JAMES Longmuir shattered the 11-year record at Weymouth Speed Week with a fastest mark of 41.21 knots.

Longmuir, aboard a kiteboard, broke Swedish participant Anders Bringdal’s record of 38.48 by almost three knots.

David Williams was edged out by just 0.085 knots, while Weymouth’s Martin Carter (38.937) completed a clean sweep of the podium for the kiters.

The event also decided the BKSA national speed championships, with the trio’s speeds landing them podium spots in the same order.

The lead for fastest of the week changed hands every day. Early leader of a very strong, experienced fleet was young Scotty Stallman from Weymouth with a very impressive 34.43 knots set on very choppy water.

Stallman was overtaken when a south-westerly wind allowed for a beach course to be set along the causeway and Longmuir reached 37.18 knots.

The final morning came and so did the perfect storm. It was a brilliant day of competition with riders giving it their all and the three kitesurfers came out on top, exceeding their expectations.

For the windsurfers it was local speed legend Pete Young, who was fitting the event in between work as a builder, to come out on top on Friday and show the youngsters how its done.

Young did not feature at all during the week and was a complete dark horse. He used his years of experience in sailing in the harbour to great effect and achieved an amazing 38.01 knots just off the long-standing record of Bringdal.

The other harbour record to tumble was that of speed queen Zara Davis, winner of Weymouth Speed Week 14 times, who unfortunately was not competing this year due to injury.

Newcomer Jenna Gibson, 22, made the most of the Friday conditions to achieve 34.15 knots beating Davis’ long-standing record of 32.89 knots.

Under the umbrella of Speed Week, the British Speed Championships are held for UKWA Windsurfing.

After six days of relentless winds and two rounds a day, the top four were only separated by less than eight points with second, third and fourth separated by less than two points.

The early leader was Simon Pettifer with Stallman only 0.1 point behind him and Yorkshireman James Battye, 21, two points further behind.

By Wednesday, Stallman had taken the lead and Battye was hunting down Pettifer.

Strong winds from the south west gave Stallman (37.641) with his local experience an advantage and allowed him to dominate the event with multiple first places to take the overall win.

Battye’s fitness and winter slalom racing experience allowed him to overtake the older, battle weary Pettifer and pushed him into third place. Speeds were truly amazing over the historic 500m course.

Gibson led the women’s fleet ahead of Katharine Skinner.

Weymouth Speed Week will again take place in October next year. Competitors are urged to enter as soon as possible.

n Weymouth Speed Week wished to thank sponsors Hey Dude Shoes, Simmer Style, Oshea, Boardwise, Flymount, Sonntag-Fins, F-One Kiteboarding, Old Guys Rule, Reitveld K66, ION, Fanatic, Duotone The OTC, F-Hot Fins, the UKWA, British Kiteboarding, AYRS and the staff at the National Sailing Academy.