The fifth edition of the Contest Cup, held over the final weekend of May, attracted some 30 Contest sailyachts. The competitors raced for two days over a course along the coastline near the Dutch port of Medemblik, home to Contest Yachts. Two boats shared first spot: Balena from Johanna Innemee and Lapin Agile, skippered by Dolf Collee. As well as racing, the social elements of the Contest Cup event gave owners and crews a great chance to share their sailing experiences.
With Sevenstar as main sponsor, the Contest Cup attracted a record number of 30 Contest yachts. They varied in length from 25 to 55 feet, and were crewed by people of all ages (the youngest was only 12 years old) and many different nationalities. Frans Hinfelaar from sub-sponsors North Sails was among the crew members and passed on various tricks of the trade to Contest owners.
After a festive opening on the Friday evening, fine sailing conditions greeted the yachts on Saturday morning as they set off on two short course races. Unfortunately, the winds died down in the afternoon and the third race had to be cancelled. There was little wind available on the Sunday morning either, which meant that the start sign was only given at 12.45 and just one race could be completed.
Pleasure cruise
Non-competitive sailors were also taking part in this year's Contest Cup, which featured a dedicated pleasure cruise. "We wanted to also welcome non-racing owners to this fun-filled weekend," explains Arjen Conijn, director of Contest Yachts. "The Contest Cup is an event for all Contest owners, regardless of whether they have racing experience or not. We are aware that not everyone shares the same competitive spirit and the pleasure cruise proved to be a popular alternative. One of the great benefits was that it allowed owners and crew more time to talk with fellow Contest sailors and swap tips and tales - a key goal of the Cup."
Contest Cup 2008 - overall results
1 Johanna Innemee, Contest 25OC, Balena
1 Dolf Collee, Contest 45CS, Lapin Agile
3 Pieter van der Horst, Contest 44CS, Zeevlam
Contest Cup 2009
The next edition of the Contest Cup will be held between 5 and 7 June 2009.
