Challenge Business have set their sights on a new race with the official launch of the Challenge Transat 2002, a race across the Atlantic and back for 16 amateur crew, one professional skipper and a mate, in a one deign fleet of eight yachts.

The Challenge Transat is set to begin in August 2002 and will race from Southampton, now the new home of Challenge Business, to Boston and then back again. Crew Volunteers will be able to sign up for one or both legs

Simon Walker, managing director of Challenge Business comments: “The Global Challenges we run every four years are extremely popular, so much so that all the UK berths became full for the 2004 race before the 2001 race had even reached the first port!”

“Many of our races have been devised over the years after responding to different requests and the Challenge Transat is no exception. Many potential Crew Volunteers simply don’t want to wait for the 2008 race and we’ve also listened to a growing need from others who, due to heavy work commitments for example, want to take part in a much shorter race.”

“The beauty of this race is that would-be sailors get the best of both worlds, first class sail training to fit in with work commitments and then hard and fast racing giving them exhilarating first hand experience of ocean yacht racing, over just a few weeks. Crossing the Atlantic is also an all time high, for both the new and experienced sailor.”

The training and the race will all take place aboard Challenge Business’ 72ft fleet, which has just recently returned from its first voyage around the world in the BT Global Challenge 200/ 2001.