The Record and Its History

The World Speed Sailing Record can be held anywhere in the world by the skipper who establishes  the fastest speed which is ratified in accordance with the IYRU/World Speed Record Council Rules.  The Record shall be established over a minimum of half a kilometer on water.  A timed run is measured from the difference in the times recorded at the crossing of the starting and finishing lines.

The first recorded World Speed Records were held in Portland on the south coast in 1972. The first record holder was SirTimothy Coleman of Coleman’s Mustard (Norwich) fame and Lord Lieutenant of the County, skippering Crossbow’s I and II over a period of 8 years attaining record speeds starting at 26.3K through to 36K. He held onto the record until 1986.

Date Boat Name Skipper/Crew Venue Speed
1972 Crossbow Sir Timothy Coleman Portland 26.3
1973 Crossbow Sir Timothy Coleman Portland 29.3
1975 Crossbow Sir Timothy Coleman Portland 31.1
1975 Crossbow II Sir Timothy Coleman Portland 31.8
1977 Crossbow II Sir Timothy Coleman Portland 33.8
1977 Crossbow II Sir Timothy Coleman Portland 34.4
1980 Crossbow II Sir Timothy Coleman Portland 36.0
1986 Board Pascal Maka Sotavento 38.86
1988 Board Erik Beale Stes.Maries 40.48
1990   Pascal Maka Stes.Maries 42.91
1991 Board Thierry Bielak Stes.Maries 43.06
1991 Board Thierry Bielak Stes.Maries 44.66
1993 Yellowpages Simon McKeon Sandy Point 46.52

Information compiled by the IYRU/WSSR Council

In 1988 Simon Sanderson shaped the windsurfing board that enabled Erik Beale to beat more than 40 knots.

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