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Two in a row! :-)

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Vandaag was het mijn betrachting om - in de schaduw van de echte kleppers - ook te gaan voor een (dag/24h) afstands-pr en een uur pr.

Dat afstands-pr kwam er nog vrij makkelijk (stond ook niet zo hoog), voor mijn uur-pr had ik wel 3 pogingen nodig.

Poging 1: 16.00-17.00h aan de buitendammetjes. Wind genoeg maar te veel west zodat je niet langs de dammetjes kon opkruisen.

Poging 2: 19.00-20.00h aan de binnendammetjes. Langer en vlakker water, maar die verdomde vlagerigheid toch. Verschillende keren wind compleet weg, dus ook niks.

Poging 3: 20.30-21.30h Dankzij Dennis & Tom, die nog naar de buitendammen gingen, daar nog een hemels uurtje kunnen varen. Maar ik blijf er maar niet in slagen om een uur te gijpen zonder te vallen. Nu in het laatste kwartier weer 2 maal het water in. We zullen maar denken: dan zit er nog progressie in. Uur van 42.7 naar 44.2 gebracht.

Missie volledig geslaagd dus, en dan kwamen de extraatjes:

Set PR op max en avg met 115l board/7.0 en onverwacht: een nieuw PR op de alpha met mijn 1ste 47er :-)

Samen met die fantastische La Franqui dag in mei 2015 met Tom was dit zonder twijfel mijn beste surfdag ooit.

Uur PR gevaren met de Hurricane SR7 39cm, al de rest met de Hurricane SRD 37cm. Wat een topvinnen!

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Split my session for the GPSTC, one file friday and one file saturday.

New 24u distance record, 617km.

Part 1 

YESSS!! NEW BELGIAN RECORD 24U DISTANCE AND A SECOND PLACE WORLDWIDE

My goal was to do 500km, so really happy with the result.

I started on friday around 13:50. Rigged my NeilPryde 7.8m, 7, 6.2 and 122 (Select Rhino 42) and 112 (Select Rhino 36). Started immediatly with the best combo for distance, 112-7-36.

The wind was perfect and I did a one hour of 45 and 44km/u. Had a short 5min break, with my best caddy ever (my dad), bringing food to me on the water!!

At 16:30 I had a little break and at 19:30 I came to shore (first time) for a big break. Surfed till 22u20 together with my dad, Paul and Dirk, thanks guys!!

After this my dad cooked a nice meal and we had a cosy evening together with the four of us (my dad, Paul, Fabian and me), ready for a short night.

Sleeped from 00:30 till 4:30.

 

When I woke up, saturday, the wind looked really light. Started at 5:15 (together with Paul) with 122-7.8-42 and couldn't plane at the inside dams. Only when I reached the outside dams I could plane. The wind rapidly increased and I could't keep this set on the water.

After 45min I had to go back to take my smaller set again. I noticed a big scratch on my harness hook. Didn't want to take the risk so Raf lended me a hook, I'm really thankful for that!!

So after some time loss I went on, again not planing till I was at the ouside dams, but there it was nice cruising with 112-7-36.

Came to shore at 8:30 to have a good breakfast. Pat and Tania specially came down to ZM support me, really appreciate that!

Surfed from 9:15 till 13:40 without coming to shore. It would take too long to go to the car again non-planing. I did take some short 5min breaks together with Paul and/or my dad at the outside dams.

The wind wasn't as good as yesterday, and often too light for this combo, but kept sailing with it. Planning gibes were difficult with the decreasing wind, so to compensate this I made a lot of long strokes true the chop, to Hompelvoet (where there was more wind).

At 13:40 I turned of my gps and returned to the car.

Feeling really satisfied right now.

 

Ofcourse I would not have achieved this without some people/things.

First of all, my dad was really pushing me, and providing me with all the food and drinks I needed to keep me focused on windsurfing and not on my needs.

Paul, what a guy, what an achievement!!! Hope I'm half as fit as you are at that age!!

Ellen and my mum, for making the best food and always supporting me when I need it!

All my friends that were around to cruise with me and pushed me; Dirk, Raf, Koen, Pat E, Hans, Tim, Frank, Koen en MP, Thomas, Eric, Paul L, Jeroen, Brahm, Benjamin, ... Would have been boring, but you guys made it fun to do this amount of distance!!

You know I always thank my sponsors, but this time I really have to. 

The NeilPryde 7m has such a HUGE range, we had gusts of 30 knots on friday evening and lulls of 13-14 knots on saturday. This sail just takes it all.

Unifiber provided me with a very good boom with ajustable outhaul (which a used a lot), the waist harness was very supportive and comfortable (which is imortant when you do so much km).

The Rhino of Select fins is just fast and secure. Only one little spin out in a upwind run with (too) less wind, on a total of 617km!! And reaching speeds from 60-65km/u without bearing 1m off.

And last but not least Pacific Boardshop, a top shop, which supports me in every way possible.

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Well done Dennis !