![]() | |
![]() A Contender on reach at the 1998 worlds | |
Development | |
---|---|
Designer | Ben Lexcen |
Location | Australia |
Year | 1967 |
Design | One-Design |
Role | Fleet racing |
Boat | |
Crew | 1 |
Draft | 1,447 mm (57.0 in) |
Trapeze | Single trapeze |
Hull | |
Type | Monohull |
Construction | GRP Wood Composite (Wood/GRP) |
Hull weight | 83 kg (183 lb) |
LOA | 4,875 mm (191.9 in) |
Beam | 1,500 mm (59 in) |
Hull appendages | |
Keel/board type | Centreboard |
Rudder(s) | skeg hung |
Rig | |
General | Bermuda rig |
I foretriangle height | 4,345 mm (171.1 in) |
J foretriangle base | 1,250 mm (49 in) |
P mainsail luff | 3,050 mm (120 in) |
E mainsail foot | 2,700 mm (110 in) |
Mast length | 6,427 mm (253.0 in) |
Sails | |
Mainsail area | 10.8 m2 (116 sq ft) |
Racing | |
D-PN | 90.1 [1] |
RYA PN | 970 [2] |
Class is a member of World Sailing | |
The International Contender is a single-handed high performance sailing dinghy, designed by Bob Miller, latterly known as Ben Lexcen, (Australia) in 1967 as a possible successor to the Finn dinghy for Olympic competition. [3] [4]
The Contender is recognised as an International Class by World Sailing, the governing body of sail boat racing, which administers the class rules.
"Single-handed" means sailed by only one person. The boat has a trapeze which allows the sailor to use their weight more effectively. The design of the boat does not favour sailors within a narrow or extreme size or weight range, past champions have ranged from 60 kg to more than 90 kg. While physical fitness, agility and strength are advantageous, good technical sailing skills and experience can count for more.
Sailors wishing to master the Contender must learn how to trapeze and steer the boat at the same time, and how to move about the boat while keeping it level. As part of race tuning, the Contender mast is commonly raked well aft, which results in restricted space between the boom and deck. Tacking consequently requires technique and practice to avoid getting stuck under the boom. Sailing the boat level at all times (except in very light winds) is fastest and reduces capsizes, which can happen fast if the boom dips into the water. There is a trade-off between raking the mast far aft and keeping the kicker (boom vang) tight at all times (which is faster) and the higher probability of capsizing due to this less forgiving set up. Unlike older and heavier dinghy designs, the Contender requires the centerboard to be lowered at least somewhat to avoid quick capsizes when reaching and running in a breeze.
The class rules are overseen by the International Contender Association. Proposals for changes to the rules are written down and presented to the class members during the Annual General Meeting (AGM). Before a rule change is taken into effect, the proposal needs to be approved by 2/3 of the member attending the AGM. If the proposal is approved, a next voting round will be done using a postal ballot. If a majority approves, the proposal will go to World Sailing for their approval. If this passes, the rules are updated and effected. Notable changes to the class rules are for instance:
The Contender Microsite on World Sailing has a section with the latest class rules. [9]
Games | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Ref | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1970 Hayling Island | ![]() | [10] | ||||||
1972 Medemblik | ![]() | [11] | ||||||
1973 Imperia | ![]() | |||||||
1975 Brisbane | ![]() | |||||||
1976 Palo Alto | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | [12] | ||||
1977 Kiel | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | [13] | ||||
1979 Takapuna | ![]() | |||||||
1980 Hayling Island | ![]() ![]() | ![]() | [14] [15] | |||||
1981 Toronto | ![]() | |||||||
1982 Medemblik | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | [16] | ||||
1983 Belmont NSW | ![]() | [17] | ||||||
1984 Riva del Garda | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | [18] | ||||
1985 Struer | ![]() | |||||||
1986 Santa Cruz | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | [19] | ||||
1987 Hamburgsund | ![]() | |||||||
1988 Brisbane | ![]() | |||||||
1989 Travemünde | ![]() | |||||||
1990 Hayling Island | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | |||||
1991 Marsala | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | |||||
1992 Melbourne | ![]() | |||||||
1993 Medemblik | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | [20] | ||||
1994 Attersee am Attersee | ![]() | |||||||
1995 Rowayton | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | [21] | ||||
1996 Weymouth | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | [22] | ||||
1997 Sydney | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | [23] | ||||
1998 Cagliari | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | [24] [25] | ||||
1999 Kiel | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | [26] | ||||
2000 Medemblik | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | [27] [28] | ||||
2001 Kingston | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | [29] | ||||
2002 Melbourne | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | [29] | ||||
2003 Plymouth | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | [30] | ||||
2004 Riva del Garda | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | [31] | ||||
2005 Travemünde | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | [32] | ||||
2006 Fremantle | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | [33] | ||||
2007 Medemblik | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | [34] | ||||
2008 Kingston | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | [35] | ||||
2009 Sønderborg | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | [36] | ||||
2010 Brisbane | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | [37] | ||||
2011 Weymouth | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | [38] | ||||
2012 St. Petersburg | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | [39] | ||||
2013 Gravedona | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | [40] | ||||
2014 Belmont | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | [41] | ||||
2015 Medemblik | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | [42] [43] [44] | ||||
2016 Santa Cruz | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | [45] | ||||
2017 Sønderborg | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | [46] | ||||
2018 McCrae | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | [47] | ||||
2019 Quiberon | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | [48] [49] | ||||
2020 Medemblik | Event cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic | [50] | ||||||
2021 Warnemünde | Event replaced by European championship COVID-19 pandemic | [51] | ||||||
2022 Melbourne | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | [52] [53] | ||||
2023 Kerteminde | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | [54] |
Year | Location | First | Second | Third | Ref |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1974 | ![]() | ![]() | |||
1975 | ![]() | ![]() | |||
1976 | ![]() | ![]() | |||
1977 | ![]() | ![]() | |||
1978 | ![]() | ![]() | |||
1979 | ![]() | ![]() | |||
1980 ? | ![]() | ||||
1983 | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ||
1985 ? | ![]() | ||||
1988 | ![]() | ![]() | |||
1989 | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | [55] |
1992 | ![]() | ![]() | |||
1995 | ![]() | ![]() | |||
1997 | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | [56] |
2001 | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | [57] |
2002 | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | [58] |
2006 | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | [59] |
2008 | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | [60] |
2010 | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | [61] |
2012 | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | |
2014 | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | [62] [63] |
2016 | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | [64] |
2018 | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | [65] [66] [67] |
2021 | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | [68] |
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