Long-time friends and adversaries at the top of the OK fleet, Nick Craig (GBR) and Greg Wilcox (NZL). Image copyright Mary Reddyhoff.
by Mary Reddyhoff
The flatter water and lighter breeze on day three at the OK Dinghy World Championship in Kalmar, Sweden was a welcome change to the previous two days of racing.
The OK Dinghy races to the triangle, sausage, final beat format which suits this 52 year old design.There was a general recall for the first start, but the second, still under blue peter, was successfully away with three individual recalls. The majority of the fleet started at the committee boat end, but some of the leaders opted for clearer air further along the line. At the windward mark Nick Craig (GBR) and Greg Wilcox (NZL) were clear ahead of Thomas Hansson-Mild (SWE), Jan-Erik Engholm (SWE), Terry Curtis (GBR) and Martin Zimmerman (GER).
At the wing mark Craig had to give water to Wilcox who pulled away from the chasing pack. With a rising breeze, the fleet closed on the leading group up the beat, but Wilcox continued to increase his lead down the run. On the final beat Wilcox was chased by Hansson-Mild on the right side of the course, but the lead remained unchanged, with Wilcox winning his first race in this championship, with Hansson-Mild second and Antoni Pawlowski (POL) third.
Race 5
1st Greg Wilcox NZL
2nd Thomas Hansson-Mild SWE
3rd Antoni Pawlowski POL
4th Nick Craig GBR
5th Terry Curtis GBR
6th Jan-Erik Engholm SWE
7th Mogens Johansen DEN
8th Arne Lindermann GER
9th Martin Zimmermann GER
10th Bo-Staffan Andersson SWE
With a dying wind, race six looked threatened for some time. However, with five already completed, there were sufficient races held for the World Championship series to be assured. As the countdown to the start began the wind increased to ensure a good race would be held, albeit in a shifting wind.
Bo-Staffan Andersson. Image copyright Mary Reddyhoff.
The black flag caught eight sailors from six countries on the second start. Bunched at the pin end in light airs, it took a long time for the competitors to sail into free air. Bo-Staffan Andersson (SWE), the most successful OK Dinghy World Champion ever, led the fleet on the first triangle, but as the wind picked up and veered for the second beat the heavier sailors slowly overhauled him as they sailed to the newly laid windward mark.
With the increasing wind, a wave pattern built up that enabled Karl Purdie (NZL) and Jorgen Lindhardtsen (DEN) to surf into the lead at the leeward mark. Andre Blasse (AUS), the newly elected President of the OK Dinghy International Association, lying 7th at the leeward mark, sailed into third at the finish. Martin Zimmermann (GER), who needed three stitches in his index finger after a washing up accident on Sunday, was able to sail to his potential today, finishing 4th.
Race 6
1st Karl Purdie NZL
2nd Jorgen Lindhardtsen DEN
3rd Andre Blasse AUS
4th Martin Zimmermann GER
5th Bo-Staffan Andersson SWE
6th Nick Craig GBR
7th Soenke Behrens GER
8th Jan-Erik Engholm SWE
9th Ralf Tietje GER
10th Ulf Dagerbrant SWE
On completion of the sixth race, the discard could now take effect. Three of the top ten sailors are carrying an OCS, so the series is still wide open.
Overall positions
1st Karl Purdie NZL
2nd Thomas Hansson-Mild SWE
3rd Jorgen Lindhardtsen DEN
4th Andre Blasse AUS
5th Nick Craig GBR
6th Greg Wilcox NZL
7th Terry Curtis GBR
8th Antoni Pawlowski POL
9th Martin Zimmermann GER
10th Bo-Staffan Andersson SWE
OK Worlds
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