OK Dinghy Worlds - Drama filled day 3

by Robert Deaves on 2 Jan 2015 At the OK Dinghy World Championship it was a drama filled day at Black Rock YC on the third day of the Championship in Melbourne, Australia. Luke O'Connell (NZL) won the only race of the day to take the overall lead from Matt Coutts (NZL) and Matt Stechmann (NZL).

On arrival at the club this morning after the New Year lay day, the sailors were greeted by a glass like sea and rising temperatures, and generally had tales of a day doing nothing much the day before. During the morning the fitful wind fought between the land and the sea and after a short postponement the fleet was sent out in a building northerly which surprisingly was gusting to 23 knots from the north-west. However by race time this was down to 8-12 knots and dropped consistently throughout the race to two-four knots by the finish.

The first beat was dominated by the building pressure on the left. A few were tempted over to the right closer to the land, but the pressure line brought the left side up to the mark in the lead. Christian Olesen (DEN) was first round followed by Jørgen Svendsen (DEN) and Luke O'Connell (NZL).

Olesen maintained the lead down the reaches but Svendsen made his move on the second upwind to lead round the final loop. By this time O'Connell was up to second and half way up the final upwind, the wind almost disappeared and clocked left 30-40 degrees. Svendsen had placed a very loose cover over the Kiwi and had almost let him out in front. It got quite close at the finish, with Svendsen slapping the final cover on O'Connell to take the winner's gun. Olesen crossed in third.

Svendsen said, 'It was a fantastic race. I didn't get the best start, but there was a lot of wind on the left side so even though I was behind Greg Wilcox and had his bad air, I just kept going and after a while he tacked and I kept going until almost the layline before tacking. That was almost the whole race done.'

'I took the lead on the second upwind and we were very close on the downwind but luckily I managed to round the gate just ahead and we went to the left again. I was a little bit too gentle with Luke so we got very close at the end. When we tacked I let him go first and I was getting a little worried, but then we tacked for the line I was able to stay ahead.'

'It was very tricky. I just tried to stay close to the others but it seemed the more you got to the left, the better it got all the time.'

On his performance this week, he said: 'You can see if it's a heavy breeze because I am too skinny, and my results often depend on the weather conditions. In Denmark we would have sailed three races in these conditions, and actually when it's very windy we just stay in the harbour, but also because we have a lot of veterans in the class, so normally we don't race when it's too windy.'

The fleet then waited afloat in hardly any wind for an hour in stifling temperatures before being sent ashore to wait in the relative cool of the club. The temperature ashore was 37 degrees. Just after 17.00, the signal went up to cancel racing for the day with the chance of any wind looking less and less likely.

However, the drama was not quite over. Once back ashore, Svendsen was protested by the Race Committee for a technical irregularity and was subsequently disqualified from the race. This left O'Connell as the race winner from Olesen and Mark Skelton (AUS).

So, three days in to the championship and only three races have been sailed. Five are needed to make a championship and with two days left, the PRO, Mark Taylor is not panicking just yet. There is wind forecast for Saturday, perhaps too much, and discussions are ongoing over the best way to use what wind there is, so there could be a change to the schedule at some point. The overnight forecast into Saturday says another heavy front is coming through with winds up to 50 knots. The hope is that this will moderate enough during the morning to enable racing to take place.

O'Connell summed up his regatta so far, 'It has gone well so far, and I have been lucky to be so consistent. A few of the other boys have a big score on the card, but when the drop comes in I may well drop down a bit. But it's good to be in contention after what has already been quite a tricky regatta so far.'

'The PRO is going to have a bit on now but I think we should get the series in no problem. Tomorrow is meant to be fresh again, so might be a problem, but I think it will be OK. It will be a shame to come all this way for everyone and not get a result.'

On his goals for the week, 'My goal was definitely top 10, but if things went my way then I thought I'd have a shot at the top. But most of all I am desperate to get a tie. I've never had a tie before, so really want of those, but to take it out would be great as well. There's no pressure yet – it's still a bit early. If I can keep cruising along, I'll be quite happy.'

The top 10 all get awarded an OKDIA Championship tie and these have become the mark of a top OK Dinghy sailor. They are coveted by OK Dinghy sailors worldwide, but they can only be obtained with a top 10 result at the world championship.

On the race today he said, 'Today, I finally had a good start. It made things so much easier. When you don't have to fight your way back through the fleet you realise how easy sailing can be. If you get a shift you can take it and don't have to wait for everyone else to take it and then find a lane.'

'The weather so far has been all over the place. I think it is not quite what everyone was expecting.'

With two days to go the points at the top are very close with just four points separating the top five boats, though with a potential four races to go, the series is not even half way through, in theory.

Two more races are scheduled from 13.00 on Saturday.

Results after three races
1 NZL546 Luke O'Oonnell 15
2 NZL519 Matt Coutts 16
3 NZL549 Matt Stechmann 17
4 AUS749 Roger Blasse 19
5 NZL544 Greg Wilcox 22
6 AUS753 Mark Skelton 29
7 DEN1340 Christian Olesen 33
8 AUS735 Mark Jackson 33
9 AUS730 Michael Williams 35
10 AUS765 Anthony Nossiter 40

Overall Results - 2014 OK Dinghy World Championships

Pl	Name	Sail Num	Country	Club	1	2	3	Total Points	Net Points
1	O'CONNELL, Luke	NZL546	NZL	Worser Bay BC	8	6	1	15	15
2	COUTTS, Matt	NZL519	NZL	Auckland SC	4	7	5	16	16
3	STECHMANN, Matt	NZL549	NZL	Naval Point Club	1	5	11	17	17	Veterans
4	BLASSE, Roger	AUS749	AUS	BRYC	11	2	6	19	19	Veterans
5	WILCOX, Greg	NZL544	NZL	Potsdamer Seglerverien	3	12	7	22	22	Veterans
6	SKELTON, Mark	AUS753	AUS		7	19	3	29	29	Veterans
7	OLESEN, Christian	DEN1340	DEN	VSK	14	17	2	33	33
8	JACKSON, Mark	AUS735	AUS	BRYC	9	16	8	33	33	Veterans
9	WILLIAMS, Michael	AUS730	AUS	BRYC	6	8	21	35	35	Veterans
10	NOSSITER, Anthony	AUS765	AUS	MHYC	22	1	17	40	40	Veterans
11	MCMILLAN, Robert	AUS766	AUS	WSC/RPAYC	20	4	20	44	44	Veterans
12	COLLINGS, Glenn	AUS535	AUS	Safety Beach SC	5	10	30	45	45	Veterans
13	DOUGLAS, Bradley	NZL369	NZL	Wakatere BC	12	20	22	54	54
14	BLASSE, Andre	AUS729	AUS	BRYC	17	18	19	54	54	Veterans
15	PERROW, Mark	NZL551	NZL	Waiuku YC	15	11	34	60	60
16	CLOUGH, Jonathan	NZL498	NZL	Wakatere BC	21	38	4	63	63
17	MILNE, Peter	AUS694	AUS	BRYC	13	13	38	64	64	Veterans
18	HOOGENBOOM, David	NZL303	NZL	Waiuku Yacht Club	26	34	9	69	69	Masters
19	WILLIAMS, Brent	AUS754	AUS	ASC	24	26	24	74	74	Veterans
20	DEAVES, Alistair	NZL542	NZL	Wakatere BC	29	37	10	76	76	Veterans
21	BOURNE, Dave	GBR2157	GBR	Upriver YC	34	27	15	76	76	Veterans
22	MCDOWELL, Steve	NZL545	NZL	Worser Bay BC	28	31	25	84	84
23	MORRISON, Ben	NZL530	NZL	Wakatere BC	27	3	56	86	86
24	O'DONNELL, Edward	AUS734	AUS	Wangi ASC	32	15	40	87	87	Veterans
25	DAVIES, Tim	AUS739	AUS	Wangi ASC	10	24	54	88	88	Veterans
26	DEAVES, Robert	GBR2156	GBR	Waldringfield SC	41	33	14	88	88	Veterans
27	RHODES, Paul	NZL557	NZL	Worser Bay BC	23	23	43	89	89	Veterans
28	HORNE, Peter	AUS764	AUS	Drummoyne SC	25	29	37	91	91	Veterans
29	SVENDSEN, Jorgen	DEN1445	DEN	Hellerup Sejlklub	2	14	78 DSQ	94	94	Veterans
30	BUSH, Daniel	NZL478	NZL	Wakatere BC	50	9	35	94	94
31	KETTERIDGE, David	AUS725	AUS	Adelaide SC	33	46	18	97	97	Masters
32	WELLS, Gareth	AUS742	AUS	Wangi ASC	18	28	59	105	105	Veterans
33	PEDERSEN, Malte	DEN1407	DEN	Royal Danish YC	57	40	12	109	109	Masters
34	FENWICK, Chris	NZL509	NZL	Napier SC	30	54	28	112	112
35	ASHTON, Bruce	AUS728	AUS	BRYC	19	78 DNF	16	113	113	Masters
36	ROBINSON, Peter	AUS750	AUS	Drummoyne SC	42	41	31	114	114	Veterans
37	COULTHARD, Adrian	NZL531	NZL	Napier Sailing Club	31	55	29	115	115	Veterans
38	BAKER, Andrew	AUS761	AUS	BRYC	44	49	23	116	116	Veterans
39	MANNERING, Adrian	NZL504	NZL	Napier SC	36	35	49	120	120	Veterans
40	POSPIECH, Rainer	GER765	GER	Yachtclub Berlin-Grunau	35	44	41	120	120	Masters
41	WILLIAMS, Glenn	AUS719	AUS	Big River SC	47	22	52	121	121	Veterans
42	JANSSEN, Folkert	AUS733	AUS	BRYC	65	25	32	122	122	Veterans
43	DAME, Dirk	GER750	GER	Segler-Vereinigung Mannheim	37	58	33	128	128	Veterans
44	HENGST, Rob	NZL533	NZL	Napier SC	48	39	47	134	134	Veterans
45	FOEST, Ronald	GER688	GER	DRS	55	68	13	136	136	Veterans
46	RONE, Eric	USA536	USA	Wakatere BC	16	42	78 OCS	136	136
47	LOKUM, Gary	AUS741	AUS	BRYC	60	32	46	138	138	Veterans
48	WALDRON, Gavin	GBR756	GBR	Morecambe SC	43	53	44	140	140	Veterans
49	TROLAND, Nils	DEN1391	DEN	HSS	52	45	45	142	142	Veterans
50	WILLIAMS, Elizabeth	AUS759	AUS	Sandgate YC /BRYC	40	78 DNF	26	144	144	Women Veterans
51	HORVATH, Michael	AUS744	AUS	BRYC	62	21	63	146	146	Veterans
52	GERICKE, Dirk	GER735	GER	SG Einheit Brandenburg e.V.	61	59	27	147	147	Veterans
53	HAINES, Samuel	AUS708	AUS	BRYC	59	43	48	150	150
54	HALL, Chris	AUS757	AUS	Ballarat YC	46	48	57	151	151
55	SYLVESTER, Jorg	GER726	GER	Segeberger Segel-Club	39	63	50	152	152	Veterans
56	PIKE, Martin	NZL554	NZL	Napier SC	63	50	42	155	155	Masters
57	WILSON, Mitchell	AUS695	AUS	Wangi ASC	53	64	39	156	156	Youth
58	VISICK, Christopher	AUS758	AUS	BRYC	45	47	64	156	156	Veterans
59	WAKEFIELD, Grant	AUS736	AUS	DSC	38	61	58	157	157	Veterans
60	POWRIE, Sefton	NZL547	NZL	Wakatere BC	49	56	55	160	160	Masters
61	LYNCH, Peter	AUS726	AUS	Wangi ASC	56	30	78 DNF	164	164	Veterans
62	DEVINE, Chris	NZL548	NZL	Napier SC	67	36	62	165	165	Veterans
63	BROCKHUUS, Mads	DEN1419	DEN	Skaelskor Amator Sejlklub	58	60	53	171	171	Veterans
64	YATES, Glenn	AUS767	AUS	Wangi ASC	64	62	51	177	177	Masters
65	FERGUSSON, Ron	AUS618	AUS	Albert SC	51	66	66	183	183	Veterans
66	SMITH, Tim	AUS740	AUS	BRYC	70	52	61	183	183
67	MOORE, Stephen	AUS755	AUS	BRYC	69	51	65	185	185	Masters
68	PARKINSON, Ashley	GBR711	GBR	London Corinthian SC	74	78 DNF	36	188	188	Veterans
69	FURNEAUX, Richard	AUS737	AUS	BRYC	66	57	67	190	190	Masters
70	THOMPSON, Erik	AUS706	AUS	Sandgate YC / BRYC	72	67	60	199	199	Masters
71	ROBERTS, Mark	AUS762	AUS	ASC	54	78 DNF	78 OCS	210	210	Veterans
72	CROMIE, Luke	AUS672	AUS	BRYC	73	65	73	211	211	Veterans
73	FLAVELL, Mike	AUS543	AUS	BRYC	75	70	70	215	215	Masters
74	WALKER, Michael	AUS655	AUS	Drummoyne SC	71	78 DNF	68	217	217	Masters
75	WILLIAMSON, Neil	USA678	USA		68	78 DNF	71	217	217	Veterans
76	HENDERSON, John	AUS715	AUS	BRYC	76	69	72	217	217
77	USTOVYTSKI, Slava	AUS760	AUS	BRYC	77	78 DNC	69	224	224

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