Hold on

Speed is relative. For many voyaging sailboats, eight knots is fast. For a record-breaking windsurfing sailor, that’s a speed that doesn’t even register. Case in point is French windsurfing world champion Antoine Albeau’s effort today in smashing the 500 meter world record for flat out speed: 49.09 knots. He did it on a flat water canal in Sainte Marie de la Mer in southern France in 60 knots of gusting Mistral wind. Albeau broke the record on his second run of the day. Said the jubilant Frenchman : “Conditions were rather rough, cold and  far from perfect wind angle…”