Finian Maynard At 46.82 Knots…: Here’s the video of the record-breaking run. Here’s Finian’s viewing advice: “The speed is insane. Look what happens right at the red buoy…..mega charged 50-knot gust and the subsequent holding of it!!!!! And that is what delivered the record run completely on the edge and about to explode at any moment.” I also liked the dramatic shot of the timer coming out of the dumpy-looking trailer to pump his fist and indicate that the record is broken. A lot of Finian fist-pumping ensues. And it’s well-earned. These guys have been out there day after day, in the breeze, the wet and the cold, for more than a year (on and off). It’s not like they just showed up, jumped on their boards and got lucky. Finian and his crew worked their asses off for this record.

If you are a geek, and want to see the exact breakdown of the speeds during the run, you can click through from this page.

Side note: Half a world away, the greatest threat to Finian’s record–Macquarie Innovations–has crashed on the Sandy Point speed track. Here’s an excerpt from the report team leader Tim Daddo sent to The Daily Sail:

“After nearly three months of patient waiting for our desired conditions, a very brief window opened up for us on Monday night. Conditions were pretty close to those that we have been waiting for and the entire team were looking forward to some pretty spectacular sailing. And spectacular it was, although sadly, not for the reasons for which we had hoped.

Unfortunately, damage to the craft has been extensive and not repairable within the time frame of our allotted 2004 attempt period. Consequently, the team has been left with no choice other than to retire from this year’s quest.”

Looks like it will be a while before any sailing craft can challenge Finian and the windsurfers for the outright record (sorry, SailRocket, you’re not even close yet)…



Finian Flying: “Those poor Macquarie chumps. Windsurfing is so much cheaper, simpler, and…FASTER. WOO-HOO!”