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Nine hours without a stop on the board – once around the Canary Island of Lanzarote, riding on a narrow hydrofoil. At the ultra-long-distance regatta Lanzarote Foil Challenge, the participating windsurfers went almost 200 kilometers non-stop through the Atlantic. In the end, the fastest was Adrien Mestre.
Adrien Mestre, professional windsurfer
"It was really 200 kilometers of sailing at full throttle, we fought really hard. It was really incredible, a great challenge.«
Surfers like Mestre are extreme sports enthusiasts. Only these can cope with the load at top speeds of almost 50 kilometers per hour. The high speed is made possible by hydrofoils, which lift the board out of the water to reduce frictional resistance. After Mestre, Germany's Nico Prien coped best with the extreme conditions. He finished second – despite a mishap.
Nico Prien, professional windsurfer:
"A particular challenge is to circumnavigate the entire island without damaging the equipment. For example, I had a fall when I was riding in a fishing net, fell and damaged the board, but I made it in the end."
It was only the third edition of the race, which the organizers want to establish as a special challenge in long-distance windsurfing. For safety reasons, the number of participants in the race has been limited.