The Racers
To Contact Us:
INFORMATION
Richard Johnson
richard.johnson2070@ntlworld.com
MEMBERSHIP
Pauline Hilleard
hilleard@hotmail.com
CHALLENGER BUILDER
White Formula
14 Regent Road
Brightlingsea
Essex
CO7 0NL
Rob White Tel. 07785 323840
info@whiteformula.com
Challengers have raced since the early 1980s and the current fleet is very competitve, with many of the top sailors owning modern fast boats made by our current builder, White Formula, alongside their range of high performance catamarans.
The top Challenger sailors also compete in open meetings. In 2006 a Challenger came first in the single-handed fleet at the Grafham Grand Prix and in 2009 Challengers came 2nd, 3rd and 4th. A Challenger was also the overall winner of the 2009 Ogston Sailing Club General PY Handicap Open and, with a Portsmouth Yardstick number of 1180, the Challenger is competitive in handicap or pursuit races, particularly when winds are stronger. For anyone who does not want to capsize or strain their muscles from hiking out a Challenger is the answer
Just to prove that the Challenger is really seaworthy, Geoff Holt, who is quadriplegic, not only raced his boat Billy but he circumnavigated the Isle of Wight in it. To see more of Geoff's adventures visit his own website www.personaleverest.com The Challenger can be a wet boat because of its narrow hulls but it is also exhilarating and speeds of nearly 13 knots mean that the boat can keep up with Lasers as they plane in stronger winds. In fact, the Challenger has been described as a "Laser with stabilisers" and, with a rig that responds to tuning, it rewards the skills of good racers just as its name suggests.
Challenger racing is now open to everyone, whether or not they have a disability. Sailors with mobility problems are grateful for help with launching and retrieval, making the fleet one of the most sociable after racing but no quarter is given on the water. The picture shows a Challenger leading the fleet at a cold, windy Grafham Grand Prix where they were the largest class with nine boat racing. There are four RYA-qualified Class Coaches and a tuning guide to help people improve their technique and tactics and a careful development programme ensures the Challenger stays competitive with modern dinghies whilst preserving its one-design characteristics.
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