World Speed Record & Fake (Fun) News
Click images for larger size & slideshow.
Today many sailing news sites, including specialized windsurfing media and the largest Sailing web out there re published a supposed new Sailing Speed World Record announced by Fanatic & Duotone, two large and renown Windsurfing manufacturers. (Duotone is former North Windsurfing)
Not being April 1st fool and being somehow official news published by these respected brands many follow suit and fired the share / republish button.
But along the news on Instagram and other social media, a youtube video was also published. An hilarious one, funny indeed and done with an intentionally sarcastic way, just like those vintage Surfing, Windsurfing or Snowboard VHS movies fun moments or current jokes in YTube.
A ” Top Secret Factory” where 3 riders wearing speed suits and ski goggles grab a blank of styrofoam and cut the new World Speed record board with a hand saw some precision lines handmade with a pencil…! (see video stills above)
Clearly all done to give the 67.17knots realm a funny atmosphere for a phony record.
But not everyone saw the video, so you are left with the actual record “weapon” photo from IG and others, a triple crew longboard windsurfing Fanatic board fitted with due Duotones… Only performance oriented aspect we could detect on the entire combo was the progressive size of each sail from 5m2 , 5.5 and 6.2m2!
Still many wont have the info to decide if that “revolutionary” system can achieve such record.
But when you live out of sailing news you need to give yourself the benefit of the doubt, which I did and simply try to think who holds current World Speed Record for instance. There you will realize that Paul Larsen’s literal Vestas Rocket is such a refined and efficient machine, that those 3 windsurfers would have much trouble trying to pair or surpass him.
Fanatic , Duotone and ION did a great Marketing move, I say one of the best or boldest ever. (everyone including us are naming them all over the place!)
Someone posted the news on our local Arg Catsailing whatsapp group, and later I tried to explain current status as above mentioned on the actual record with a photo and video of catsailor Paul Larsen’s Vestas Rocket.
Once you admire that real flying Weapon and watch the actual 65knots footage, and if still in any doubt you can realize that the 3x Windsurfer stunt was indeed a funny stunt joke!
Avoiding Fake news and Brainwash
On a more serious remark it was a great example on how people, even specialized media can spread fake news quite easily.
No one is safe, we once published a Photoshop of a CClass, which was pretty well done and edited, making the former Canadian Team photo, we even published before, to look as new built and sailing C Class. It was say a minor no harm fake picture from a new Team announcing a new C Class challenge, but one false nonetheless.
My recommendation to any kind of rather high exposure or critical fake news matters (being Sailing or Political) is first give yourself the chance to doubt and before any further sharing or accepting it as real fact or revealed truth / news try to dig deeper on different sources, specially the ones more related to the subject in question, being a local newspaper if news from abroad, or some serious stats organization or this case comparing with previous similar deeds in this new Sailing Speed Record.
And if still in doubt try to consult someone you trust to get different opinions on the matter. I know its a hard time for that one, as the Progressive Cancellation Culture and Political Correctness wave forces you to a one and only valid truth.
We all know better and you should never ever let others to influence you on a definitive manner, being political aspect, fake news, our personal sailing opinions in this blog or even funny new Sailing World Speed Record!
Real World Speed Record
For some real information about World Speed Record read our interview with Legend Paul Larsen: catsailingnews.com/2013/11/speed-endurance-legend-paul-larsen.html
Official World Speed Record Council web: sailspeedrecords.com/500-metre
Below Paul’s data and video plus Antoine Albeau actual Windsurfing record. Reaching 50 to 65 knots its a beast of a too serious achievement, compare two videos below vs the fake one from today!
| 2012 | Vestas Sailrocket 2 | Paul Larsen. AUS | Walvis Bay NAM | 65.45 kts |
| 2015 | Windsurfer | Antoine Albeau FRA | Luderitz, NAM | 53.27 kts |
Now you will know better next time someone announces a new Sailing World Speed Record!
Here in CSN we usually express our highly opinionated personal views, (its a personal blog to start with for those new to this web) but on actual High Tech Performance matters we always try to mix those opinions looking up to the real experts and professionals to learn the real stuff directly from them.
I would affirm that on Performance Sailing matters there is a good chance you can tend to trust us, just a bit of course!
