The 2017 Lüderitz Speed Challenge is in its fifth week of the competition, with notable successes being recorded - despite low winds during the last few weeks. The Lüderitz Speed Challenge is the premier speed sailing event in the world for windsurfers and kitesurfers. The primary objective is to generate a maximum average speed over an officially designated 500-metre distance, as the event is officiated and recognised by the World Speed Sailing Record Council. The Lüderitz Speed Challenge, first held in 2007 at the Lüderitz Second Lagoon, has so far produced more than 100 national and 17 world speed sailing records. It is, in fact, the only Namibian sporting event to appear in multiple editions of the Guinness Book of World Records. Good speeds were recorded earlier in the 2017 competition with Japanese windsurfers breaking two Japan windsurfing records in the men’s and ladies categories with speeds of 43.15, and 38.7 knots respectively. The South African ladies record was also broken by Karo von Tonder with a speed of 39.20 knots over the 500 metres. The fastest speed in the 2017 event so far was however set by Sebastien Cattelan from France on a kite with 59knots, 109kph. Some of the best riders in the world are competing in this year’s event, with the likes of 42 x World Windsurf Speed Champion RED BULL RIDER Bjorn Dunkerbeck, PWA 2017 WORLD WINDSURF SPEED CHAMPION Twan Verseput from the Nederlands, and All-Africa Champion Mark Grinnell who is also the World Windsurf Production Board Champion. More promising winds are forcast for the rest of the week, and good speeds can be expected from both board and kite surfers.