KIEL LIGHT HOUSE CHALLENGE RECORD ATTEMPT

Storm surfer fails just short of natural forces

The Kiel-based Vincent Langer – reigning world champion and multiple German champion in Formula Windsurfing – has missed the new world record set by 1 minute 14 seconds. The stormy gusts with a wind force 8 from the west and a wave height of almost two meters on the open sea made the “Lighthouse Challenge” from the Kiel inner fjord around the Kiel lighthouse an extreme challenge.

In Kiel, on 6.12.2017 freezing and visibly exhausted, the windsurfer and reigning World Champion in Formula Windsurfing came ashore at Strande near Kiel at 11.30am. With 38 minutes and 14 seconds, he just missed the existing record of 37 minutes from the year 1998: “It was extremely gruff, as soon as I was out of the inner firth. The wind was gusty and the waves were high, I had to adjust my course, which cost me precious seconds. ”

Accompanied by several boats and a helicopter, the 31-year-old surfer was equipped with a 6.2 square meter sail and a double layer of neoprene at 10.30 am local time. The route led from the Kiel Inner Fjord to the open Baltic Sea around the Kiel Lighthouse and back. A distance of about 18 km, depending on the course driven. On the way back the changing winds forced him to criss-cross upwind. A total of four times, the world champion had to tack, while trying to keep his speed.

Nevertheless, Langer and his team draw a positive conclusion: “We knew that the record is a very ambitious goal and we did our best. But everything has to come together and unfortunately the surprisingly turning wind barely prevented us from achieving the record.

“And after warming up in his Volkswagen California, Langer looked ahead optimistically:” At the time, the reigning record holder had eight attempts to the current best optimal wind conditions needed. I am confident that I will break the record on the next try, because all good things come in threes! “

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