Team NZ land speed record ratified

Horonuku on Lake Gairdner.
Photo: Supplied: Emirates Team New Zealand

Team New Zealand have had their wind-powered world land speed on Horonuku officially ratified.

The America’s Cup champions recorded 222.43kph on the salt bed of Lake Gairdner in South Australia on December 11th and have now had the mark recognised officially.

The record was achieved in 22 knots of wind with Team New Zealand confident it can crack the 250 kilometres per hour mark with 30 knots of winds.

The mark has now been confirmed as the new World Record Speed of a wind powered land yacht by the World Land Sailing Organisation, Federation International de Sand et Land Yachting (FISLY).

Photo: Team NZ

In a release by FISLY, the FISLY Council and the President of FISLY congratulated Emirates Team New Zealand and pilot Glenn Ashby for this extraordinary achievement while recognising how far the record has come since it was first recorded.

“90 years ago in 1912 the first record was set by the well-known cross channel aviator Louis Bleriot with 54 km/h, it is now officially 222.43km/h.”

Ashby and Team NZ are already thinking ahead.

“It is great to have our record claim now officially….however we know Horonuku has more in her so we hope to go through the same process with an even higher speed the next time we have the opportunity with the weather”, said Ashby.

To increase the record further, a new speed of greater than 222.87 km/h will be required, which is 0.2% above the established record in accordance with the FISLY rules.

-RNZ