OK Dinghy World Championship in Warnemünde

OK Dinghy World Championship in Warnemünde - Overall

by Robert Deaves 15 Jul 2018 04:00 AEST 10-14 July 2018

A tight finish was expected, but no one expected the final day of the OK Dinghy World Championship to be at tight as it turned out. After two thrilling and close races, Andre Budzien claimed his third OK Dinghy world title, with exactly the same scoreline as Fredrik Lööf, the tie being broken on the result of the final race. Jan Kurfeld took the bronze after a premature start in the final race cost him the title.

After a week of close competition, the world title came down to three sailors. The conditions on the final day in Warnemünde were perhaps the best yet with 14-18 knots of breeze with perfect waves. The only thing lacking was the sunshine, but that didn't really matter.

Jan Kurfeld make the first strike with an impressive win in Race 7 from Budzien and Thomas Hansson-Mild. Lööf was up there for a while but dropped to fourth at the finish. Going into the deciding race, there was one point separating the top three and it could not have been closer.

Kurfeld was again the pace maker, leading the fleet around the course. Lööf was challenging hard and at the final downwind was pushing Kurfeld tack for tack in an attempt to force a mistake and a chance to pass. This pushed them both to the right side of the final beat, and this allowed Budzien the chance to escape to the left and make up some ground.

Coming into the finish, it was really close and the three boats approached the finish line from different directions. In the end Kurfeld crossed just seconds ahead of Budzien with Lööf 10 seconds back in third. It was perhaps the closest finish to an OK Dinghy world championship ever.

However Kurfeld was world champion for less than 30 minutes until it emerged that he was a premature starter. This left him third overall while Budzien and Lööf had exactly the same scoreline. Countback of results failed to break the tie, so it was decided on the result of the final race. Lööf's decision to attack Kurfeld rather than defend against Budzien had cost him the title.

But what an incredible finish; it was a close, exciting finish by three outstanding sailors; a brilliant display of boat handling, tactics and intense competition.

Jan Kurfeld's costly start on day 5 at 2018 OK Dinghy World Championship, Warnemünde - photo © Robert Deaves

Budzien commented, "First I am really happy to have won this world championship for the third time now. It was a long and hard week and I never had so many strong competitors with me. It was really nice to race against Jan and Freddy and also the others in the top 15 are really strong."

"The conditions were nicer than we thought. We had one day without sailing, but the others were perfect and it was a really tight victory in the end."

"At the end we have two winners; or even three."

Speaking about he current success and growth of the class she said, "Last year Jan started to think about OK sailing and it makes good sense if you are out of the Olympic circus and have not much time, then the OK Dinghy class is the best singlehanded class to sail, which has a special performance."

"I think the class will grow in the future much more than we think at the moment."

As this exceptional world championship ends, thoughts are already on the next events. Many are planning to attend the European championship in Bandol, France, in September, while the next world championship will be in Auckland, New Zealand in just seven months time.

Is it time you found out what it means to be OK?

2018.okworlds.org

Dirk Gericke on day 5 at 2018 OK Dinghy World Championship, Warnemünde - photo © Robert Deaves

Overall Results:

First Lady: Elizabeth Williams
Master: Fredrik Loof
Veteran: Andre Budzien
Paul Elvstrøm Trophy: Andre Budzien

Pos	Sail No	Helm	Club	R1	R2	R3	R4	R5	R6	R7	R8	Pts
1	GER 71	Andrè BUDZIEN	SYC	1	2	1	2	‑4	3	2	1	12
2	SWE 69	Fredrik LOOF	ksss	1	3	2	1	1	2	‑4	2	12
3	GER 18	Jan KURFELD	YCW 61	2	1	1	2	3	3	1	‑72	13
4	GBR 6	Charlie CUMBLEY	Warsash SC	5	4	2	1	3	1	‑6	4	20
5	SWE 100	Thomas HANSSON‑MILD	SS Kaparen	3	2	‑8	4	2	4	3	3	21
6	DEN 1507	Bo PETERSEN	Hellerup Sejlklub	2	3	3	3	2	4	‑13	7	24
7	NOR 428	Lars Johan BRODTKORB	HORT	3	1	6	‑11	1	2	5	10	28
8	NZL 582	Greg WILCOX	BERND.eV	8	5	9	6	7	5	‑21	6	46
9	GER 803	Martin V ZIMMERMANN	SCOE	8	8	‑11	4	6	7	7	8	48
10	NZL 573	Luke GOWER	Datchet Water	4	‑17	5	9	7	10	10	5	50
11	POL 1	Tomasz GAJ	05‑090	5	9	4	6	8	‑11	11	9	52
12	SWE 797	Mats CAAP	Varbergs SS	7	7	5	7	8	9	12	‑24	55
13	GER 77	Sönke BEHRENS	SCOE	4	7	8	5	5	11	‑19	18	58
14	GBR 69	Terry CURTIS	Castle Cove SC	13	8	4	8	13	5	‑16	13	64
15	GBR 44	Chris TURNER	Lyme Regis SC	12	‑72	10	3	6	7	17	11	66
16	AUS 768	Mark JACKSON	Black Rock Yacht Club	6	6	6	‑36	10	6	25	15	74
17	GER 792	Lars HAVERLAND	SYC	11	4	9	25	12	13	8	‑72	82
18	DEN 10	Jens LAUGE	Hellerup Sejlklub	21	11	7	5	13	6	‑26	19	82
19	GBR 2183	Richard BURTON	West Oxfordshire SC	9	6	‑72	36	5	9	9	12	86
20	SWE 139	Hans BÖRJESSON	Varbergs SS	19	12	7	7	‑24	10	15	17	87
21	GER 2	Gunter ARNDT	FYC	9	10	12	18	9	12	22	‑27	92
22	GBR 17	David BOURNE	rya	14	13	16	10	10	18	14	‑32	95
23	POL 14	Pawel PAWLACZYK	JKW P	10	13	15	13	11	20	‑28	16	98
24	DEN 1510	Jan Hempel SPARSØ	Middelfart Sejlklub	18	17	18	19	14	8	‑43	20	114
25	GBR 13	Alex SCOLES	Overy Staithe	17	12	24	11	11	15	‑33	26	116
26	GER 3	Wolfgang HÖFENER	SVH	12	‑72	12	12	15	20	20	28	119
27	DEN 1487	Henrik KOFOED	Hellerup Sejlklub	24	16	24	15	12	8	‑42	21	120
28	GER 5	Ralf TIETJE	SVG	15	11	10	10	‑32	23	31	22	122
29	DEN 22	Ask ASKHOLM	Svendborg Sunds Sejlklub	15	9	22	14	20	17	29	‑42	126
30	SWE 2846	Jonas BÖRJESSON	KSSS	18	23	11	20	15	14	32	‑43	133
31	DEN 1477	Jørgen HOLM	Sejlklubben Ebeltoft Vig	19	14	26	14	16	13	‑49	33	135
32	AUS 719	Glenn WILLIAMS	Big River Sailing Club	23	15	14	42	9	14	23	‑46	140
33	DEN 12	Morten ANDERSEN	Middelfart Sejlklub	13	15	28	22	27	17	18	‑37	140
34	AUS 754	Brent WILLIAMS	Adelaide Sailing Club	7	27	‑32	19	23	18	27	25	146
35	GBR 28	Anthony OSMAN	Parkstone yacht club	‑41	30	14	12	16	12	34	29	147
36	GBR 11	Jim HUNT	South Staffs sailing Club	6	5	3	‑72	4	1	72	72	163
37	GER 823	Karsten KRAUS	WUW	26	21	19	24	22	15	36	‑50	163
38	GER 775	Jörg RADEMACHER	SCST	16	14	27	27	19	‑39	38	23	164
39	SWE 59	Lars EDWALL	LBS	11	20	13	9	‑72	72	30	14	169
40	POL 7	Marek BERNAT	KKSWO	25	38	16	8	21	27	37	‑52	172
41	GER 7	Andreas PICH	LYC	34	22	20	16	19	21	‑46	40	172
42	GBR 2179	Tony WOODS	Glossop S.C	25	18	17	13	‑72	26	35	39	173
43	GER 11	Rainer POSPIECH	VSW	20	24	18	26	20	24	47	‑72	179
44	GER 75	Dirk DAME	SVM	22	21	41	17	34	23	‑55	30	188
45	DEN 1431	Joe SCHUBERT	Horsens Sejlklub	31	10	33	31	17	16	51	‑72	189
46	GER 81	Jan‑Dietmar DELLAS	SLRV	10	19	‑45	40	18	42	24	36	189
47	AUS 741	Steve WILSON	Black Rock Yacht Club	32	35	15	29	14	30	41	‑72	196
48	DEN 1509	Peter WIBROE	Solrød Strans Sejl Klub	17	19	25	30	25	41	39	‑72	196
49	GBR 95	Duncan ELLIS	Overy Staithe SC	20	30	28	23	23	29	‑44	44	197
50	GBR 2176	Keith BYERS	Morecambe Sailing Club	22	23	13	45	25	33	‑52	38	199
51	NED 673	Stephan VELDMAN	WVA	31	26	21	17	31	21	‑62	55	202
52	GER 789	Ingo BALLERSTEIN	SCOE	14	16	37	27	43	31	‑53	35	203
53	GER 690	Carsten SASS	ZSK	33	20	25	26	22	34	‑48	47	207
54	DEN 1442	Peter HEIDE	Svendborg Sunds Sejlklub	‑72	18	37	28	26	25	40	34	208
55	DEN 1433	Henrik KIMMER PETERSEN	AAHBB	27	22	31	36	29	24	45	‑48	214
56	SWE 99	Hans ELKJAER	VaSS	16	26	23	43	35	29	‑58	45	217
57	GER 225	Jan DISSEL	SGSP	28	28	17	44	24	22	‑60	57	220
58	GER 715	Sven BEYE	SSC	23	25	19	44	30	33	50	‑51	224
59	GER 731	Thomas GLAS	SSC	26	27	23	31	32	28	61	‑72	228
60	DEN 1407	Malte PEDERSEN	Royal Danish yacht club	24	‑72	21	28	18	36	67	41	235
61	GER 12	Stefan RASSAU	DYC	27	31	42	16	38	19	65	‑72	238
62	AUS 77	Shane SMITH	SYC	35	38	30	21	33	28	54	‑72	239
63	SWE 2809	Tomas SKEPPMARK	KBS	28	30.8	27	29	37	30	‑59	58	239.8
64	GER 9	Andreas DEUBEL	HSC	29	40	30	21	26	35	‑63	59	240
65	GBR 2188	Ian HOPWOOD	Nantwich	21	‑72	33	42	17	32	72	31	248
66	NZL 565	Simon PROBERT	Wakatere Boating Club	32	36	39	41	27	26	‑64	49	250
67	POL 44	Przemyslaw DROZDZIK	PL	30	24	40	33	45	27	‑66	53	252
68	FRA 1820	Dejugnat JULIEN	16002	43	‑72	29	25	29	19	56	56	257
69	GER 111	Rainer HAACKS	FSD	36	35	20	30	33	34	‑72	72	260
70	GER 22	Dirk GERICKE	SGE	29	39	39	18	36	47	‑57	54	262
71	AUS 735	Daen DORAZIO	Black Rock Yacht Club	39	29	43	23	39	25	‑72	72	270
72	GER 21	Holger KRASMANN	YCH	37	34	31	47	21	‑72	2	1.5	173.5
73	GER 8	Ronald FOEST	DRS	‑53	28	34	35	46	38	3	3	187
74	GER 777	Jörg SYLVESTER	SSC	‑41	37	35	38	35	35	10	6	196
75	SWE 7	Bengt LARSSON	SSKA	‑72	72	58	20	34	16	1	1.5	202.5
76	GER 812	Michael MÖCKEL	ASVZR	38	‑72	41	32	40	42	6	5	204
77	AUS 692	Bob BUCHANAN	Huon Yacht Club	33	36	38	‑48	42	41	7	10	207
78	DEN 1508	Thomas Olufsen MEYER	Haderslev Sejl‑Club	36	42	26	34	37	32	13	‑72	220
79	GER 746	Julius RAITHEL	SVWS	‑52	37	36	37	39	38	18	16	221
80	AUS 740	Richard FURNEAUX	Black Rock YV	34	31	44	‑51	44	50	14	7	224
81	GER 757	Falk HAGEMANN	SWS	38	33	‑48	39	38	48	16	20	232
82	DEN 1482	Tim NORMANN	Herslev Strand Sejlklub	42	40	‑48	46	41	31	27	11	238
83	AUS 759	Elizabeth WILLIAMS	Southport Yacht Club	‑49	46	47	43	47	37	15	4	239
84	SWE 55	Ulf SAHLE	GeSS	46	‑72	40	38	41	40	21	13	239
85	GER 607	Gerd BREITBART	SCOE	47	‑51	46	33	43	43	11	21	244
86	GER 781	Stefan HAAGE	WYC	30	33	38	49	45	45	5	‑72	245
87	DEN 1419	Henri SKOU	Horsens Sejlklub	‑72	72	42	39	40	36	12	8	249
88	GER 695	Erik BORK	SSCRA	39	29	‑72	72	47	43	8	12	250
89	NED 669	Sybren HORNSTRA	KWVS	44	41	50	40	‑51	49	19	25	268
90	GBR 18	Deryck LOVEGROVE	Burghfield	42	42	55	‑56	48	54	17	14	272
91	GER 820	Heinz RIDDER	SVPB	48	47	34	53	‑54	53	25	17	277
92	DEN 1505	Peter PLESNER	Svendborg Sunds Sejlklub	45	49	52	‑53	46	48	24	15	279
93	DEN 1392	Poul VINCENTS	Herslev Strand Sejlklub	48	39	49	47	‑51	49	30	19	281
94	AUS 727	Donald WILLIAMS	Black Rock Yacht Club	40	41	53	54	42	46	‑72	9	285
95	AUS 767	Glenn YATES	South Lake Macquarie Amateur Sailing Club	44	48	52	46	52	‑54	22	22	286
96	GBR 8	Tom LONSDALE	West Oxford SC	46	45	22	32	30	39	‑72	72	286
97	GER 821	Jochen LOLLERT	YCH	54	32	44	45	36	‑72	4	72	287
98	POL 19	Grzegorz SALAMON	K2 Horn Krakow	43	34	36	34	28	40	‑72	72	287
99	GER 751	Knut RAMIN	CKA	52	44	47	50	49	‑53	29	18	289
100	GER 767	Juliane HOFMANN	BERND	‑72	72	29	37	48	37	9	72	304
101	AUS 706	Erik THOMPSON	Southport Yacht Club	55	50	45	55	‑57	51	28	23	307
102	NZL 569	Phil COVENY	Wakatere Boating Club	50	53	‑54	49	52	50	32	24	310
103	GBR 68	Rodney TIDD	Overy Staithe Sailing Club	51	52	49	48	44	46	23	‑72	313
104	GER 809	Axel FISCHER	RCTT	37	32	35	24	49	‑72	72	72	321
105	DEN 1484	Olof STENSTRÖM	Hellerup Sejlklub	51	‑72	51	52	53	45	26	72	350
106	GER 178	Axel PROPP	RSC	49	‑72	50	51	56	44	33	72	355
107	DEN 1424	Henrik HAMANN	Birkerød Sejlklub	‑72	72	43	22	31	44	72	72	356
108	GBR 2080	Paul PIKE	Covenham SC	56	‑72	57	57	55	72	34	26	357
109	GBR 63	Brian QUAYLE	MS&CC	54	‑72	54	55	53	52	31	72	371
110	DEN 1458	Søren SIGURDSSON	Herslev Strand Sejlklub	53	43	55	54	50	47	‑72	72	374
111	DEN 1463	Lars ANDRESEN	Herslev Strand Sejlklub	40	‑72	72	72	28	22	72	72	378
112	NED 667	Hessel HOEKSTRA	kwv Langweer	‑72	72	32	41	72	72	20	72	381
113	GER 784	Claus STOCKHARDT	SSCP	50	‑72	51	52	50	51	72	72	398
114	SWE 2791	Roine ERICSON	KSSS	45	‑72	56	58	55	52	72	72	410
115	GER 79	Frank STRELOW	SLS	35	25	‑72	72	72	72	72	72	420
116	DEN 1417	Ingo GRIEM	KBL	‑72	72	56	56	54	55	72	72	437
117	DEN 666	Peter ZEILER	Svendborg Sunds Sejlklub	‑72	72	46	35	72	72	72	72	441
118	GER 567	Jan BECKMANN	SVPB	‑72	72	53	50	72	72	72	72	463
119	GER 686	Jaroslaw SOLTYS	HSC	47	‑72	72	72	72	72	72	72	479
120	GER 539	Uli BORCHERS	SCST	55	‑72	72	72	72	72	72	72	487
121	DEN 142	Jørgen LINDHARDTSEN	Hellerup Sejlklub	‑72	72	72	72	72	72	72	72	504
121	DEN 1485	Johan BJØRLING	Hellerup Sejlklub	‑72	72	72	72	72	72	72	72	504
121	DEN 1499	Anders GERHARDT‑HANSEN	Svendborg Sunds Sejlklub	‑72	72	72	72	72	72	72	72	504
121	DEN 15	Stig FRANDSEN	KBL	‑72	72	72	72	72	72	72	72	504
121	DEN 2	Jens Christian JURLANDER	45	‑72	72	72	72	72	72	72	72	504
121	DEN 20	Jesper HOEJER	Hellerup Sejlklub	‑72	72	72	72	72	72	72	72	504
121	DEN 3	Jørgen SVENDSEN	Hellerup Sejlklub	‑72	72	72	72	72	72	72	72	504
121	DEN 77	Jesper STRANDBERG	Herslev Strand Sejlklub	‑72	72	72	72	72	72	72	72	504
121	GBR 59	Andy OSMAN	Parkstone Yacht Club	‑72	72	72	72	72	72	72	72	504
121	GER 10	Christian HEINZE	SCV	‑72	72	72	72	72	72	72	72	504
121	GER 13	Frederik ROENTGEN	SSC	‑72	72	72	72	72	72	72	72	504
121	GER 24	Karsten KATH	SCGMS	‑72	72	72	72	72	72	72	72	504
121	GER 36	Klaus ROCHOLL	LYC	‑72	72	72	72	72	72	72	72	504
121	GER 4	Lutz BOGUHN	FSC	‑72	72	72	72	72	72	72	72	504
121	GER 788	Jessica FINKE	SKM	‑72	72	72	72	72	72	72	72	504
121	NED 638	Sipke HOEKSTRA	wsvw	‑72	72	72	72	72	72	72	72	504
121	POL 4	Radek DROZDZIK	DRYF	‑72	72	72	72	72	72	72	72	504
121	SWE 15	Mats HOVDE	GKSS	‑72	72	72	72	72	72	72	72	504
121	SWE 2849	Sverker HÄRD	Upsala SS	‑72	72	72	72	72	72	72	72	504
121	SWE 60	Per WESTLUND	Norrköpings SS	‑72	72	72	72	72	72	72	72	504
121	SWE 80	Arne MALM	2018	‑72	72	72	72	72	72	72	72	504