Chris Sutherland (AUS)

Name: Chris Sutherland
Nickname: Sutho
Sail No: New boat AUS 24 XX
Boat name: Travelling Girl
Country: Australia
Sailing Club: Royal Freshwater Bay Y C
Weight: 80kg
Height: 178
Age: At an age where asking is not polite

Number of years sailing (and on what)? Over 40 . Done most things. Started in 505 in HK, Mirror in UK, then back in Australia Cherub, 470 which is the boat I started to get competitive in, J24, Ocean racing 2 x Sydney Hobarts, Windsurfing (found my wife windsurfing), Americas Cup - Fremantle (Aus II, III. IV), Match racing all round the world, Maxi boats, Etchells, Magic 25 (sportsboat), Contenders, then throw in just about every other boat except sadly Skiffs.

Number of years sailing the contender? Probably 8 years.

Why did you get on the Contender? There were a couple sailing here, I probably had enough of crews, and it was a dingy again.

Number of Worlds? 3 Travemunde, Fremantle, Medemblik.

Favourite Worlds Moment? Medemblik Watching Marcus and Jono do well. Fremantle all the heavy weather reaches.

Favourite Food? Italian.

How do you keep in shape? Lots and lots of Cycling, sailing in Perth.

Stupidest thing you've done on the boat? It's a long list starting from my first sail on a 505 at age 7, then I keep making the mistakes again.

Goals for the 2008 Worlds? Top 10, and Veterans Trophy.

What you'd like to do/see at the 2008 Worlds? Wind plenty of it, Sun and warmth, 50 boats.

(Note: We'd like to acknowledge the extra effort Chris made to compete in the Worlds - he is the only competitor who FLEW his boat to Canada!).

Cristoph Homeier (GER 551)

Name: Christoph Homeier
Nickname: Chris
Sail No: GER 551
Boat name: Buzz Schroeder
Country: Germany
Sailing Club: TSV Schilksee
Weight: 82 kg
Height: 187 cm
Age: 24

Number of years sailing (and on what)? 14 years

Number of years sailing the contender? 8 or 9 years

Why did you get on the Contender? In my opinion it's the best single handed boat

Number of Worlds? Many

Favourite Worlds Moment? There are always great moments!

Favourite Food? Vegetarian

How do you keep in shape? Sailing, running, swimming, gym

Stupidest thing you've done on the boat? seeing the pumping flag twice a day and continuing the second race so that I got a DNE...

Goals for the 2008 Worlds? having fun and giving my best

What you'd like to do/see at the 2008 Worlds? meet lots of good sailors and friends and a good race committee

Soren Andreasen (DEN 44)

Name: Soren Andreasen

Sail No: DEN-44

Country: Denmark

Sailing Club: Hellerup Sailing Club

Weight: 76 kg

Height: 1.82 m

Number of years sailing (and on what)? Yngling from 86-91; Contender since 95; 505 1998-2000.

Number of years sailing the contender?12.

Why did you get on the Contender? Looked cool, always liked them since I was a little boy.

Number of Worlds? Many.

Favourite Worlds Moment? Garda worlds, the best worlds we have had so far, with the strongest fleet we will have in many years.

Favourite Food? Italian, although a big t-bone is my favorite dish!

How do you keep in shape? Sailing the contender and going to the gym in the sailing club.

Stupidest thing you've done on the boat? No way I am going to admit those things! Not checking my gear probably before going racing is one of them!

Goals for the 2008 Worlds? Beating Marcus and Andrea just like I managed to do at the Dutch Nationals in 2006, ups also need to beat Christoph!

What you'd like to do/see at the 2008 Worlds? Happy faces, a serious event where the sailing is the important part.

The Outer Harbour Centreboard Club

For as long as Contenders have been sailed in North America, they have been a presence at the Outer Harbour Centreboard Club in Toronto, and OHCC has closely supported the Contender sailors. In 1981, OHCC hosted the Contender Worlds, and we're thrilled to announce that once again OHCC has decided to support the fleet by donating to the 2008 Worlds!

Ideally situated in a sheltered bay with easy access to the lake, OHCC is a self-help club, meaning annual and storage fees are low. As well has being the home to over a dozen active Contender sailors, OHCC also has albacores, CLs, 505s, lasers, and 470s. Every Tuesday and Thursday night from May to September, the club has mixed fleet racing, and on Tuesday there is a dinner hosted by volunteers who change from week to week (meaning there is always interesting food being served).

If anyone in the Toronto area is looking to get into the dinghy racing scene and looking for a friendly and diverse bunch of boats and sailors, pop down to OHCC for a tour!

Thanks OHCC!