- 07 July 2016 | Kiteboarding
Britain’s most famous kiteboarding family rode their foiling kiteboards around the Isle of Wight, in the English Channel. The 50-mile challenge had southwesterly winds blowing between 12 and 15 knots.
Guy Bridge, 16, beat his brother Olly by two seconds and set a new record for the fastest single-handed sailor at two hours, 32 minutes and 25 seconds.
“It’s amazing to have hopefully taken a new World Record today. But my legs were burning during the race – it was tough,” expressed Guy Bridge.
But mother Bridge sailed fast, too. Steph Bridge is now the fastest female ever to sail around the Isle of Wight. She did it in three hours, three minutes and 24 seconds. Despite the exhaustion, Steph was proud of her achievement.
“The first leg from Cowes to the Needles was directly upwind. Fortunately, we had a favorable tide pushing us that way, but this was pretty hardcore and definitely the key to getting a fast time,” explains Steph Bridge.
“The leg from the Needles to St Catherine’s was probably the toughest with the wind quite light and a close reach being hard physically. The next leg towards the south of the island was pretty much dead downwind so was fast but required total concentration reaching down the now moderate swell at about 25 knots.”
“The next stage round the bottom of the island was always the one I was most concerned about as we had lost time there last year. However, this year, as we rounded Bembridge ledge, I exploded into my biggest crash of the trip – well at least the wind hadn’t disappeared! Then round towards Ryde Sands,” concluded Steph.
Both records will be ratified by the World Sailing Speed Record Council (WSSRC). Steph promised she will be back next year to finish the challenge under three hours. No doubt about that.
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Source: WCAK
