Christopher Heppenstall continued in his role as Chairperson of the England Deaf Karting Team committee, with the organisation maintaining a similar structure and approach to the previous year. Together with the committee, it was decided to once again host the English Open Deaf Karting Championship at Daytona Milton Keynes for a fourth time. Social media, particularly Facebook, continued to play an important role in promoting events, sharing updates, and engaging with the deaf karting community across the country.
The English Open remained the key national event of the season, bringing together deaf drivers from across England to compete for selection into the national squad. The level of competition continued to grow, with drivers pushing each other to higher standards in both consistency and racecraft. After the championship, Chris selected a 13-driver England Deaf Karting Team squad, consisting of 10 men and 3 women, to compete at the European Nations Deaf Karting Association (ENDKA) Championship, which was hosted in England and organised by the England Deaf Karting Team committee.
This year became a defining moment in the history of EDKA, as for the first time ever, the England Deaf Karting Team delivered a championship-winning performance on home soil. Competing against strong and experienced European opposition, the squad showed outstanding speed, discipline, and consistency throughout the event. Preparation, teamwork, and communication were at an all-time high, and every driver played a vital role in securing results across the races.
England was crowned European Nations Deaf Karting Association Champions, achieving their first-ever European title in history. It was a landmark victory that had never been achieved before by England in deaf karting, and it represented the peak of years of development, rebuilding, and determination since the organisation’s formation in 2005.
The success was celebrated by drivers, supporters, volunteers, and the wider deaf motorsport community. The trophy was proudly retained for one year, marking a historic achievement and confirming England’s position as the leading force in European deaf karting at that time. The victory also set a new benchmark for future squads, raising expectations and inspiring the next generation of deaf drivers within the sport.
Despite this historic success, the organisation continued to face serious financial challenges behind the scenes. During this period, the company responsible for hosting and maintaining the organisation’s website collapsed, which created immediate disruption to online communication and promotion. The website had previously been a key platform for sharing race results, promoting events, and connecting the deaf karting community across the country.
EDKT attempted to find an alternative website provider and briefly explored rebuilding the platform. However, ongoing financial pressure and a lack of sustainable funding made it impossible to continue. After careful consideration, the difficult decision was made to permanently close the website later that year.
For many involved, this was a deeply disappointing moment, particularly during what was the most successful competitive period in the organisation’s history. However, despite this setback, the club continued to move forward through the dedication, commitment, and voluntary efforts of its committee members, drivers, supporters, and the wider deaf motorsport community.