C-Class challenger wins award

News from the Australian Catamaran Challenge

Engineers Australia has recognised the radical wing-sailed catamaran developed by Australian Catamaran Challenge in the 2003 Western Australian Engineering Excellence Awards.

"It's a huge boost for the campaign" said Syndicate Coordinator, Ian Jenkins. "We won our category and the judges tell us that we were runner-up for the overall prize. It is great recognition for everyone involved in the project."

"I'm stoked," said Damien Smith, Project Naval Architect and designer of the radical machine. "A few blokes just took out a major engineering award with a back shed project, how Australian is that?"

The winged sail has been compared in significance Ben Lexan's winged keel. The awards judges were impressed by the innovative design and construction solutions developed for the project.

The unique vessel has successfully completed its first round of sea trials and is currently being upgraded at the team's Fremantle workshop.

The ultimate goal for the award winning design is an event known as “The Little America's Cup” which will be sailed at Rhode Island in September 2004. Australian Catamaran Challenge syndicate will race against previous winner Steve Clark’s Cogito and the British Invictus team to decide who can build the fastest sailing boat on the planet.