Christopher Heppenstall continued in his role as Chairperson of the England Deaf Karting Team. Under his leadership, the organisation continued to build stability and strengthen its presence within the deaf motorsport community.
For the third consecutive year, Christopher selected Daytona Milton Keynes as the venue for the English Open Deaf Karting Championship. By this stage, EDKT and Daytona had developed a strong working relationship, helping the organisation provide a more professional and consistent experience for drivers and supporters. This partnership would continue successfully for many years afterwards.
At the same time, social media was becoming increasingly important for communication and promotion. Christopher continued using Facebook to share news about events, championships, driver updates, and England team announcements. This helped EDKT reach a wider deaf audience across the country and made it easier for new drivers and supporters to become involved in the sport.
The English Open Deaf Karting Championship remained the organisation’s biggest domestic event of the year. Drivers from across England travelled to compete for the national title and the opportunity to represent England internationally. The championship once again created a competitive but supportive atmosphere within the deaf karting community.
After the event, Christopher selected a 10-driver England squad, consisting of 7 men and 3 women, to compete at the European Deaf Karting Association (ENDKA) Championships, formerly known as ENDKC, hosted in Northern Ireland. Expectations were high, but the international competition proved to be extremely challenging. Many European teams had improved significantly, raising the overall standard of competition.
Unfortunately, England struggled to find consistency throughout the event and could not match the pace of the strongest teams. Despite the hard work and determination shown by the drivers, the team finished in 4th place overall. It was England’s lowest result since 2005 and a disappointing outcome for the squad.
Although the result was difficult, the experience became an important learning point for the organisation. It highlighted the need for further development, stronger preparation, and continued investment in the future of England Deaf Karting. Even during a challenging season, EDKT remained committed to growing the sport and supporting deaf drivers across the country.