International Catamaran Challenge Trophy - History

History

The early years saw major participation from amateur designers including Rodney March, who went on to design the Tornado which was adopted as an Olympic class for competition. His most radical contribution at that time was a wing mast/soft sail combination una-rig which was untouchable particularly in light airs. Further development of this concept led to the solid "Wing" mast as used by "Oracle" in the recent 2010 America's Cup successful challenge.

Interest in the Cup waned in the UK when "Thunder" failed to gain the right to defend the challenge against the Australian, "Quest" in 1965. The decision to continue with the aging "Emma Hamilton" and Reg White, sponsored by A.R.(Bertie) Holloway almost cost the UK the Cup then. Only the brilliance of Reg White kept him level with Quest and in the final decider, with the Australian challenger in the lead a strong squall caught Quest on a broad reach and she capsized.

White and Holloway went on to develop the wing and soft sail combo for Lady Helmsman, sponsored by the paint company but by now the "amateurs" had dropped out. The best thing to happen to the Cup was loss to Denmark and then their subsequent loss to Australia. Challenges between Australia and America continued for several years and during this time the solid Wing mast gained supremacy.

However costs were escalating and the America's Cup was swallowing sponsorship funding. Attempts in America to revive the event finally killed it. The proposed commercialization of the event together with the removal of any design development together with the particular design chosen for the event F-18HT Beach Catamaran guaranteed that anyone who had had earlier participation and motivation would walk away. There has been no racing since. The Little America's Cup has joined the Dodo. However, a reborn event with similar philosophy may take the "name" to a renewed interest.,