too short (even on the longest setting), so I did some runs before finding an ok-setting (it wasn’t ideal but hey it’s just too windy to go back to the car).

And then finally I saw the right gust and went downwind, real deep, until the second row of pylons where the chop was building up fast. Went upwind again and checked my GPS screen: 80.04 kmph !!! Yihaaaa !! Only a short burst because the run was only 69.8, so unfortunately no 80+ on 2 sec, but still entering the top-5 Belgian GPS topspeed (2 sec) all-time ranking :-)

Did a few more runs and everytime over 75 kmph on topspeed but disappointing 10 sec runs. When trying to go further downwind to extend my 10 sec run, it happened. Lost grip on my Slingshot 19 in the chop and spinout. Because I didn’t want to crash through my sail, I’ve let myself go at 75.60 kmph coming down the hard way on my back (with crashvest). Needed 2 seconds to know where I was… Then found my Missile completely broken (still attached to each other, but from left to right broken over the whole width). Also felt some pain in left hand. Managed to surf the broken board back to the harbour, but my hand became more and more of a problem. GPS went off as well… Session over Lafter only 10 km’s and only 9 runs, of which the first 5 were testing the settings (harness lines and boom height). AVG could have been a lot more, but that’s for next time. Preferably with left foot in front, which is my favourite position. But still happy with the topspeeds with my ‘bad’ foot in front !!

At home went to hospital and they found a little fracture in my hand… So no PR-session tomorrow at ZM :-(

Already a new Missile Xs at home (thx Dave as well for de-rigging my gear), but need some rest now.

Congrats to all the hero’s today in difficult conditions (cold temp, gusty, choppy in downwind runs). Hans, what a performance again !!! Or did you went for distance today and just took the speeds as they came ? ;-)