The Summer Edition of the Dunkerbeck Speed Challenge has come to an end and once again produced some top speeds. Vincent Valkenaers from Belgium dominated the Open Fin class with a speed of 88.74 kilometres per hour, recorded at Plage du Rouet in La Palme. Antoine Albeau secured second place in the open classification with a speed of 88.47 kilometres per hour and also won the Grand Masters category for the 51 to 60 age group. Jacques van der Hout from the Netherlands completed the podium in the Open Fin class with a speed of 86.56 kilometres per hour and also took second place in the Grand Masters. The Challenge attracted participants from 14 nations, who set their personal bests at various European locations. La Palme in France proved to be the fastest venue and produced four of the nine category winners – where, in July, numerous new records were set in the Open Ocean category.
Women are achieving top results on Fehmarn
Heidi Ulrich from Switzerland came out on top in the Women’s Fin category with a speed of 76.39 kilometres per hour. Jenna Gibson reached 63.68 kilometres per hour shortly before the finish at the German Championships on Fehmarn, securing second place, whilst Laura van Beckhoven from the Netherlands came third with 61.85 kilometres per hour. In the Grand Master Women’s category (aged 51 to 60), Germany’s Tatiana Dianova dominated with a speed of 57.02 kilometres per hour, recorded in Fehmarn. Katia Harz, also from Germany, followed with 55.59 kilometres per hour in Arinaga on Gran Canaria. Marleen Boer from the Netherlands completed the podium with 50.62 kilometres per hour at Lauwersmeer.
George Crossley from Great Britain won the Junior Plus category for 15- to 18-year-olds with a speed of 69.33 kilometres per hour, achieved at West Kirby. Stein Kettler from the Netherlands reached 59.56 kilometres per hour at the French spot Parc à huîtres and took second place. Nout Ruitenberg, also from the Netherlands, came third with a speed of 57.44 kilometres per hour in Makkum. In the younger Junior class for 11- to 14-year-olds, Jack Crossley from Great Britain won with a speed of 63.19 kilometres per hour in West Kirby, Daniel Dunkerbeck reached a speed of 53 kilometres per hour in Arinaga and finished second. The Dane Emil Thybo completed the podium with a speed of 50.19 kilometres per hour from Ebeltoft.
Foil events with close finishes
Andreas Gustafsson from Sweden and Daniel Riegler from Austria shared the top two places in the Foil Open category, both clocking 66.42 kilometres per hour. Gustafsson achieved his speed in Getskär, whilst Riegler did so on Austria’s Lake Achensee. Mistral Matulja from Croatia followed closely behind with 66.10 kilometres per hour in Volosko. In the Foil Grand Masters category, Jean-Philippe Cuer from New Caledonia won with 59.69 kilometres per hour, recorded in the Baie de Sainte Marie in Nouméa. Grzegorz Malaczewski from Poland reached 56.33 kilometres per hour in Modzerowo, whilst Michael George from Great Britain took third place with 54.37 kilometres per hour from Portland Harbour.
Wing ratings and senior categories
Pierre Schmitz from France dominated the Wing Open class, clocking 68.50 kilometres per hour from La Palme. Karl Tacito from French Polynesia reached 65.87 kilometres per hour in Faaa and came second. David Williams from Great Britain completed the podium with a speed of 61.58 kilometres per hour at Covenham Reservoir. In the Wing Woman category, Lisanna Kasenurm from Estonia took the win with a speed of 33.76 kilometres per hour, just ahead of her compatriot Annika Tiib, who clocked 33.71 kilometres per hour. Both Estonian women recorded their times at the Pärnu Muul spot. Magda Zwolinska from Poland took third place with a speed of 32.87 kilometres per hour from Modzerowo. In the Super Masters category for the 61 to 70 age group, Thomas Moldenhauer from Germany came out on top with a speed of 79.04 kilometres per hour from La Palme. Manfred Fuchs, also from Germany, clocked 71.88 kilometres per hour in Buesum Ossengoot. Hans Frydendal from Denmark completed the podium with 70.68 kilometres per hour in Kloster on Ringkøbing Fjord.
The Ultimate Masters category for those aged 71 and over was won by Ben Boonstra from the Netherlands, clocking 60.99 kilometres per hour at Veluwemeer. Georg Nassauer from Germany followed with 60.14 kilometres per hour from Suhrendorf on the Schaproder Bodden. Alexander Sosnin from the USA completed the podium with a speed of 58.51 kilometres per hour from Salvo Day Use.
All the information and results can be found at dunkerbeck.com
From 1 October to 30 November, “The Third” – the third instalment – will bring the 2026 Dunkerbeck Speed Challenge to a close. Once again, the focus will be on achieving the best average speed over 250 metres.