It’s been a while since our last team update, but we’ve got some exciting news.  Brock, Evan, and myself have been invited to compete in the 2013 North American Speed Sailing Championship that take place on Martha’s Vineyard in October.  What is speed sailing?

Speed sailing is when you use large directional power kites to propel yourself across the water in hopes of reaching the fastest speeds possible.  In 2010, Rob Douglas set a new world kite speed record at 55.56 knots for Team Black Dog.  This record has sustained through 2013 so far, but if Team Dancing Turtle has anything to say about it, that will soon change.  With a team invite to the 2013 North American Speed Sailing Championships, we have a goal to set world records.

Seafarers have been using the wind as a form of propulsion for centuries.  There were various competitions on who could get goods to a destination faster.  The winners were then awarded contracts and were often sought out first to meet transportation needs of importers.  Over the past decade, technology has advanced, allowing sailors to harness wind and actually multiply its speed exponentially through sail and board design.  Speed sailing combines traditional sailing and kiteboarding in extreme conditions to propel across the water reaching speeds in excess of 65mph.

With high expectations, we have been training hard and preparing for the NASSC event.  Luckily for us, we live in a place that would be considered a perfect training ground for such a sport.  Windy days and tons of flat water spots to be found.  Check back for more updates as we get closer to the event!