Luke O’Connell back in OK Dinghy World top 10 after double victory down under
by Robert Deaves 7 Mar 2018 01:22 AEDT
New Zealand Champion 2018 - Luke O'Connell (NZL 578) © Robert Deaves
The first release of the OK Dinghy World Ranking List in 2018 is much the same as the last one in 2017. Greg Wilcox, of New Zealand, still leads from Tomasz Gaj, of Poland and Henrik Kofoed, of Denmark.
While most of the top places stay the same, there are 18 new sailors on the list, which now includes 519 sailors from 13 countries. All four events counted for this list were in New Zealand and Australia, before the European circuit begins next month.
The first event was the Go for Gold Regatta at Black Rock Yacht Club, Melbourne, in November 2017. Michael Horvath won from Folkert Jansen and Brent Williams. The Australia Nationals, held at Southport Yacht Club, on the Gold Coast in January 2018 attracted an impressive 42 entries, with Rob McMillan sailing a recently imported Ovington hull, from the UK, to a dominant victory over Wilcox and the defending champion Mark Jackson.
A few weeks later the New Zealand National and Interdominion titles were held at Wakatere Boating Club in Auckland. Luke O'Connell won a shortened series from defending champion Dan Slater and Ben Morrison. The event was viewed as practice for next year's World Championship, which will be hosted by the club in February 2019.
The final event, at Turangi, was also won by O'Connell with straight wins from Alistair Deaves and Steve McDowell.
O'Connell's results means he is back in the top 10 again, while Jackson drops out, from 10th to 12th. The biggest climber though is McDowell, up 17 places to 15th.
The European circuit opens, as usual, with the Spring Cup in Medemblik at the end of April. The next release will be after Kieler Woche in June and just before the 2018 World Championship in Warnemünde, Germany, where pre-entry closed at 99 boats. A huge fleet is expected at what is one of the class's favourite venues.
OK Dinghy World Ranking List: (top twenty, download the full list here)
| Ranking | Helm | Nat | Sail No | Pts | Events |
|---|
| 1 | Greg Wilcox | NZL | 566 | 999.75 | 15 |
| 2 | Tomasz Gaj | POL | 1 | 898.69 | 10 |
| 3 | Henrik Kofoed Larsen | DEN | 1487 | 890.91 | 10 |
| 4 | Martin von Zimmermann | GER | 803 | 868.35 | 13 |
| 5 | Pawel Pawlaczyk | POL | 14 | 860.45 | 8 |
| 6 | Jim Hunt | GBR | 11 | 822.48 | 6 |
| 7 | Oliver Gronholz | GER | 783 | 813.78 | 8 |
| 8 | Ralf Tietje | GER | 78 | 781.71 | 11 |
| 9 | Andreas Pich | GER | 7 | 780.14 | 14 |
| 10 | Luke O'Connell | NZL | 578 | 7698 | 7 |
| 11 | Thomas Hansson‑Mild | SWE | 100 | 7652 | 11 |
| 12 | Mark Jackson | AUS | 768 | 749.1 | 8 |
| 13 | Ask Askholm | DEN | 22 | 745.84 | 10 |
| 14 | Bo Petersen | DEN | 1431 | 729.57 | 9 |
| 15 | Steve McDowell | NZL | 545 | 715.79 | 6 |
| 16 | Sonke Behrens | GER | 778 | 689.14 | 7 |
| 17 | Jonas Borjesson | SWE | 2830 | 685.63 | 10 |
| 18 | Andre Budzien | GER | 71 | 678.34 | 7 |
| 19 | Charlie Cumbley | GBR | 1 | 677.52 | 6 |
| 20 | Bo Reker Andersen | DEN | 1 | 667.7 | 12 |