Funding woes bring Lüderitz Speed Challenge to a standstill

The Lüderitz Speed Challenge, one of the world's premier speed sailing events, will not take place in 2026 after organisers cancelled this year's edition because of a lack of funding.

The annual event, staged on a purpose-built canal in Lüderitz's Second Lagoon, has been held since 2007 and attracts many of the world's fastest windsurfers and kitesurfers seeking to break speed sailing records.

Event organiser Raffaello Gardelli told SURF Magazin in May that rising costs had made the event financially unviable. "It's simply not financially viable. All the prices are twice as high this year," he said.

Despite the cancellation, organisers intend to revive the event in 2027. "We are looking at what we can do for next year. Some riders, such as Gunnar Asmussen and Antoine Albeau, are actively helping out so that we can get it up and running again," Gardelli said.

Financed through sponsorships

The artificial canal used for the competition is financed through sponsorships and competitors' entry fees. Gardelli said constructing and preparing the 800-metre canal, including the launch and slow-down zones surrounding the official 500-metre World Sailing Speed Record Council (WSSRC) course, costs between N$2 816 460 (€150 000) and N$3 191 988 (€170 000).

"We simply won't be able to raise this money because there are too few sponsors," he said.

Preparing the canal requires months of work by local labourers, who remove sand, reinforce the canal banks and reshape the channel. Seawater must also be drained and pumped back into the canal before the competition begins.

The cancellation is expected to have an economic impact on Lüderitz, where the event attracts competitors, support teams and visitors from around the world.

A significant loss for the town

The mayor of Lüderitz, Brigitte Fredericks, described the cancellation as a significant loss for the town. “The announcement came as a shock and will have a negative impact on the economy of our town. The locals, businesses, restaurants and accommodation establishments all benefited from the influx of international competitors. The event kept Lüderitz on the map, and we definitely want to see it return next year,” she said.     

"It is sad. Our hands are tied, and the announcement impacts Lüderitz as a whole. We were one of the biggest sponsors of the Speed Challenge and supported the initiative because of its value and the worldwide attention it brings to our harbour town. We hosted the main organisers while the rest of the competitors stayed at accommodation establishments throughout the town," said Daniella Grünewald, acting general manager of the Lüderitz Nest Hotel.

Waiting for next year

"This event was a highlight of our calendar year. It attracts amazing athletes from across the world to our little corner of the world, and the injection into our small economy has made such a tangible difference in the lives of so many deserving and struggling locals. We wait in anxious anticipation for next year," said Phillipus Balhao, a resident of the town.

The Lüderitz Speed Challenge has earned international recognition over the years, with more than 100 national and 19 world speed sailing records set on the canal. Its achievements have also been recognised in multiple editions of the Guinness World Records. One of the event's defining moments came on 3 October 2008, when Sébastien Cattelan became the first to break the 50-knot barrier, recording 50.26 knots (93.08 km/h). 

*Additional reporting SURF Magazin

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