With four events sailed, Cyril Moussilmani was able to defeat Ben van der Steen (NED) and reigning world champion Antoine Albeau (FRA, Starboard). In the ladies division, Valerie Ghibaudo discarded the last event of the season in Dungarvan and still took victory over Zara Davis (GBR) and Marion Raisi (FRA).
The ISWC world ranking is a "rolling ranking", which includes the results of every competitor in the past 12 month and reflects the current status of each sailor and brand. With more national events to be included to the world ranking in 2009, the challenge for the 2009 world cup title will become even more thrilling.
Several of the fastest men and women on water in the entire world converged on Dungarvan, County Waterford, since November 28, for the final stage of the World Production Speed Sailing Cup 2008.
Commenting on the event, Irish Speed sailing Vice Champion and event organiser Martin Waldron said, “Unfortunately the winds were unusually poor for the week of the competition so an official stage didn’t take place, but many of the sailors took to the Irish waters and had lots of fun enjoying their time in Ireland for the week.
We are however planning on hosting the World event in 2009 including the Kite Surfing World event again; as Dungarvan Harbour due to the sand spit and the lack of currents would be ranked in the top ten speed sailing venues in the world, so we are looking forward to planning the event for next year and hopefully we’ll get lots of wind!”
Martin went on to say, “There are plans for a number of the world’s top speed sailor to return to Dungarvan in March 2009 and attempt to break the world record for speed sailing, it currently stands at 90.91KMPH over 500 metres; that is such an exciting prospect, it will really place Ireland in the international map for the sport.”
The world-class event was the last major event of the 2008 season for Speedsailing. Over 60 of the biggest names in the sport came to Waterford to compete for points counting towards the 2008 Speed World Cup and the one-off Production World Cup Title.
The 2008 Speed World Cup is sanctioned by the International Speed Windsurfing Class on behalf of the International Sailing Federation. The event was hosted and organised by Martin Waldron and the Dungarvan Harbour Sailing Club.
