Speeds continue to creep upwards at the Human Powered Speed Challenge, but so did the wind velocity during the Tuesday evening runs, wreaking havoc on expectations for the most speed-friendly weather of the week. Sam Whittingham and Fred Markham are still the two fastest riders at the event. “Fast” Freddy clocked the higest speed of the night, posting a 72.05 mph run despite the cross winds buffeting the course and bedevilling the riders’ efforts. In fact, Freddy was too fast for my camera work, blowing by my position well ahead of the chase car I was using as a reference point to try to spot his sleek black Easy Varna during its run. I talked to Freddy just before the afternoon session however, to get a sense of what it’s like to chase the title of word’s fastest self-propelled human.

“Fast” Freddy Markham

Whittingham remains fast, but a timing malfunction left him without an official time for his second run of the event. He’s reported to have been above 70 mph again. At this point Sam’s record-setting 81 mph run from 2002 still stands, but there’s little doubt that he’d love to claim the $25,000 deciMach prize by officially exceeding the 82 mph mark.

Whittingham signs kids’ drawings of HPVs at the Battle Mountain civic center on Tuesday afternoon.

Orion Speedtrike’s record-setting run on Tuesday

Can Chuck and bike designer Raymond Gage hold on to this accomplishment? Georgi Georgiev has an unearthly-looking camera trike waiting in the wings and it would be no surprise to see it perform a little of that Varna magic if and when it hits the course.

The latest Georgi Georgiev creation

Warren Beauchamp gets a little help from his friends as Georgi and Steve Nash assist him to put a smaller rear cog on his bike — to achieve a higher top speed without over-revving at the pedals. Beauchamp ups his top speed, recording a 61.80 run.

Warren Beauchamp’s Tuesday effort

Ellen Van Vugt is still the fastest woman at this year’s event with a 62.92 run on Tuesday, while Jason Erickson’s first run in yet another Varna clone, the Varnator, delivers a 60-plus mph run as well.

Good conditions prevailed on Monday, during Day One of competition at the 2008 World Human Powered Speed Challenge, with riders posting very respectable times and looking forward to even higher speeds today.

Once again the Varna machines have proven themselves – Georgi Georgiev designed bikes delivered the top two speeds in the men’s division , with a Varna clone built by Steve Nash clocking the fastest woman’s run.

Perennial favourite Sam Whittingham has to feel good about his chances to crack the 82 mph deciMach barrier (one tenth the speed of sound) this year. Whittingham went through the speed traps in the Varna Diablo III at 79.76 mph to post the fastest speed on the day and the third fastest run ever. With four more days of racing on tap, it appears this could be the year the Canadian makes history. Hot on his heels and eager to dethrone the genial king of Battle Mountain however, are American Fred Markham and Hollander Hans Wessel. Markham posted a top speed of 70.02 mph in his Varna Mephisto to take second place on the day and become the fastest over-50 rider in history, while Wessel was a close third, clocking a top speed of 68.48 in the Mertens/Van Vugt Speedhawk. That effort has given Wessel the title of second fastest European rider ever. Only Damjan Zabovnik has gone faster… and he’s not here this year, so Wessel has the top spot in his sights.

Ellen Van Vugt was the only female rider on the course on Monday, but she didn’t let lack of competition quench her thirst for speed. Van Vugt rode her Steve Nash-built Varnowski at a speed of 57.70 through the timing area… the sixth fastest time overall.

all rights reserved Chris Keam 2008