OK Nationals and Worlds at Largs starts on Tuesday
by Mike Edwards 17 Jul 2011 12:59 PDT
19-21 & 25-29 July 2011
OK sailors are beginning to arrive in Largs, Scotland for the International OK Dinghy National and World Championships. The spectacular view greeting competitor’s more than makes up for the long journey. This is the home of Largs Sailing Club and the Scottish Sailing Institute (SSI) and the facilities at this top class venue are really impressive. The team at the club along with David Kent of the SSI could not be more accommodating and friendly. It makes such a difference organising an event such as this when nothing is too much trouble.
Largs Yacht Haven on the same sight is home to a large marina, chandlers, sail maker, boat repairer, shop and smart restaurant/bar Scotts.
The Nationals start on Tuesday with a number of the foreign competitors arriving early to join the Brits in the warm up to next weeks World Championships where OK sailors from eleven countries will compete for the title.
Organising Authority:
Scottish Sailing Institute in conjunction with the Sports Scotland National Centre Inverclyde, Largs SC and North Ayrshire Council and the International OK Dinghy British Class Association and the OK Dinghy International Association
Sponsors
The main headline sponsor for the World Championships is “Scotty” Brand whose sponsorship will ensure that the event is a truly memorable one.
Other sponsors include Thomas Tunnock Biscuits Ltd and Sangs (macb water), who have generously provided product for competitors use. Competitors will be provided with beer when they come ashore courtesy of Woodlands Brewery and Houston brewery.
Racing area
On the Clyde estuary between the mainland and the Island of Bute.
Largs is the premier sailing venue in Scotland and one of the best in the UK. See scottishsailinginstitute.com
Since 1999, Largs has been the Royal Yachting Association’s chosen location as the Scottish ‘Centre of Excellence’. It is also a London 2012 official Olympic Training Camp.
The boat
The International OK Dinghy is a 4 meter single-handed racing dinghy, which has enjoyed strong international competition for more than 50 years.
The OK allows the skipper to have a mast and sail designed and built to their weight and sailing style; this gives almost anyone the opportunity, no matter their size, to be at the front of the fleet. This has led to very close racing over a wide wind range.
Most of the boats in the fleet will be all fibreglass, though wooden and composite boats are widely used. Boats are built worldwide and the class is lucky to have a number of quality professional boatbuilders at present.
The competition
The OK Dinghy is one of the world’s top amateur classes with a fascinating history going back to 1956. Today it is one of the most prestigious amateur dinghy sailing championships and still one of the hardest to win.
With places limited to around 70, competitors have to qualify in their own countries to be eligible to compete. The OK Dinghy is sailed in about 18 countries wordwide with the major fleets located in Germany, New Zealand, Australia, Sweden, Denmark and of course the UK. There are smaller fleets in the USA, Canada, India and Thailand.
Recent championships have been held in:
- 2010 Wellington, New Zealand
- 2009 Kalmar, Sweden
- 2008 Warnemunde, Germany
- 2007 Leba, Poland
- 2006 Belmont, Australia
- 2005 Skælskør, Denmark
- 2004 Parkstone, UK
- 2003 Goa, India
- 2002 Napier, New Zealand
The contenders
The OK Dinghy attracts a wide range of sailors from 15 years old up to 65 years old and everything in between. There are world-class sailors who have won multiple championships across many classes, racing alongside top club sailors and long term class enthusiasts.
It is also a very close-knit class with sailors forming friendships over many decades of competition together. It is often referred to as a family as the sailors become friends for life. There are many family links with brothers, fathers and sons taking part - even fathers and daughters competing against each other.
Past world champions include:
- Karl Purdie, NZL, 2008 and 2010
- Thomas Hansson-Mild, SWE, 2009
- Nick Craig, GBR, 2005, 2006 and 2007
- Jim Hunt, GBR 2004
- Nitin Mongia, IND, 2003
- Greg Wilcox, NZL, 2002
- Karsten Hitz, GER, 2000, 2001
Nick Craig, representing Great Britain, will start as one of the favourites and will be hoping to make this a record equalling fourth OK World title. He will face stiff competition from other past OK World Champions Greg Wilcox from New Zealand and Thomas Hansson-Mild from Sweden.
The class also has a history of producing sailors that go onto greater things such as the Olympics, America’s Cup and round the world races. A lot of the world’s top sailors sailed the OK Dinghy early in their career.
The history
“Starting life in 1956, the OK Dinghy design was created by two Danes, Knud Olsen and Axel Damgaard. One was a sailor seeking an exciting new concept in sailing and the other was an experienced designer and boatbuilder who knew how to put a concept onto paper. By their simple design, they have created a lasting family of sailors right across the world...”
Probably the most famous person to ever step into an OK Dinghy was His Majesty the King of Thailand, King Bhumibol. His first interest in the class started in 1966 with the building of the first four boats in Thailand”.
(‘Completely OK’, Edited by Robert Deaves)
The racing
Eleven countries will be competing over a series of 10 races to determine the world champion, normally two per day lasting up to 90 minutes each. The fleet will race in everything from 3 to 30 knots.
The National Championships the week before will be used as a warm up and training event for many as well as attracting many UK sailors who failed to make the team for the World Championships.
Social programme
There will be a large marquee with a wooden floor for measuring and social functions.
Sunday 24 July: The opening ceremony - the Provost (Mayor) along with full Scottish pipe band will open the championships with a ceremony that starts at the Pencil Monument near to Largs Marina. The monument commemorates the Battle of Largs in 1263 when the Scots defeated King Haco’s troops from Norway. A buffet and drinks reception will follow.
Monday 25 July: Mini Highland Games between competing countries, followed by Haggis, neeps & tatties and whisky tasting.
Wednesday 27 July: Barbeque for competitors, their families and officials. The main sponsor for the event, “Scotty” Brand, will be coming along with an oven and chef to produce baked “SCOTTY” brand potatoes for everyone, along with their tasty brand of strawberries for desert.
Friday 29 July: Prize giving dinner at the National Sports Centre, Inverclyde - the championships will be brought to a close with the prize giving ceremony with pipe band, followed by dinner and a traditional Scottish folk band.
There will be a parallel social programme for partners, families, and children with activities during the week. For example, an excursion to the Isles on the historic paddle steamer "Waveney", a visit to the Water Sports centre on Cumbrae Island; Rail excursion to Glasgow. We have use of the Sport Scotland minibus for daily excursions.