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This June, Louise Emery spoke to Finian
Maynard, the current fastest windsurfer alive
after travelling at 46.24 knots in Dec 2003,
about the new F2 Missile, the first production
speed board for 15 years. |
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| Q: |
Firstly, what are you doing here
in Fuerteventura? |
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| A: |
I am here for several reasons. Firstly
we are doing an F2 photo shoot for the Missile
and then I am training here at Sotavento
for the Speed event to be held in the middle
of July. It’s the first major speed
event for several years with 55 competitors
entered and 35,000 euro prize money. |
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| Q: |
So why have F2 brought out a Speed
board? |
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| A: |
F2 had a big marketing change come the
end of 2003 when the management decided “fast
is everything”. They saw the growing
interest in speed with Bjorn Dunkerbeck’s
and a few others attempts to break the world
speed record. F2 were smart enough to catch
onto this and realise that speed sailing
could return to the forefront of windsurfing
which would be beneficially to them especially
if a sailor broke the record on an F2 board!
Their original idea was to use the speed
board as a marketing tool, making 20 boards,
showing them at trade shows, giving some
away to importers and magazines with the
rest going to the speed team. But F2 were
completely overrun with the enquiries and
the interest from recreational sailors wanting
the board. So they decided to go into major
production. |
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| Q: |
Are F2 going to encourage the return
of Speed by supporting local speed events? |
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| A: |
For sure, the importers for F2 in every
country will be promoting the board and supporting
local events probably more so in 2005 when
hopefully lots of sailors actually have hold
of the board. But the beauty of a speed is
that anyone can do it on any sort of kit
in almost any conditions. At a speed event,
they can simply challenge their mates or
try and break a world record all at the same
time. It is far more accessible than freestyle
or even wave sailing and you don’t
have to be a superstar to compete. Therefore
speed potentially has a huge market.
Internationally, F2 want to break the 10
year old production board world record. |
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| Q: |
Tell me about the actual board.
What sail sizes have you used with it? |
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| A: |
I went out today on a 6.5m in 15/18knots
of wind and I was really surprised how well
it did as I thought I wouldn’t be able
to us it in anything below 25/30knots of
wind considering I weigh 110kgs, but I did
today.
The sail range on this board is massive:
I’d say from a 4.7m in 40/45knots of
wind to a 7m in 15knots of wind. |
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| Q: |
What about the other features on
the board? |
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| A: |
There is only a 2cm change that you can
make to the position of your mast foot so
no need to worry about that! There are four
footstrap options which allow a wider stance
depending on the sailor’s personal
preference. |
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| Q: |
So what’s next of your agenda? |
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| A: |
I am here competing at the speed event
then I have a full schedule of Formula
events this season and then another record
attempt in the fall back in France.
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Finian Maynard is sponsored by Naish International,
F2 International, Deboichet Foils, ProLimit
and Multipower
For more info on breaking the world speed
record go to www.mastersofspeed.com |
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