mathew said..
Manfred Fuchs would be the ultimate speedurfing interview .... he basically invented the tech we use for video-timing, gps usage, initial software algorithms, and about a dozen other things.
Yes, Manfred was, and still is a pioneering giant in the technology and analysis of speed sailing.
Credit must go to Martin Van Muers and Rodger Van Tongren for the initial recognition that GPS could be used for a speed sailing competitions and rankings, and the rest of the original crew at GPS-Speedsurfing for making the website happen.
After Kean Rogers (Roo) bought the GT11 to our attention, Tom Chalko was instrumental in getting the GT11 and especially the GT31 adapted by Locosys for much more accurate speed sailing measurement (using Doppler data), including inventing, and getting implemented the "Speed Genie' for instant feedback results during the sessions. He also did some ground breaking research on consumer GPS accuracy and published his findings.
Malcolm Wright wrote one of, if not the first, computer analysis programs, specifically for speed sailing - RealSpeed - Initially to do multi-analysis for the 2004 Sandy Point SpeedWeek competition, (organised and run by Mal and Ian Fox) and then for individual use. He also invented the 'Alpha' division/competition which quickly became very popular. :-)
Yan Mathet also adapted his GPS Action Replay (GPSAR) to our speed sailing requirements at about the same time.
Joseph Presti (Hardy) came up with the wonderful concept of the GPS-teamchallenge a couple of years later and implemented it in partnership with Ben Hitchcock (Nebbian) who wrote the website.
There have been many others during that time, and since who have made very valuable contributions which have got us to where we are today.
