Speed sailor Rob Douglas Jr. of Vineyard Haven, eldest son of Captain Robert Douglas, won the first leg of the Lynch Speed World Tour last month in Leucate, France, at the Mondial du Vent event. In less than ideal conditions and with northwest winds 20 to 30 knots, Douglas sailed his Cabrinha kites to win all three races over the 500-meter course, and set the best average speed for the event at 41.92 knots (48.2 mph). This is Rob’s third consecutive win at the Mondial du Vent, and qualifies Rob for the Lynch Speed World Championships that will be held at the end of October on Martha’s Vineyard, according to a press release.
The Mondial du Vent is the largest and longest-running speed sailing event in Europe, where windsurfers and kitesurfers compete to see who is the fastest.
