“Speed week is the longest running wind powered speed event in the world. It started in 1972 and was the brainchild of Sir Tim Colman of Coleman’s Mustard fame. He and some friends wanted to find out how fast his boat would go and Portland harbour was the venue chosen because of its flat water and reliable winds and the rest is history.
46 years later and its still going strong drawing in speed junkies from all over Europe, to see if they are the fastest. It is also a test bed for new and innovative designs that Speed week has become famous for over the years. Going back to the late 70’s they had foiling boats and kite powered vessels even then. Today it’s dominated in speed terms by windsurfers and kitesurfers who regularly peak at speeds of over 40 knots. But any wind powered craft is welcome at the event no mater what shape or size and long as its fast and powered by Mother Nature.
This years event started with a bang thanks to the tail end of Storm Cullum. The wind was strong but the direction was from the South meaning the speed strip was in the middle of the harbour and not in its usual place along the beach. This meant the course was extremely lumpy and bumpy not ideal for speed. This did not stop the 80 plus competitors giving there all.
The youth fleet only compete on the weekend to ensure they don’t have to take any time out from school. These are the stars of the future and are extremely talented sailors. The results were extremely close between the top two, with less than 0.2 of knot separating 1st and 2nd place. Both local Weymouth sailors they regally sail together out of the OTC centre at the WPNSA and were both capable of winning. The eventual winner after ratification of result was Tyler Baker at 28.748 followed by Olympic hopeful, James Faley in second with 28.583 knots. Third was Sam Jones and forth Lewis Limm.
The windsurfers are leading the top spots and the final results are the fastest of the week is Patrick Van Hoof from Belgium, with 34.16 knots over the 500m course, 2nd is local boy Simon Cofield on 33.45 knots and third is Leigh Kingaby from West Sussex. Unfortunately Zara Davis the women’s world record holder who is a regular speed week competitor is injured and not competing this year. The battle this year would have been close with this year’s fastest lady Jenna Gibson from Kent, laying down 32.56 knots close to Zara’s women’s harbour record of 32.88 knots. So we will have to wait till next year to see who would have come out on top between these two.
The event also hosts the United Kingdom Windsurfing Association, British Championships that crowns the UK’s fastest male and female over a series of rounds throughout the week. This years winner is Simon Cofield, 2nd Kevin Greenslade and 3rd Scotty Stallman and Jenna Gibson fastest lady and UKWA ladies Champion.
The conditions have not suited the kite’s this year as they like it flat and this years bumpy condition really effected their speeds. Fastest kite is James Longmuir at 32.20 knots. The boats also struggled as well in the conditions and it was not till the last day when the fastest speed was achieved by Vampire Project a fully foiling catamaran at rocketing down the choppy course at 27 knots.
To check the full results go to www.weymouthspeedweek.com Thanks to our sponsors Simmer style, Fanatic, Duotone, Ion, the OTC, Boardwise, Flymount, F-hot fins, Hey Dude shoes, Rietveld clothing, F-One Kites and associated organisations, Natural Design, UKWA, BKSA, AYRS, Weymouth and Portland Council, WPNSA.” – Pete Davis.
Check out the gallery from day 2 from Andy Stallman – full results after gallery
Top Ten Fastest
Speed (kts) Name Craft Type
1st 34.168 Patrick Van Hoof Sailboard
2nd 33.458 Simon Cofield Sailboard
3rd 33.255 Leigh Kingaby Sailboard
4th 33.020 Scotty Stallman Sailboard
5th 33.001 Simon Pettifer Sailboard
6th 32.604 Kevin Greenslade Sailboard
7th 32.562 Jenna Gibson Sailboard
8th 32.287 Torsten Mallon Sailboard
9th 32.202 James Longmuir Kite Board
10th 32.086 Mark Newman Sailboard
All Competitors
Name Speed (kts) Craft Type Status
1st Patrick Van Hoof 34.168 Sailboard Pro-Fleet
2nd Simon Cofield 33.458 Sailboard Pro-Fleet
3rd Leigh Kingaby 33.255 Sailboard Pro-Fleet
4th Scotty Stallman 33.020 Sailboard Pro-Fleet
5th Simon Pettifer 33.001 Sailboard Pro-Fleet
6th Kevin Greenslade 32.604 Sailboard Pro-Fleet
7th Jenna Gibson 32.562 Sailboard Pro-Fleet
8th Torsten Mallon 32.287 Sailboard Pro-Fleet
9th James Longmuir 32.202 Kite Board Kite-Fleet
10th Mark Newman 32.086 Sailboard Gold-Fleet
11th James Battye 31.050 Sailboard Gold-Fleet
12th Paul Sibley 30.988 Sailboard Gold-Fleet
13th David Williams 30.895 Kite Board Kite-Fleet
14th John Oliver 30.235 Sailboard Gold-Fleet
15th Adrian Wallis 30.091 Sailboard Gold-Fleet
16th Garry Connell 30.079 Sailboard Gold-Fleet
17th Anders Bjorkqvist 29.934 Sailboard Pro-Fleet
18th Bob Cartridge 29.681 Sailboard Amateur
19th Peter Crosby 29.093 Sailboard Gold-Fleet
20th Neven Juretic 29.042 Sailboard Gold-Fleet
21st George Fulton 28.996 Sailboard Gold-Fleet
22nd Alex Smith 28.833 Sailboard Gold-Fleet
23rd Tyler Baker 28.748 Sailboard Amateur
24th King Rob 28.610 Sailboard Amateur
25th James Faley 28.583 Sailboard Amateur
26th Martin Carter 28.260 Kite Board Kite-Fleet
27th Kacper Wozniak 28.238 Sailboard Gold-Fleet
28th Mike Price 28.152 Sailboard Amateur
29th Richard Crosby 28.092 Sailboard Amateur
30th Neil Thompson 28.001 Kite Board Kite-Fleet
31st Jason Sawyer 27.827 Sailboard Amateur
32nd Dave Strudwick 27.152 Sailboard Gold-Fleet
33rd Kyle Stoneham 26.961 Boat Boat-Fleet
34th Cartridge Danny 26.756 Sailboard Amateur
35th Neil Thompson 26.655 Sailboard Amateur
36th Uwe Michelchen 26.640 Sailboard Pro-Fleet
37th Jean-Marc De Bruyne 26.320 Sailboard Pro-Fleet
38th Emile Burnaby Lautier 26.262 Kite Board Kite-Fleet
39th Steve Thompson 26.150 Sailboard Amateur
40th Gavin Nicholson 26.043 Sailboard Gold-Fleet
41st Steve Watson 25.926 Sailboard Amateur
42nd Martin Brooks 25.893 Sailboard Amateur
43rd Allan Cross 25.777 Sailboard Pro-Fleet
44th Nic Dodd 25.757 Sailboard Amateur
45th Robert Spagnoletti 25.540 Sailboard Gold-Fleet
46th Andy Stuart-William 25.487 Sailboard Amateur
47th Sam Jones 25.391 Sailboard Amateur
48th Phil Lewin 25.324 Sailboard Amateur
49th Nick Deakin 25.042 Sailboard Amateur
50th Chris Cleland 24.763 Sailboard Amateur
51st Simon Chippington 24.751 Sailboard Gold-Fleet
52nd Bill Robinson 24.748 Sailboard Gold-Fleet
53rd Tom Martin 24.552 Kite Board Kite-Fleet
54th Robin Russell 24.479 Sailboard Gold-Fleet
55th Duncan Adam 23.642 Sailboard Gold-Fleet
56th Trevor Whatford 23.477 Sailboard Amateur
57th Tom Joyce 23.226 Sailboard Amateur
58th Spenser Arnold 23.138 Sailboard Amateur
59th Richard Trubger 22.799 Kite Board Kite-Fleet
60th Baxter Bradford 22.733 Kite Board Kite-Fleet
61st Rob Dunn 22.686 Sailboard Amateur
62nd Rob Griffiths 22.442 Sailboard Gold-Fleet
63rd Stephen Sugden 22.350 Sailboard Amateur
64th Andrew Twinn 22.327 Sailboard Amateur
65th Peter Martin 21.889 Kite Board Kite-Fleet
66th Tania Mertens 21.865 Sailboard Amateur
67th Claude Van Martyn 21.585 Sailboard Amateur
68th Lewis Limm 21.370 Sailboard Amateur
69th Trish Kohn 20.966 Sailboard Amateur
70th David Lovesey 20.515 Kite Board Kite-Fleet
71st Tim Whealy 20.063 Sailboard Amateur
72nd Christine Daffe 18.640 Sailboard Amateur
73rd Henry Merewether 18.010 Kite Board Kite-Fleet
74th Mark Salvage 08.505 Sailboard Amateur
75th Fred Ball 02.830 Boat Boat-Fleet
Overall Fastest Kite
Name Speed (kts)
1st James Longmuir 32.202
2nd David Williams 30.895
3rd Martin Carter 28.260
Overall Fastest Boat
Name Speed (kts)
1st Kyle Stoneham 26.961
2nd Fred Ball 02.830
Overall Fastest Sailboard
Name Status Speed (kts)
1st Patrick Van Hoof Pro-Fleet 34.168
2nd Simon Cofield Pro-Fleet 33.458
3rd Leigh Kingaby Pro-Fleet 33.255
Overall Fastest Lady
Name Craft Type Speed (kts)
1st Jenna Gibson Sailboard 32.562
2nd Tania Mertens Sailboard 21.865
3rd Trish Kohn Sailboard 20.966
Leading Youth Fleet Sailboard
Name Speed (kts)
1st Tyler Baker 28.748
2nd James Faley 28.583
3rd Sam Jones 25.391
4th Lewis Limm 21.370
Leading First Time Sailboard
Name Speed (kts)
1st Andy Stuart-William 25.487
2nd Nick Deakin 25.042
3rd Andrew Twinn 22.327
Leading Amateur Sailboard
Name Speed (kts)
1st Bob Cartridge 29.681
2nd King Rob 28.610
3rd Mike Price 28.152
4th Richard Crosby 28.092
Leading Gold Fleet Sailboard
Name Speed (kts)
1st Mark Newman 32.086
2nd James Battye 31.050
3rd Paul Sibley 30.988
Leading Pro-Fleet Sailboard
Name Speed (kts)
1st Patrick Van Hoof 34.168
2nd Simon Cofield 33.458
3rd Leigh Kingaby 33.255
Leading Women’s Fleet Sailboard
Name Craft Type Speed (kts)
1st Tania Mertens Sailboard 21.865
2nd Trish Kohn Sailboard 20.966
3rd Christine Daffe Sailboard 18.640
(Women excluding Professional)
Leading Kite Board Fleet
Name Speed (kts)
1st James Longmuir 32.202
2nd David Williams 30.895
3rd Martin Carter 28.260
Leading Boat Fleet
Name Speed (kts)
1st Kyle Stoneham 26.961
2nd Fred Ball 02.830
HM Forces
Name Craft Type Speed (kts)
1st Adrian Wallis Sailboard 30.091
2nd Alex Smith Sailboard 28.833
3rd Jason Sawyer Sailboard 27.827
4th Dave Strudwick Sailboard 27.152
5th Gavin Nicholson Sailboard 26.043
6th Tom Joyce Sailboard 23.226
7th Rob Dunn Sailboard 22.686
8th Rob Griffiths Sailboard 22.442
9th Trish Kohn Sailboard 20.966
10th Henry Merewether Kite Board 18.010
Portland Pirates
Grouping Name Speed (kts)
1st Portland Pirates Scotty Stallman 33.020
2nd Portland Pirates Tyler Baker 28.748
3rd Portland Pirates King Rob 28.610
4th Portland Pirates James Faley 28.583
Surf Hogs
Grouping Name Start Time Speed (kts)
1st Surf Hogs John Oliver 15:01:13 30.235
2nd Surf Hogs Peter Crosby 14:34:06 29.093
3rd Surf Hogs Richard Crosby 14:27:00 28.092
4th Surf Hogs Steve Watson 14:23:19 25.926
5th Surf Hogs Robin Russell 11:11:16 24.479
All sailboard positions shown below are for information only
All Sailboards
Name Status First Timer Speed (kts)
1st Patrick Van Hoof Pro-Fleet No 34.168
2nd Simon Cofield Pro-Fleet No 33.458
3rd Leigh Kingaby Pro-Fleet No 33.255
4th Scotty Stallman Pro-Fleet No 33.020
5th Simon Pettifer Pro-Fleet No 33.001
6th Kevin Greenslade Pro-Fleet No 32.604
7th Jenna Gibson Pro-Fleet No 32.562
8th Torsten Mallon Pro-Fleet No 32.287
9th Mark Newman Gold-Fleet No 32.086
10th James Battye Gold-Fleet No 31.050
11th Paul Sibley Gold-Fleet No 30.988
12th John Oliver Gold-Fleet No 30.235
13th Adrian Wallis Gold-Fleet No 30.091
14th Garry Connell Gold-Fleet No 30.079
15th Anders Bjorkqvist Pro-Fleet No 29.934
16th Bob Cartridge Amateur No 29.681
17th Peter Crosby Gold-Fleet No 29.093
18th Neven Juretic Gold-Fleet No 29.042
19th George Fulton Gold-Fleet No 28.996
20th Alex Smith Gold-Fleet No 28.833
21st Tyler Baker Amateur No 28.748
22nd King Rob Amateur No 28.610
23rd James Faley Amateur No 28.583
24th Kacper Wozniak Gold-Fleet No 28.238
25th Mike Price Amateur No 28.152
26th Richard Crosby Amateur No 28.092
27th Jason Sawyer Amateur No 27.827
28th Dave Strudwick Gold-Fleet No 27.152
29th Cartridge Danny Amateur No 26.756
30th Neil Thompson Amateur No 26.655
31st Uwe Michelchen Pro-Fleet No 26.640
32nd Jean-Marc De Bruyne Pro-Fleet No 26.320
33rd Steve Thompson Amateur No 26.150
34th Gavin Nicholson Gold-Fleet No 26.043
35th Steve Watson Amateur No 25.926
36th Martin Brooks Amateur No 25.893
37th Allan Cross Pro-Fleet No 25.777
38th Nic Dodd Amateur No 25.757
39th Robert Spagnoletti Gold-Fleet No 25.540
40th Andy Stuart-William Amateur Yes 25.487
41st Sam Jones Amateur Yes 25.391
42nd Phil Lewin Amateur No 25.324
43rd Nick Deakin Amateur Yes 25.042
44th Chris Cleland Amateur No 24.763
45th Simon Chippington Gold-Fleet No 24.751
46th Bill Robinson Gold-Fleet No 24.748
47th Robin Russell Gold-Fleet No 24.479
48th Duncan Adam Gold-Fleet No 23.642
49th Trevor Whatford Amateur No 23.477
50th Tom Joyce Amateur No 23.226
51st Spenser Arnold Amateur No 23.138
52nd Rob Dunn Amateur No 22.686
53rd Rob Griffiths Gold-Fleet No 22.442
54th Stephen Sugden Amateur No 22.350
55th Andrew Twinn Amateur Yes 22.327
56th Tania Mertens Amateur No 21.865
57th Claude Van Martyn Amateur No 21.585
58th Lewis Limm Amateur No 21.370
59th Trish Kohn Amateur No 20.966
60th Tim Whealy Amateur No 20.063
61st Christine Daffe Amateur No 18.640
62nd Mark Salvage Amateur No 08.505
Event results published by SSERPANT at 18/10/2018 19:11