The book about Klüh's symbolic record-breaking trip in a 2700-hp speedboat from America to Cuba has just been completed. This "sporting act of international understanding" (Klüh raced his legendary power boat "Apache Star" from Florida to Havana in 90 minutes) was celebrated worldwide in 2015.
The then U.S. President Barack Obama (59) and his Cuban counterpart Raúl Castro (89) had announced that they would end the ice age after 50 years. Klüh was the first speedboat athlete to set a new record on the legendary course in 57 years.
He describes climbing into his boat at 9:40 a.m., checking the aggregates. "The area," says Klüh, "is shark-infested," not only the rescue helicopter should help, but also his mother's talisman.
The blows from the high waves "are hard, like from a hammer, and they hurt just the same." Suddenly an engine overheats, Klüh's boat "breaks to the right, we have to stop." Klüh and his crew check the filters because of all the algae.
Later, things get even worse, "navigation and communication fail" - and 100 meters behind the finish line, "the steering suspension breaks." Laconic, Klüh writes: "The end, nothing works anymore - but we are there."
What makes him proud: that U.S. President Barack Obama (59), who initiated the end of the ice age with Cuba, thanked him in a letter. And when he thinks of the Cubans' cheers when he arrived, he still gets goose bumps.
The 130-page book "Apache Star: The Art of Speed" is published by Novum Verlag, and costs 17.40 euros in online shops. Buy it on Amazon.
Source: Bild
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