2018 Red Bull Lighthouse to Leighton Kiteboard Race
With 135 kiteboarders entered, the Lighthouse to Leighton kiteboarding event that is a highlight of the australian kiteboarding summer. The fremantle doctor, which has been especially strong this year, delivered a classic west australian Seabreeze, with all kiteboarders completely powered up from start to finish. Sponsored by Red Bull, the Lighthouse to Leighton kiteboard race was a screamer, with a new race record being set. Guy Bridge beat the race record and completed the 19km crossing in 18 minutes, 49 seconds, making it the fastest Lighthouse to Leighton race yet. (But it was also the windiest!). Amazing speed!
Red Bull | Lighthouse to Leighton 2018
Guy Bridge is a pro kiteboarder, and zoomed away to a massive start from the get go. Riding a hydrofoil, and making it look easy, his lead grew as the event progressed.
Red Bull | Lighthouse to Leighton 2018
Mens Twin Tip winner was Dan Anderson (a local favourite, and former national champion) who crossed in 26 minutes 45 seconds.
Marc Sprod was a local kitesurfer who tragically lost his life kitesurfing at Cottesloe, just up the road from Leighton. It was won by Alty Frisby.
"It's fantastic to win the Marc Sprod Trophy for a second time. I knew Marc before he died because he was part of the crew. I'm very happy. My hydrofoil was misbehaving, kicking as though I was dragging some seaweed, but there was none there. There was nothing to do but ride through it. I was quite unstable for a lot of the time, but I kept pushing, going consistently rather than trying to go too fast. I watched other people crash and kept going and pushed it towards the end because I didn't have much to lose. I was probably 5th or 6th til about halfway; then people started dropping. Then I was 2nd, 3rd, 2nd, 3rd and about a kilometre before the end I thought oh my goodness I could do this! The wind wasn't as strong as it was predicted, so I was very comfortable I had the right sized kite and good equipment for the day," Dan said.
Mens Overall and Mens Foil
1 Guy Bridge 18:49
2 Alty Frisby 21:14
3 Mani Bisschops 21:17
1st Guy Bridge, 2nd Alty Frisby and 3rd Mani Bisschops
Mens Twintip
1 Dan Anderson 26:45
2 Ben Field 29:00
3 Jonathan Steel 29:15
1st Dan Anderson, 2nd Ben Field and 3rd Jonathan Steel
Womens Foil
1 Claire May 36:50 2 Kate Reynolds 37:43 3 Natalie Broughton 38:50
1st Claire May, 2nd Kate Reynolds and 3rd Natalie Broughton
Womens Twintip
1 Rachael Hughes (fastest woman) 31:10
2 Cristina Gaudieri 32:56
3 Kathryn Davies 33:00