Challenge

Chris Mrakas is a new Sydney 38 owner, purchasing the late and great Lou Abrahams’ immaculately prepared boat, Challenge. His first race with this boat, and as an owner, was the Festival of Sails in January and in October he raced to eighth overall in the Melbourne Stanley Race. Mrakas has done the Hobart though, aboard the Sydney 38 Mille Sabords, in 2011. Challenge was arguably the most successful Sydney 38 in Australia the one to come closest to winning the Sydney Hobart, with third overall and a Division D win in 2006. It has also been Australian and Victorian champion, and won numerous one-design events. Fittingly, Challenge’s home base remains Sandringham Yacht Club, where Lou was a past commodore and Life Member.

Abrahams last raced this yacht to Hobart in 2007 when he was 80; his passion for the sport never extinguished. In doing so, he equalled the 44 race-record set by the late John Bennetto in 2004, but Challenge finished an uncharacteristic 40th overall, 14th in Division D and 5th in the Sydney 38 OD division that year.

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