Wednesday 15 July 2009

Kiwi OK Sailor wins Gold at Kiel Week, Germany

by OK dinghy media

Kiwi Greg Wilcox has won the Gold medal and takes out the International Classes section of Kieler Woche, sailing in the OK Class. Greg joins an elite group of talented Kiwi sailors who have achieved this feat including Dan Salter and Rick Dodson.

Conditions suited Wilcox in the second week of Kiel, with a mix bag with one windy day, similar to Greg's home Wellington, where he learned his experince in the rougher water.

As in most big regatta there was a bit of controversy, where in one race most of the fleet sailed the wrong way around a replacement mark. Greg being well versed with the rules soon put the matter right in the appropriate method.

The OK Class is the most successful International class in New Zealand with 10 World Champions and the current World Champion being Wellington's Karl Purdie.

New Zealand hope to build on this success when they host the 2010 OK World Championships sailed out of RPNYC in Wellington, February 4 to 12th.

Wellington City Council has generously partnered the OK Class in bidding for the Worlds and hosting the regatta in the most beautiful natural harbour, right next to Te Papa and Chaffers Marina.

Note from SailRaceWin: Greg Wilcox (Port Nicholson Sails) is a regular competitor at Kieler Woche, and also won the OK Worlds at Napier a few years ago.

New Zealand OK Dinghy Association

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