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How Kite-Power is Challenging the World Sailing Speed Record

We visited the SP80 team in Lausanne, Switzerland to get a look inside the cockpit of the kite-powered sailboat aiming to smash the world sailing speed record this year in Namibia. Add CNET as a trusted news source Never miss a deal again! See CNET’s browser extension 👉 Check out CNET’s Amazon Storefront: Subscribe to…

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We visited the SP80 team in Lausanne, Switzerland to get a look inside the cockpit of the kite-powered sailboat aiming to smash the world sailing speed record this year in Namibia.

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0:00 Intro
0:39 SP80 Update
1:04 Current World Record Holder
1:25 Piloting the SP80 Boat
2:09 Controlling the Kite
2:58 Special Safety Training
3:54 Emergency Kite Release
4:14 World Record Attempt

#SP80 #Sailing #Kite

7 Comments

  1. @nicodemus4096

    February 1, 2026 at 8:03 am

    First like

  2. @SusSy-Hv

    February 1, 2026 at 8:44 am

    First like

  3. @jamesdubben3687

    February 1, 2026 at 9:35 am

    Hey boss!.
    Yes, please!

  4. @JeffGroverPlus

    February 1, 2026 at 10:05 am

    It seems odd to me that so much effort is being put into making this boat faster when there is obviously so much energy being dissipated by wave action tossing the boat around, spraying water in all directions and creating a triple-wide wake. The obvious solution is a hydrofoil, which must be outlawed or something for this competition?

    • @ilyaskabbadj1983

      February 1, 2026 at 1:17 pm

      That’s what I’m thinking too. The fastest boats right now are hydrofoils why can’t they add that.

  5. @urbanstrencan

    February 1, 2026 at 12:54 pm

    Ok, this looks awesome, like a space fighter from Star Wars!

  6. @princeb.

    February 1, 2026 at 4:37 pm

    «Poor pilots — spinal injuries are inevitable, and wheelchairs after 30 are practically guaranteed.
    Stop this madness.»

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