By Dean Murray
An eye-catching kite boat has smashed the 100 kph barrier to become the second-fastest sailboat ever.
The SP80 reached a top speed of over 58 knots, or 108 kph, making for a new personal best.
The vessel is propelled by a large, controllable kite that captures wind power and acts as the boat’s motor.
The kite's size is adaptable, ranging from 20 m² to 50 m², depending on wind conditions, to optimize performance.
The SP80 achieved the feat at Lake Geneva, Switzerland, and now trails only the Vestas Sailrocket II.
That boat broke the outright world speed sailing record, reaching an average speed of 65.45 knots (121.21 kph) over a 500-metre course in Walvis Bay, Namibia, in November 2012.
(SP80 | Guillaume Fischer via SWNS)
Mayeul van den Broek, SP80 pilot, said: "This is a major milestone for the entire team. Very few sailboats in history have broken the 100 kph barrier, and we’re now tangibly closing in on our ultimate goal.
"What’s especially encouraging is being able to repeat those speeds multiple times throughout the week. It confirms not only the boat’s reliability, but also its capacity to go even faster.
"From here, the work continues: analyzing the data on land, and refining our handling on the water as soon as the wind allows."
Benoît Gaudiot, kite pilot, said: "We know the boat has the potential—now it’s up to us to become more precise in our handling.
"We’re discovering how the boat behaves beyond 100 km/h and learning to control it."
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