Human powered boats
World Championships 2003 in Friedrichshafen - September 7^th, 2003
The International Human Powered Vehicle Championships 2003 were held in Friedrichshafen, Germany, between August 28th and 31st, 2003. All over the city and near beach, along the Uferpromenade.
The human powered boats competitions were held on the Bodensee (between Switzerland, Germany and Austria) on August 30th and 31st.

by: Leo de Vries.

The HPV World Championships 2003 were organised by

The human Powered Vehicle Association Germany

Introduction
In the early morning of August 30th the Bodensee was appealing in the daylight. With a beautiful gray mountain skyline at the Swiss side.
But this was not getting the attention for long.
The wind, temperature, depth of the water, where to launch the boat, what time it is.. those were the issues going on in the minds of the waterbiking teams!

World Championships
The world championships human powered vehicles are held every year. And the year 2003, Friedrichshafen, Region: Baden-Wuerttemberg, located in the south of Germany, was the place were human power was put to the test.
Since it is difficult to transport human powered boats to another corner of the world, the world championships take place once per two years in the United States of America and Europe. In the years were the world championships take place in the USA, the European Championships are being held.

click to enlarge (size 433 kB)

According to authorities from Cologne and Eutin, Germany, the World Championships attracted more publicity than the rowing championships held on in their cities.
In Friedrichshafen quite some people visited the event also as shown on the picture. Yeap, waterbikers love attention for their racing machines!

The championships' story
The HPV.org organisation had prepared everything as expected: up-to the details
Andreas Schlief (HVP), Sven Trempeck (HPV), Mrs. Scheuerer (Friedrichsafen official of sports) and the technicians from Mercedes-Benz Germany were the team that started their first activities one year before this event took place.

Short before the world championships 2003, many things had to be rearranged.  The whole competition field had to be moved a few hundred metres eastwards since the water of the Bodensee had dropped 1.20 metres in height. This in order to guarantee sufficient water depth for the boats. Since measurements started in the year 1870, the lowest water level has been reached. Another world record for the books and some achievement by the event organisers who had to build a 54 metres long platform for launching the boats into deep waters.

Teams from 7 countries, including a USA/German team, with 27 boats appeared at the starting lines!

Although everything was prefectly organised, unfortunately, the wind increased short after the first discipline, the 100 metre sprint had started. Quite some waves started to rise, making time measurements insecure and difficult for the boats to sail. The environmental conditions were far from optimal and a lot of boats had to decrease their top speed to avoid crashing into the waves. Few boats flooded and had to be rescued by the recue team.
During the captains meetings weather conditions were the reason for canceling alot of disciplines. Only the 100 metre sprint and the 10 kilometre long distance race were held.

But the spectators had some spectacular views of human powered boats sailing in rough waters close near the rocks.
During the long distance four boats were flooded because of the waves.

Rescue action under severe conditions at the long distance race

Coming up soon: the rest of the story.

Go to: Sneeky preview

World Championships Results 2003

100 metre sprint
Multi-persons boats
1	Close to Perfection	Germany
2	L´Ordegno	Italy
3	Caipiroska	Italy
One-person boats
1	Wet Wing	Germany
2	Magic Carpet	Germany (designer, builder and rider: Andreas Voss)
3	Gridelli	Switzerland

Long distance race (4.5 km)
Multi-persons boats
1	L´Ordegno	Italy
2	Close to Perfection	Germany
3	Massillia	France
One-person boats
1	Hai Flyike	Germany (Alexander Gäbler)
2	Wörthersee 1	Austria
3	Wörthersee 2	Austria

Go to: Sneeky preview

To serve you with all information HPV.org and waterbiking.org will keep you updated.
Go to: HPV - world championship info 

HPV Deutschland e.V.
Andreas Schlief
Osterstr. 9 D-20259 Hamburg
phone: +49-40-27 87 72-13
fax: +49-40-27 87 72-15
e-mail: andreas.schlief@hpv.org