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Vandaag was mijn enige betrachting om tot 15.00h "mijn giek vast te houden", om zo mijn 24 uur vol te maken.

Wegens tegenvallende en ellendig vlagerige wind aan de binnendammetjes (zoals gewoonlijk met deze omstandigheden), tot 12.00h zitten "semmelen". Uiteindelijk voor 7.8 gekozen en direct naar buiten gevaren. Daar was het best gezellig met bijna 10 teammates (top!) en was de 7.8 steeds goed gepowerd. Op 3 uurtjes (met de nodige stops) nog een kleine 90km kunnen varen. 24h-totaal komt zo op 273 km, klein bier tegenover de echte kilometervreters, maar ruimschoots boven mijn eigen verwachtingen.

Wat een 2-daagse! Nu ff mijn polletjes laten helen :-), en volgend weekend terug het water op!

En wat een prestatie van Dennis. Zelfs na 600km leek het nog allemaal "met de vingers in de neus" te gaan. En ook aan zijn "secundanten" Tom & Paul. Knap gedaan mannen!

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Heerlijke dag op Zonnemaire. Constant gevaren aan buitendammetjes op zoek naar een PR op de afstand. Om 6u45 het water opgegaan en gestopt om 19u15. Misschien beetje weinig pauze genomen.

Pat Erauw wou op einde nog wel een battle aangaan, maar voor mij was het beste er toch af :-)

Proficiat ook Dennis met het Belgische record op de afstand. Ongelooflijk hoe fit je van het water bent gekomen. Heel knap!!!

mooi cruise dagje 

proficiat Dennis , Raf ,Paul ,Pat

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Part 2

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.

test board Exocoset Cross fre style wave.

Goed bevonden leuk board.

Wind zakte wat in overgestapt van 5.2naar Lip wave 5.7

Wind was less stable and a little lighter then last week, but had fun with many others on the water. Congratz to ALL the long distance surfers today at Zonnemaire: Dirk, Raf, Paul, Pat E, Tom, Koen...and last but not least Mr De Pauw Jr. Incredible performance of Dennis! I saw his hands when he finished the 24hrs and they were untouched...unbelievable. Looking forward to read your story buddy !!

I brought my F2 tandem board with me to see what speeds we can reach with it. Together with Koentje we went a few times up and down ZM inside, but the wind was too light for real high speeds (many others weren't even planing...). We managed to get a 45 kmph run and topspeed of 48 with 2 x 7.0. I'm sure we can get that board close to 60 in the right conditions: 25 kts and 7.0 in front and for example Big Ed with 8.6 in the back ;-)

Ended the day with a nice dinner with my wife in 'In dn Diek' in Zonnemaire city.

Great day :-)