Karl Purdie of New Zealand wins OK Worlds

'Karl Purdie 2008 OK World Champion' Norbert Pertrausch

On the final day of the Bombardier OK Dinghy World Championship in Warnem?nde, Germany, only one race was possible because of violent storms crossing the course area. Though regatta leader Karl Purdie (NZL) performed badly under pressure, placing 16th, it was enough to take the title by just four points.

Race nine started with the usual general recall and then under black flag. Race winner Thomas Hansson-Mild of Sweden takes up the story. 'Before the start I noticed a pressure line coming down the course with a right shift in the wind. So I went to the committee boat end and started there are headed out to the right, working the shifts on that side.'

It paid off and he rounded the top mark just behind Alistair Deaves (NZL) and Jonathan Fish (GBR). However true to form, Fish crash tacked to avoid Marek Jarocki (POL) and fell out the back of his boat.

Hansson-Mild continued, 'It was a tight race from there on with Nick Craig (GBR), Karsten Hitz (GER) and Andre Blasse (AUS) fighting for the lead. Karsten led round one side of the downwind gate, and I went to the other mark and took the lead. The finish was very tight. We all crossed very close. It was very exciting. It feels really good to win the race. My goal here was a top ten and I have achieved that, but it's a shame not to have been able to sail the final race as I would have had a chance of a medal then.'

With Craig fourth and Purdie 16th in race nine, the potential was there for a final race showdown, with any of five boats still in with a chance of taking the title.

However it was not to be, Soon after race nine finished, the skies started to darken and the wind increased. With reports coming through of Force 8 winds further up the coast, the race officer decided to abandon racing for the day and the send the fleet home. By the time the storm had passed so had the time limit for starting a race.

This left Karl Purdie as the 2008 OK Dinghy World Champion, with the three times and defending champion Nick Craig in second, and Andre Blasse picking up his first ever medal at a world championship.

For Purdie, winning the title is a dream come true. This year was his third attempt. In 2006 in Belmont, Australia he finished fifth. In Leba, Poland last year he finished third, so having specifically requested sail number NZL 531 for his new Icebreaker boat, it is very fitting that he should finish first this year.

Craig says he will be back next year to try again. He was realistic about his chances today, but clearly would have liked to sail the last race, having reduced the points gap on Purdie to within striking range.

OK Worlds - Final overall positions

1 NZL 531 Karl Purdie 66 WBBC 1,0 1,0 2,0 2,0 3,0 2,0 (16,0) 7,0 16,0 34,0 140,00pts
2 GBR 2116 Nick Craig 74 7,0 3,0 3,0 1,0 11,0 8,0 1,0 (22,0)z 4,0 38,0 138,43
3 AUS 729 Andre Blasse 64 BRYC 2,0 9,0 4,0 3,0 2,0 (46,0) 7,0 11,0 2,0 40,0 136,85
4 GER 744 Karsten Hitz 61 9,0 2,0 5,0 5,0 6,0 7,0 (12,0) 5,0 3,0 42,0 135,28
5 SWE 100 Thomas Hansson-Mild 71 UMSS 8,0 6,0 9,0 7,0 (13,5) 3,0 9,0 2,0 1,0 45,0 133,71
6 NZL 527 Mark Perrow 78 WBC 5,0 5,0 6,0 8,0 20,0 5,0 10,0 (23,0) 5,0 64,0 132,13
7 DEN 1364 J?rgen Lindhardtsen 45 3,0 11,0 8,0 17,0 5,0 11,0 15,0 (47,0)z 6,0 76,0 130,56
8 GBR 2118 Terry Curtis 67 17,0 8,0 (19,0) 14,0 19,0 13,0 3,0 8,0 8,0 90,0 128,99
9 DEN 1340 Christian Olesen 82 KSC 14,0 7,0 12,0 25,0 16,0 4,0 8,0 (30,0)z 19,0 105,0 127,42
10 NZL 522 Greg Wilcox 60 BSC HA005 6,0 12,0 (27,0) 20,0 10,0 10,0 4,0 19,0 z 26,0 107,0 125,84
11 NZL 517 Matthew Steven 89 4,0 20,0 11,0 6,0 13,5 1,0 32,0 z (39,0)s 24,0 111,5 124,27
12 POL 14 Pawel Pawlaczyk 64 JKWP POL 16,0 4,0 11,0 w 13,0 43,0 15,0 2,0 (46,0)s 18,0 122,0 122,70
13 NZL 525 Steve McDowell 81 WBBC 13,0 18,5 1,0 4,0 18,0 25,0 23,0 z 24,0 z (31,0) 126,5 121,12
14 GER 693 Martin von Zimmermann 67 (33,0) 21,0 17,0 10,0 17,0 9,0 25,0 16,0 13,0 128,0 119,55
15 GER 672 Gunter Arndt 67 FYC SH003 12,0 14,0 21,0 9,0 15,0 18,0 21,0 18,0 (49,0) 128,0 117,98
16 NZL 511 Luke O`Connell 86 21,0 17,0 20,0 22,0 4,0 30,0 20,0 9,0 (32,0) 143,0 116,40
17 NZL 532 Alistair Deaves 67 WBC 22,0 13,0 24,0 38,0 1,0 6,0 (47,0)s 33,0 z 7,0 144,0 114,83
18 GER 718 Peter Scheuerl 67 23,0 28,0 22,0 15,0 7,0 (32,0) 19,0 25,0 12,0 151,0 113,26
19 GBR 2119 Robert Deaves 67 38,0 10,0 23,0 16,0 (53,5) 23,0 13,0 22,0 11,0 156,0 111,69
20 GER 717 Oliver Gronholz 77 SSC SH055 18,0 35,0 14,0 12,0 22,5 14,0 18,0 27,0 (38,0) 160,5 110,11
21 GER 731 Thomas Glas 73 SSC SH055 30,0 32,5 16,0 29,0 33,5 20,0 (44,0)z 17,0 9,5 187,5 108,54
22 SWE 99 Hans Elkjaer 59 39,0 (44,0) 25,0 18,0 9,0 21,5 29,5 34,0 17,0 193,0 106,97
23 DEN 1304 Christian Midtgaard 67 19,0 27,0 7,0 21,0 46,0 16,0 22,0 45,0 (48,0) 203,0 105,39
24 GBR 2122 Jonathan Fish 81 26,0 32,5 15,0 26,0 (58,0) 17,0 17,0 24,0 46,0 203,5 103,82
25 DEN 1346 Anders Andersen 65 25,0 34,0 28,0 19,0 40,5 12,0 35,0 13,0 (42,0) 206,5 102,25
26 DEN 1371 J?rgen Holm 53 KBL DEN 28,0 25,0 (49,0) 47,0 21,0 24,0 27,0 14,0 25,0 211,0 100,67
27 POL 16 Marek Jarocki 70 15,0 22,0 26,0 11,0 31,0 (DSQ) 6,0 BFD 9,5 211,5 99,10
28 AUS 733 David Clancy 78 BRYC 24,0 18,5 13,0 23,0 39,0 33,0 49,0 (52,0) 27,0 226,5 97,53
29 NZL 502 Trent Pryce 76 11,0 31,0 (DNF) 27,0 26,0 59,0 24,0 21,0 29,0 228,0 95,96
30 SWE 66 Jan-Eric Nystedt 53 29,0 (40,0) 36,0 31,0 32,0 35,0 23,0 31,0 21,0 238,0 94,38
31 GER 750 Ralf Tietje 60 SVG N045 20,0 47,0 39,0 28,0 30,0 36,0 28,0 (67,0)z 15,0 243,0 92,81
32 GBR 2117 Alex Scoles 81 OSSC GBR 44,0 58,0 10,0 33,0 8,0 (78,0) 46,0 35,0 14,0 248,0 91,24
33 GBR 2126 Mike Edwards 68 37,0 (46,0) 33,0 36,0 36,0 29,0 29,5 30,0 28,0 258,5 89,66
34 SWE 2763 Jan-Eric Engholm 65 40,0 36,0 29,0 (51,0) 25,0 45,0 36,0 20,0 35,0 266,0 88,09
35 DEN 1361 Rene Johansen 73 (64,0) 15,0 47,0 34,0 12,0 26,0 33,0 48,0 53,0 268,0 86,52
36 GER 747 Andreas Pich 66 49,0 38,0 52,5 (DNC) 37,0 27,0 34,0 19,0 23,0 279,5 84,94
37 GBR 2120 Daniel Ager 71 67,0 45,0 18,0 24,0 (71,0) 40,0 37,0 33,0 20,0 284,0 83,37
38 AUS 735 Robert Davis 72 35,0 37,0 37,0 44,0 27,0 43,0 31,0 (51,0) 45,0 299,0 81,80
39 DEN 1324 Bo Teglers 75 HS DEN 32,0 29,0 31,0 32,0 29,0 44,0 (OCS) 81,0 22,0 300,0 80,22
40 GBR 2127 Keith Dutton 59 45,0 26,0 35,0 35,0 (74,0) 62,0 48,0 37,0 34,0 322,0 78,65
41 GBR 2085 Gavin Waldron 64 52,0 24,0 42,0 37,0 50,0 48,0 40,5 (76,0)z 39,0 332,5 77,08
42 GBR 2105 Ian Harris 64 27,0 59,5 34,0 46,0 42,0 34,0 53,0 (84,0)z 41,0 336,5 75,51
43 NZL 518 Grant Pedersen 79 WBC 56,0 41,0 32,0 40,5 44,0 57,0 38,0 32,0 (57,5) 340,5 73,93
44 GER 670 Hinnerk Ries 73 41,0 48,0 52,5 39,0 52,0 56,0 32,0 (62,0) 30,0 350,5 72,36
45 GER 665 Peter Stephan 66 (69,0) 42,0 44,0 30,0 28,0 52,5 64,0 60,0 37,0 357,5 70,79
46 POL 5 Darek Kras 67 MOS-2 42,0 50,0 48,0 43,0 59,0 31,0 58,0 (65,0)z 40,0 371,0 69,21
47 GER 539 Carsten Sa? 69 54,0 56,0 40,0 48,0 35,0 (69,0) 56,0 42,0 54,0 385,0 67,64
48 AUS 726 Bur Buchanan 48 WASC 48,0 59,5 43,0 (DNF) 47,5 47,0 68,0 z 40,0 43,0 396,0 66,07
49 GER 745 Rainer Pospiech 53 YCBG B120 (65,0) 39,0 59,0 54,0 51,0 39,0 54,0 55,0 62,0 413,0 64,49
50 GBR 2084 Keith Byers 56 51,0 23,0 (DNC) DNC 56,0 49,0 63,0 50,0 36,0 419,0 62,92
51 AUS 724 Glenn Yates 57 WASC 61,0 51,0 56,0 42,0 33,5 68,0 43,0 (70,0) 69,0 423,5 61,35
52 AUS 695 David O`Connell 90 WASC 63,0 71,0 54,0 50,0 22,5 61,0 57,0 (77,0)z 47,0 425,5 59,78
53 DEN 1330 Lykke Troels 43,0 (DNC) 30,0 56,0 38,0 38,0 OCS 44,0 RAF 431,0 58,20
54 GER 645 Arne Lindemann 76 71,0 52,0 55,0 (DNC) 53,5 60,0 55,0 41,0 50,0 437,5 56,63
55 POL 19 Rakocy Bartosz 90 ZLKS 74,0 63,0 51,0 (DNF) 47,5 54,0 51,0 46,0 z 51,0 437,5 55,06
56 SWE 11 Bemgt Str?mberg 54 46,0 30,0 (DNC) DNC 60,0 21,5 39,0 79,0 73,0 439,5 53,48
57 AUS 725 David Ketteridge 56 ASC 55,0 66,0 38,0 (DNC) 65,0 65,0 45,0 46,0 60,0 440,0 51,91
58 GBR 2125 Neild Goodhead 69 50,0 53,0 57,0 (DNC) 69,0 41,0 44,0 74,0 z 52,0 440,0 50,34
59 GER 694 Gunnar Specht 77 PSCW BG002 (DNC) 70,0 46,0 DNC 24,0 51,0 47,0 54,0 z 59,0 442,0 48,76
60 DEN 1368 Christian Hedlund 66 34,0 64,0 41,0 40,5 72,0 19,0 (DNC) DNC DNC 452,5 47,19
61 GER 695 Erik Bork 70 SSCRA BG067 73,0 (DNC) 62,0 52,0 40,5 73,0 61,0 43,0 72,0 476,5 45,62
62 GER 735 Dirk Gericke 64 SGE BG039 68,0 55,0 45,0 45,0 55,0 70,5 71,0 72,0 (75,0) 481,5 44,04
63 GER 730 J?rg Rademacher 67 SCST NW181 47,0 43,0 (DNC) DNC 61,0 67,0 DNF 26,0 61,0 487,0 42,47
64 GBR 2128 Edward Dutton 92 70,0 62,0 61,0 49,0 68,0 63,0 42,0 (83,0) 78,0 493,0 40,90
65 AUS 641 Darren Hunt 83 WASC 58,5 61,0 64,0 55,0 (79,0) 58,0 52,0 76,0 76,0 500,5 39,33
66 POL 18 Jersy Bojanowski 63 MOS-2 (80,0) 74,0 63,0 59,0 62,0 55,0 68,0 54,0 66,5 501,5 37,75
67 POL 333 Jakub Kania 75 ZLKS 58,5 49,0 65,0 (DNC) 82,0 42,0 OCS 83,0 z 33,0 503,5 36,18
68 GER 671 Andreas Deubel 78 HSC HA004 53,0 68,0 60,0 (DNF) 86,0 50,0 62,0 69,0 66,5 514,5 34,61
69 POL 424 Piotr Przewozny 60 (DNC) DNC 50,0 53,0 67,0 66,0 78,0 z 61,0 57,5 523,5 33,03
70 GER 688 Dirk Dame 63 SVM BW071 72,0 76,0 (DNC) DNC 64,0 37,0 59,0 57,0 70,0 526,0 31,46
71 GER 577 Yves Kaminski 81 SVEW BG014 60,0 73,0 58,0 (DNC) 45,0 79,0 76,0 68,0 71,0 530,0 29,89
72 GER 699 Juliane Hofmann 80 SWS SC028 (DNF) DNC 68,0 57,0 63,0 80,0 69,0 57,0 z 65,0 550,0 28,31
73 GER 659 Falk Hagemann 66 SWS SC028 78,0 54,0 66,0 (DNC) 75,0 74,0 77,0 53,0 74,0 551,0 26,74
74 GER 606 Katharina Hu? 80 SCFR SH059 76,0 67,0 67,0 (DNF) 49,0 DNF 65,0 73,0 64,0 552,0 25,17
75 SWE 2780 Claes Ahlstr?m 61 36,0 (DNC) DNC DNC 57,0 52,5 DNC DNC 44,0 553,5 23,60
76 POL 1 Tomasz Gaj 67 JK P3 10,0 16,0 (DNF) DNC DNC DNC DNC DNC DNC 572,0 22,02
77 GER 714 Christian Hu? 75 SCFR SH059 62,0 69,0 (DNF) DNC 76,0 64,0 72,0 78,0 63,0 575,0 20,45
78 GBR 2096 Jake Cracknell 90 75,0 (DNC) DNC DNC 78,0 DNC 40,5 56,0 z 56,0 578,5 18,88
79 GBR 2121 Anthony Rich 75 OxSC DEN 31,0 (DNC) DNC DNC 66,0 28,0 DNC DNC DNC 580,0 17,30
80 GBR 2130 Deryck Lovegrove 59 77,0 72,0 (DNC) DNF 81,0 76,0 74,0 67,0 55,0 593,0 15,73
81 GER 120 Christian Hartmann 63 (DNC) DNC 69,0 58,0 70,0 82,0 73,0 63,0 DNC 597,0 14,16
82 AUS 708 Morgan Staley 91 BRYC (DNC) 77,0 72,0 DNC 73,0 77,0 70,0 71,0 68,0 599,0 12,58
83 AUS 692 Bill Tyler 40 DSC 66,0 65,0 (DNF) DNC 83,0 70,5 84,0 z 77,0 DNF 627,5 11,01
84 GBR 2107 Daren Prior 71 (DNC) DNC DNC DNC 77,0 72,0 67,0 64,0 79,0 632,0 9,44
85 GER 404 Tobias Willmann 92 SCK B103 79,0 75,0 71,0 (DNC) 80,0 83,0 79,0 91,0 z 77,0 635,0 7,87
86 GER 590 Jan Wirbeleit 91 SWS SC028 (DNF) DNC 70,0 DNC 84,0 75,0 75,0 74,0 80,0 640,0 6,29
87 AUS 716 Peter Wallace 57 DSC 57,0 57,0 (DNC) DNC DNC DNC DNC DNC DNC 660,0 4,72
88 GBR 2104 Paul Pike 48 (DNF) DNC 73,0 DNC 87,0 81,0 80,0 80,0 82,0 665,0 3,15
89 GER 189 Reinhard Gra?mel 59 SSV Rang (DNF) DNC DNC DNC 85,0 84,0 78,0 75,0 81,0 676,0 1,57
90 NZL 529 Mike Wilde 61 (DNC) DNC DNC DNC DNC DNC DNC DNC DNC 728,0 0,00

About the event

The Bombardier OK Dinghy World Championship was sailed as part of Warnem?nder Woche, in Warnemunde, Germany from 8-12 July. There were 91 sailors from seven nations competing for the title.

Class website: www.okdia.org
Event website: www.okworlds2008.org

by Robert Deaves