Roger Wood takes OK Dinghy NZ National title

by Matt Stechmann on 6 Jan 2013
It happened late, but like Rachael Hunter's shampoo it did happen - although he had sailed a fantastic contest up till now, the last day of the OK Dinghy Nationals arrived with the possibility of Russell Wood surrendering his hard fought lead.

As the boats headed to the start line, Woods must have been a little anxious as the breeze was well down and to compound his problems his three main rivals Ben Morrison, Paul Rhodes and Matt Stechmann all started the sixth race in great shape heading to the left hand side in clear air. The fleet split into two bunches and although the right looked good, for a while those who were patient to the left were finally rewarded. Tacking over, it was clear that the left hand boats would lead in. Woods at this stage was with the leaders but made a small mistake near the top and the group pounced. Ben Morrison sailed the top half of the beat perfectly, taking the last two shifts beautifully to lead round the top by 25 seconds.

Rhodes was second round followed by Rob Hengst, Jake Weekes, Nige Mannering and Matt Stechmann. At the wing mark, Morrison was still 30 seconds clear. Stechmann took the high road and passed all but Rhodes. Wood, back in the early teens, must have rolled his eyes in disbelief as his three rivals now filled the first three places. The second work was a repeat of the first with the boats all heading left. The breeze up a little now, Woods picked up a couple but still had to watch as his rivals took the top spots. The run was a drawn out affair as the breeze once again died. Turning for home, Morrison had a good margin on Rhodes.

Stechmann had closed in on Rhodes but now had Nige Mannering for company. Woods dropped a couple down the run and turned for home 12th. At the line, Morrison took a comfortable win from Rhodes, Mannering pipped Stechmann on the line for their third photo finish of the event. All eyes now turn to Woods. As the boats all converged on the line it was clear the title would go down to the last race as Woods crossed 10th.

Woods now carried eight points, Morrison 13, Rhodes 14 and Stechmann 17. Some quick calcs revealed all could still take the title. A perfect ending to any National Title loomed.

The final race got underway in a nice eight knot southeaster. A massive dark cloud dragged the breeze right a little but most felt the breeze would swing back once this passed. Off the line, the four main players were all together off clean at the leeward end. Within minutes it was obvious the left wasn't going to pay as a group of boats that started on the boat and tacked early and tacked back on more lifting breeze out to the right made a huge jump.

Steve McDowell won the race right there. At the top, McDowell was over a minute clear as a huge gaggle of boats rounded together with Chris Fenwich, Peter Schuearl and Luke O Connell at the sharp end of the bunch. Morrison and Woods rounded together 10th and 11th Stechmann 15th and Rhodes back in 22nd. Down the reaches the front three pulled away.

Wood wasn't letting Morrison out of his sights and there cosy little twosome was soon three as Stechmann sailed into their bunch. Up the next work, Woods worked Morrison to the left. Stechmann went on the attack and worked the right to good effect. At the top, McDowell still lead from Fenwich. Schuearl and O Connell, Stechmann had jumped to fifth with Nige Mannering sixth. Woods and Morrison still together had dropped into the early teens as there trek up the left had failed miserably. down the run O Connell showed the new Woody's had pace by dispatching of both Fenwich and Schuearl. on the final turn for home McDowell only need to cruise along in front - similarly, O Connell now with a good margin to Fenwich. the points situation at the bottom made interesting viewing. Rhodes having a shocker always had a fourth up his sleeve as a drop so, could do no worse than 18 total.

Wood needing a better result than 10th, found himself 12th on the turn for home. Morrison back in 13th could also see his second turning into a fourth as Stechmann had enough boats' gap to jump him for third. with the breeze now into the low teens, Woods was never going to be denied. he turned on the power up the last work and with a favourable left shift managed to jump from 12th to sixth on the line and secure his title. Mcdowell took a comfortable win in his new Leech OK followed by O Connell in the sistership, Nige Mannering slipped in for another third only seconds before Fenwich, Schuearl, Woods and Stechmann.

So Wood had his title on 14 points, well deserved! His defining moment of the contest being his third place in the tricky race 3 in conditions not suited to the big fella. Paul Rhodes took another National's second place and defending Champ Ben Morrison showed champion qualities to fight back from a first race OCS is be a contender at the death.

A very relaxed prize giving dinner took place at Shed 2. As well as the first three awards went to Jake Weekes for the junior champ, Rhodes for the over 50s and Marty Pike took out the over 60s on countback. Rob Hengst was a very popular winner of the personality award. An OK sailor through and through, Rob has played a huge part in the Napier fleet for years and along with Chris Fenwich put on a fabulous regatta. many of the ideas for this contest will be carried forward to future events, mainly afternoon races as all enjoyed the relaxed morning atmosphere and chance to enjoy the evenings a little more without having to rise too early!

Special thanks to the Napier sailing Club, Gerry Martin and his race team for getting the racing away in some tough conditions and to all the volunteers for making the regatta a success.

Next year's event will take place in Wellington and it is hoped our Anzac friends will make the trip for an Interdomion.

2013 National Championship

Napier Sailing Club

30 Dec - 4 Jan

2013 National Championship

#	Helm Name	Sail No	Club	R1	R2	R3	R4	R5	R6	R7	Total	Tot-1
1	Russell Wood	NZL 526	Wakatere BC	1	1	3	1	2	9	6	23	14
2	Paul Rhodes	NZL 517	Worser Bay BC	2	4	2	4	4	2	15	33	18
3	Ben Morrison	NZL 530	Wakatere BC	26 OCS	6	1	2	3	1	8	47	21
4	Matt Stechmann	NZL 524	Worser Bay BC	5	2	12	5	1	4	7	36	24
5	Steve McDowell	NZL 545	Worser Bay BC	3	5	7	11	5	6	1	38	27
6	Nigel Mannering	NZL 512	Napier SC	26 OCS	3	10	3	6	3	3	54	28
7	Joe Porebski	NZL 523	Worser Bay BC	7	8	4	10	8	14	31 DNF	82	51
8	Adrian Mannering	NZL 504	Napier SC	6	15	6	6	9	18	9	69	51
9	Peter Scheuerl	GER 618	Norddeutscher RV	4	27 DNC	11	13	7	13	4	79	52
10	Luke O'Connell	NZL 546	Worser Bay BC	10	24 DNF	14	7	15	12	2	84	60
11	Kagen Weeks	NZL 485	Horowhenua BC	26 OCS	14	5	8	12	5	21	91	65
12	Rob Hengst	NZL 533	Napier SC	8	27 DNC	19	9	13	8	10	94	67
13	Jake Weeks	NZL 51	Horowhenua BC	26 DNF	13	8	14	11	11	11	94	68
14	Chris Fenwick	NZL 509	Napier SC	11	16	18	20	18	7	5	95	75
15	Rod Davis	NZL 511	Wakatere	15	9	9	17	16	10	20	96	76
16	Marty Weeks	NZL 479	Napier SC	9	10	13	15	14	31 OCS	18	110	79
17	Adrian Coulthard	NZL 531	Napier SC	12	7	16	16	20	16	14	101	81
18	Miles Addy	NZL 482	Wakatere BC	13	12	20	19	17	20	17	118	98
19	Brett Graham	RSA 32	Wakatere BC	29 DNC	27 DNC	15	12	10	21	19	133	104
20	Chris Devine	NZL 454	Napier SC	16	11	24	18	19	23	22	133	109
21	Martin Pike	NZL 536	Napier SC	17	18	22	23	21	26	13	140	114
22	Evett Nyzink	NZL 515	Napier SC	18	17	17	22	31 DNF	17	23	145	114
23	John Shirley	NZL 539	Napier SC	14	21	21	31 DNF	31 DNS	19	12	149	118
24	Julian Bishop	NZL 516	Worser Bay BC	21	20	23	25	22	24	25	160	135
25	Sefton Powrie	NZL 90	RNZYS	20	22	26	24	24	25	24	165	139
26	Mike O'Dwyer	NZL 518	Napier SC	29 DNC	27 DNC	25	31 DNS	31 DNS	15	16	174	143
27	John Hoogerbrug	NZL 493	Napier SC	19	19	27	21	31 DNS	31 DNS	31 DNS	179	148
28	Nigel Comber	NZL 510	Wakatere BC	29 DNC	27 DNC	28	26	23	22	26	181	152
29	Matt Perry	NZL 458	Worser Bay BC	29 DNC	27 DNC	29	27	31 DNS	27	28	198	167
30	Bruce Ellingham	NZL 466	Napier SC	29 DNC	27 DNC	30	31 DNS	31 DNS	28	27	203	172

30 competitors, report to follow