Niklas Edler is the new OK Dinghy World No. 1
by Robert Deaves 30 Aug 2023 07:56 PDT
Niklas Edler, SWE - The new World No. 1 © Robert Deaves
Niklas Edler, from Sweden, is the new OK Dinghy World No 1, as the August 2023 World Ranking list is published. He takes the top spot from long time world No.1 Thomas Hansson-Mild, also from Sweden, who drops to second and Denmark's Bo Petersen, who climbs to third.
Edler has become the first new OK Dinghy World No 1 for four years. The last new No. 1 was when Sweden's Fredrik Lööf was briefly World No.1 in April 2019. Edler climbs 12 places and the top spot comes on the back of two years of consistent results, including being runner-up at two world championships and two Swedish championships.
As well as Edler there are two more new entries in the top 10. Former World No.1 Petersen climbs from 20th to third, and after an extensive European tour this summer, Australia's Brent Williams is the biggest climber, moving from 47th to tenth. The rest of the top 10 remains the same, just moving up or down a few places.
This list includes 14 events from April to August. France's Tim Petetin won the Med Cup in Bandol from Denmark's Malte Pedesen and Jesper Hoejer. Britain's Andy Davis won the Spring Cup in Medemblik from Hansson-Mild and Patric Mure, both from Sweden. Poland's Michal Strumnik won Kieler Woche from Denmark's Thomas Gabs and Germany's Sönke Behrens
At the various National Championships held so far, André Budzien took another German title, from Jan Kurfield and Petersen. Jens Eckardt won the Danish from Petersen and Henrik Kofoed. Strumnik won the Polish from Jaraslaw Radzki and Pawel Pawlaczyk. Petetin won the French from Patrick Debaere and Jean Michel Roux. Edler won the Swedish from Mikael Björndal and Hansson-Mild and Davis won his first British OK title from former champions Charlie Cumbley and Nick Craig. Finally, the Germans dominated the Dutch championship with Fabian Rossbacher winning from Andreas Pich and Daniel Groschl.
Also, of course the new release includes the 140 boat World Championship at Lyme Regis, won by Britain's Henry Wetherell from Edler and France's Valerian Lebrun.
The list include 640 sailors from 15 nations.
Two weeks of OK Dinghy sailing are just over the horizon. The fleet will soon gather at Circolo Vela Arco, on Lake Garda, for the European Championship, with 115 entries so far, closely followed by the Autumn Trophy at Bandol. So, there may be be more changes coming to the ranking list before the end of the year with all but three in the top ten attending the Europeans
The next list will be published at the end of November.
OK Dinghy World Rankings - August 2023
Download full list here