|
|
German Skates 280 Kilometers per Hour
New World Record for Skating Behind a Motorcycle
|
by Alexander Bont
Copyright © Alexander Bont
In September of 2003, at the Lausitz track near Berlin in Germany,
Jürgen Köhler
set a new world inline speed record of 281.25 kilometers per hour
holding onto a Suzuki Hayabusa. The skates he was wearing were
custom built in Campsie in Sydney by the worlds largest producer
of hand made speed skates, Bont International. The carbon fiber
boots, aircraft aluminum frames and ceramic bearings are worth a cool $8500.
Although weather conditions were quite unstable, Köhler
decided not to let all the planning go to waste and still
attempted the record.
Water on the track forced them to make about 20 passes before
they could break their own record. On their way to success one
on-board video camera came loose and just millimeters separated
Köhler from a life threatening disaster. "Circumstances just
are not good enough today, you should try it another time...." was
a typical phrase heard on that rainy day. But Jürgen Köhler was
itching to break the record. Again and again the two adrenalin
junkies made their way with about 220 kilometers per hour through the steep
curve before the 217 horse power motorbike exploded to give
Jürgen maximum acceleration as soon as the track straightened.
Than the next shock: The Haybusa caught fire and forced them to
make the next attempt late in the afternoon. The mechanics took
their time fixing the Suzuki and adjusted the bike for to suit
the track and the conditions. The final run: Starting with a burnout,
Geulen put maximum stress on Köhler and the material but this time
the record was no longer a dream: 281.25 kilometers per hour!
A new record was born. It took some time for the record to sink in.
Köhler says he would like to break 300 kilometers per hour in Sydney early in 2004.
Bont International is now seeking a suitable venue.
Copyright © Alexander Bont
|
|
Visit Our 12 Skating Forums
Forums for discussing aggressive, artistic, beginning, hockey, fitness, recreational,
roller basketball, roller derby, roller dancing, rollersoccer, quad skating,
slalom skating, and speed skating.
|
Related Links
Bont Skates of Australia
Skating in Germany
Speed Skating
|
Official Skating Federations
|
2007 Skating Wall Calendars
National Federations
FIRS
SKATERS
by Country
by Name
by Birthday
El Patinador Solitario of Havana makes his own skates.
[ Read More ]
|
A Belgian skater talks about her broken arm.
[Read More]
|
FUN IN HOLLAND!
I got painted orange in
Heerenveen and almost arrested in
Groningen)...
|
My 92 year old
skating buddy
|