Large Kiwi team for OK Worlds
by Richard Gladwell on 29 Jun 2005
Seven of the Kiwi team pack for the 2005 OK Worlds Richard Gladwell
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Ten Kiwi OK Dinghy sailors are headed for Europe to compete in the 2005 OK Worlds, which are being held at Skaelskor in south-western Zealand, Denmark, with most leaving next week to compete in the regatta to be staged from 23rd to 30th July.
The Worlds fleet is restricted to 80 entries and it is understood that all have been taken up.
The Kiwi team will be competing in the Danish Nationals as a build up to the regatta, which is being sailed about 20 miles away in the town of Bisserup, from July 15-17.
An ISAF international class, the OK Dinghy is having a resurgence worldwide, since carbon masts were allowed into the class two years ago. In New Zealand, the class is being actively promoted as a boat for young sailors coming out of Starlings or similar Junior and Youth classes – particularly those who don’t want the whole Olympic scene, but want to be involved in competitive yachting and gain international experience.
'Half the battle is just getting the class noticed by the younger sailors, so they consider the OK as an alternative. So far, the strategy seems to be working slowly. We managed to get 34 boats to our Nationals this year, which was encouraging,' says Worlds competitor Mark Perrow.
Kiwis competing in Denmark are: Greg Wilcox (2002 World Champion), Steve McDowell (NZ’s current national champion), Alistair Deaves, Mark Perrow, Trent Pryce, Grant Pedersen, Wayne Avery, Phil Rzepecky, Mike Wilde, and Darren Hunt.
New Zealand has a long and proud history in the OK Dinghy class having hosted several World Championships. Clive Roberts really set the Kiwi sailing scene alight with his win in the World OK Championships in 1973 in England – the first ever win by a Kiwi in a dinghy world championship outside the Olympics.
Source: www.kiwispy.com
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