Australia’s Contender dinghy makes world sailing history

by 2010 Contender Worlds Media on 4 Jan 2010 A classic Australian sailing dinghy from the sketch pad of Ben Lexcen, who designed the America’s Cup winner Australia II, will become part of world sailing history today.

Originally designed as a future single handed Olympic dinghy by the young Queenslander in 1966, when he was still known as Bob Miller, the Contender dinghy is celebrating its 40th World Championship in its Queensland design birth place.

Chris Sutherland, Contender Class President says ‘This Worlds is a landmark event for the Contenders. We designed them, we build them and we win in them. Four Australians have won the Worlds on a total of nine occasions.'

The Contender was awarded International status in 1968. The first World Championship was held in Britain in 1970 and the second and third were won by Brisbane sailor Peter Hollis, in Holland and Italy respectively.

Then came the turn of Australia to host the Championship. In 1974 and again in 1988 Contender World titles were sailed out of the Royal Queensland Yacht Squadron (RQYS). Now, in the Club’s 125th year, the Contender World Championship returns with a 60 boat international fleet.

Sutherland continued. ‘Aussies feel this is the home of the class, with Queensland Peter Hollis being our first multiple World champion and Australians having had such a major involvement with the class over the years. It’s great to have the 40th Worlds here at RQ.

‘There are 2500 of these Australian designed Contenders, either timber or synthetic, now sailing around the world. They are built to last. The Aussie built boats, the Italian boats, the German boats and the British boats are all fast. The traditional wooden boats look lovely and you can build to them relatively inexpensively.'

The last World Championship was held in July 2009 in Denmark and was won by seven times World Champion Andrea Bonezzi of Italy. Bonezzi has been sailing for 19 years in this class. There will be sailors from around the world and certainly a host of locals, led by Jonno Neate from Victoria, who will be keen to claim the World Champion’s crown. By weight of numbers the Australians are likely to do well overall, with Chris Peile, Matt Mulder, Sutherland himself being some of many other who could feature on the podium

After Australia, the strongest representation comes from Great Britain led by Simmon Mussell, Germany with Cristoph Homeier in good form and of course Italy with the great Bonezzi. However the Danes, Canadians, French and Netherlands sailors will be out to prove themselves too.

The stage is set for the 40th Contender Pre-Worlds, the 2010 Contender Australian Championships, which start with two races on Monday afternoon and run until Wednesday, in a six race series.

The 40th Contender World Championship will be sailed from 8th to 12th January 2010.

More information at www.Contenderworlds2010.com

2010 World Championship fleet

From Club Name Boat Name Sail Number
AUS NSW Illawarra Yacht Club Peter Murphy Spider Pig 2338
AUS NSW South Lake Macquarie Amateur Sailing Club Brett Holly Butterfly Sandwich AUS2375
AUS NSW Sydney Flying Squadron Alan Griffith Neopnee 2238
AUS QLD Cleveland Yacht Club Jan Mulder Baby Boomer On Board AUS1326
AUS QLD North Queensland Cruising Yacht Club John McLean Frantic@SupalGA 1329
AUS QLD Royal Queensland Yacht Squadron Ian Bowman Gopher Shuffle AUS226
AUS QLD Royal Queensland Yacht Squadron Scott Bowman Random AUS1244
AUS QLD Royal Queensland Yacht Squadron James Dahl Sticky Side Up 225
AUS QLD Royal Queensland Yacht Squadron Phillip Evans Stacey AUS1753
AUS QLD Royal Queensland Yacht Squadron Geoff Fisher Bella Anna AUS2468
AUS QLD Royal Queensland Yacht Squadron Steven Grimes AUS2179 AUS2179
AUS QLD Royal Queensland Yacht Squadron Rodney Hieatt Get me a bucket AUS830
AUS QLD Royal Queensland Yacht Squadron Trevor Monaghan Blubber Boy AUS1364
AUS QLD Royal Queensland Yacht Squadron Matthew Mulder Chewbacca AUS2408
AUS QLD Royal Queensland Yacht Squadron Chris Somers Got Wood AUS1306
AUS QLD Royal Queensland Yacht Squadron Stephen Toms Carbon Credit AUS2169
AUS QLD Southport Yacht Club Roger Grimes Tricky AUS237
AUS QLD Southport Yacht Club Chris Peile Erica's Diamond AUS2204
AUS QLD Townsville Sailing Club Tony Debney Colly Wobble AUS217
AUS QLD Townsville Sailing Club Dan Haydon Gavin AUS166
AUS QLD Townsville Sailing Club Scott McInerney Don’t' Know AUS2281
AUS VIC Latrobe Valley Yacht Club Matthew Kee Maho AUS2296
AUS VIC Latrobe Valley Yacht Club David Leask The Big Kahuna AUS2174
AUS VIC Mornington Yacht Club Jono Neate AUS2 AUS2
AUS VIC Port Melbourne Yacht Club Sean Managh Gogolomobile AUS232
AUS VIC Sandringham Yacht Club Grant Robinson Roshambo AUS2136
AUS WA Royal Freshwater Bay Yacht Club Greg Barrington Mojo 2105
AUS WA Royal Freshwater Bay Yacht Club Ross Brennan Cruising 2411
AUS WA Royal Freshwater Bay Yacht Club Richard Shallcross Juche' AUS2164
AUS WA Royal Freshwater Bay Yacht Club Chris Sutherland AUS2443 AUS2443
CAN Stephanie Mah Sweet Pea CAN80
CAN Neil Smith HoneyBun 2398
DEN Lars Bo Rasmussen DEN1628 DEN1628
DEN Henning Wermuth Jolly Jumper DEN2425
FRA Matteo Brescia Magic Box Sailing Team ITA316
GER Alexander Groehlich Flyer GER1789
GER Joachim Harpprecht Fajrant GER531
GER Christoph Homier Schroeder GER551
GER Michael Koch Sailoraptor GER2235
GER Dirk Mueller Kabbelwasser GER1421
GER Ann Seidel Herz aus Gold GER2400
ITA Emilio Betta Valiant ITA111
ITA Andrea Bonezzi Ronstan ITA11
ITA Luca Bonezzi Stealth ITA40
ITA Luca Gusmeroli Calaf II ITA15
ITA Antonio Lambertini Gunzzender ITA315
ITA Antonio Martini ce le secche ITA20
NED Mark Thorborg Ristretto NED232
UK Chris Boshier Rock n Rolla GBR694
UK Richard Buttner RBSport&Travel GBR2407
UK David Davies Bit of Wet GBR2383
UK Mike Denham One Jump Ahead GBR2152
UK David Henshall Sherbet GBR505
UK Jerry Hone Syringa GBR2432
UK Gary Langdown No Name GBR2421
UK Alan Mollatt U-Beaut GBR2318
UK Simon Mussell Carrie2 GBR2420
UK Ed Presley Mako GBR2406
UK Antony White Mzungu GBR2310
UK Rodger White Foxy Lady GBR2314