Celebrating 20 years of the Challenge
Many of you are aware that the current committees will be concluding their tenure next year. Furthermore, it will mark 20 years since the debut of the Challenge in 2003, deserving a proper celebration.
Preparations for the 2023 Challenge are underway and our online entry platform will be available in coordination with the Emergency Services Show at the NEC. Boats can be booked starting at 11:00 AM on Thursday, September 22nd, which is also when the Challenge will be officially launched. If you plan on attending the show, feel free to stop by our stand and say hello.
The dates for 2023 are Monday 8th to Thursday 11th May.
As in the past few years, boats are limited and once again they will be chartered from Fairview Sailing and Sunsail. The total number available to us will be 35. This will be 15 in the Spinnaker fleet , 12 Sunsail 41.0’s and 3 First 40’s from Fairview. These will race under a handicap system .The White Sails and Asymmetric Class will be using Fairviews’, Oceanis 37’ s and their Bavaria 37’s, again under a handicap system.
The final Itinerary is yet to be finalised, but it will be the same format as in the past ten years. Yacht handover on Sunday, practice day on Monday , Racing round the cans on Tuesday and Wednesday and the Passage Race Thursday . The opening ceremony will take place on Monday evening with a buffet meal provided, Tuesday is the Social evening with food and bar provided by our sponsors, Wednesday is our Gala Dinner with prize giving from the two days round the cans racing. Moorings are also included within the entry fee as is the costs of the raffle tickets.
Sadly we have had to raise our prices for next year, this isn’t just us, but the costs of the yacht charter has gone up as has the moorings and food costs, which the regulars to the Challenge will know the cost has remained the same for some years.
The costs of all yachts is the same, with a team of 8, for team entry and your boat charter will be £3000 , following your registering on www.ukfsc.org.uk we will require a deposit of £1000 by the 1st December with final payment being made by 31st March, Failing to pay the deposit will render the entry void. BACS payments can be made to Bank Account Co-operative Bank Sort Code 08-92-99 Account Number 65192225.
As in past years we ask that teams of 8, 6 crew are linked to the emergency services and teams of 9 or 10 that 7 are. This does not apply to Sponsor boats.
We also request that in the interest of fairness you comply with ISAF Racing Rule 3.
Updates will be posted on our website and our social media sites.
When they are gone they are gone.
We look forward to your entry for our final Challenge.
Mick Norman and the Committee
