The Craig rises to the top

Six races on the board now as the OK World Championship looks to its final day

Three more tough races were today, Thursday, sailed at the 2007 OK Dinghy World Championships in Leba, Poland. Two wins and a third place for defending world champion Nick Craig (GBR) were enough for him to take a seven point lead going into the final day.

With most of the fleet still aching after yesterday's three races in strong winds, three more races were sailed in slightly lighter winds. Race four got underway in a solid 15-16 knots with the left side again favoured. Karl Purdie (NZL) made the best of the first beat to lead round the top mark while top two overnight, Nick Craig (GBR) and Mark Perrow (NZL) were further to the right. Craig spent most of the race in fourth place, but climbed to third on the final beat. Jorgen Lindhardtsen (DEN) sailed his best race so far this week to place second, while Purdie took the race win.

Race five was sailed in slightly less breeze, which on the second round dropped to around 7-8 knots for a while. Craig started near the pin and soon crossed the fleet to the left to lead round and record his second win of the championship. On the second upwind, when the wind went very light for a while it heavily favoured those on the right hand side. Andre Blasse (AUS) made steady progress through the race to place second while Perrow recovered from an average first beat to place third.

The wind picked up again to about 12-14 knots for the final race, and a big left hand shift on the first beat brought Gunter Arndt (GER) and Jon Fish (GBR) round the first mark in the lead. However Craig was not far behind and was soon in the lead to win his third race. Karsten Hitz (GER) finally found the form that won him two world championships to move up to second, while Terry Curtis (GBR) who led round the second upwind mark placed third.

Going into the final day, there are three more races planned, with a wind forecast similar to today. Craig is looking good to win the title for the third year in row, although there are several sailors behind him determined not to let this happen. Realistically Craig only needs two top three places to assure himself of the title, and with his worst result so far as fourth, the odds are in his favour. But tomorrow is another day.

Check out the event website http://www.okdworlds2007.com for more information.

	Sail	Surname	Name	R1	R2	R3	R4	R5	R6	PTS
1	GBR-2116	CRAIG	NICK	*3	2	1	3	1	1	8
2	NZL-527	PERROW	MARK	1	1	2	8	3	*11	15
3	NZL-502	PURDIE	KARL	2	3	*7	1	5	5	16
4	GER-727	HITZ	KARSTEN	5	*11	8	4	7	2	26
5	GER-672	ARNDT	GUNTER	6	5	5	7	*10	6	29
6	NZL-517	RHODES	PAUL	4	8	3	11	*19	8	34
7	DEN-1364	LINDHARDTSEN	JORGEN	*15	7	9	2	9	9	36
8	GER-717	GRONHOLZ	OLIVER	11	10	6	6	*18	4	37
9	GBR-2118	CURTIS	TERRY	9	*21	14	5	8	3	39
10	NZL-524	STECHMANN	MATT	7	6	4	*15	11	13	41
11	AUS-727	BLASSE	ANDRE	12	4	17	10	2	*22	45
12	GER-693	VON ZIMMERMANN	MARTIN	14	*17	15	14	6	7	56
13	NZL-522	WILCOX	GREG	8	13	18	12	12	*19	63
14	GBR-2122	FISH	JONATHAN	*19	19	11	13	14	10	67
15	POL-14	PAWLACZYK	PAWEŁ	13	9	16	16	*23	20	74
16	NZL-523	POREBSKI	JOE	16	15	10	22	21	*28	84
17	SWE-2767	HANSSON-MILD	THOMAS	17	20	20	18	*OCS	16	91
18	DEN-1340	OLSEN	CHRISTIAN	*39	29	22	20	17	12	100
19	GBR-2119	DEAVES	ROBERT	*DNF	16	13	17	33	21	100
20	DEN-1324	TEGLERS	BO	18	12	21	21	*36	29	101
21	POL-16	JAROCKI	MAREK	*45	14	12	23	29	27	105
22	POL-1	GAJ	TOMASZ	21	22	*DSQ	19	27	17	106
23	GER-690	BEHRENS	SONKE	25	23	19	24	16	*30	107
24	GBR-2101	CHILDS	SIMON	27	24	*37	27	25	18	121
25	POL-31	PAWŁOWSKI	ANTONI	26	25	23	29	20	*38	123
26	GBR-2084	MEADOWCROFT	JOHN	33	*39	30	38	15	23	139
27	NZL-474	O`CONNELL	LUKE	24	31	29	26	34	*40	144
28	GER-731	GLAS	THOMAS	23	28	*DNF	35	28	32	146
29	GBR-2105	HARRIS	IAN	*38	27	32	32	31	25	147
30	NZL-515	WILDE	MIKE	20	18	*DNF	34	24	53	149
31	NZL-497	PRYCE	TRENT	36	33	25	28	*41	33	155
32	NZL-525	MCDOWELL	STEVE	10	*DNF	DNF	9	4	14	157
33	AUS-726	BUCHANAN	BOB	22	30	31	41	*53	37	161
34	SWE-66	NYSTEDT	JAN-ERIK	*76	26	36	25	50	24	161
35	GBR-2121	RICH	TONY	35	40	*54	33	22	43	173
36	GER-656	PICH	ANDREAS	37	35	26	30	*49	45	173
37	GBR-2120	AGER	DAN	30	43	27	42	*62	34	176
38	GBR-2085	WALDRON	GAVIN	28	38	28	*49	46	46	186
39	POL-10	STOBIŃSKI	JANUSZ	*DNF	44	38	46	35	36	199
40	GBR-2117	SCOLES	ALEX	41	41	24	39	59	*74	204
41	SWE-33	QVIST	JONAS	*OCS	32	DNF	31	13	15	211
42	POL-424	PRZEWOŹNY	PIOTR	47	42	33	54	40	*60	216
43	DEN-1214	HOLM	JORGEN	52	54	40	44	30	*66	220
44	SWE-123	NYSTEDT	MAX	46	*62	41	45	39	50	221
45	GER-665	STEPHAN	PETER	42	*50	46	48	48	39	223
46	SWE-99	ELKJAER	HANS	40	37	50	51	*63	49	227
47	GER-576	TIETJE	RALF	43	34	*DNF	61	54	41	233
48	AUS-713	LYNCH	PETER	29	56	*DNF	43	45	63	236
49	GER-670	RIES	HINNERK	50	71	*DNF	36	38	44	239
50	DEN-1335	JOHANSEN	MOGENS	31	*DNF	DNF	37	26	26	240
51	POL-5	KRAŚ	DARIUSZ	44	45	39	59	*74	54	241
52	SWE-2741	DAGERBRANT	ULF	49	52	*DNF	57	61	35	254
53	DEN-1339	BORUP	JONAS	*73	63	57	40	37	59	256
54	GER-726	SYLVESTER	JORG	*68	48	35	56	56	65	260
55	GER-539	SASS	CARSTEN	*59	59	34	58	55	55	261
56	GBR-2125	GOODHEAD	NEIL	57	51	*DNF	67	42	48	265
57	GBR-1985	BYERS	KEITH	32	46	*DNF	65	69	64	276
58	GER-694	SPECHT	GUNNAR	51	61	*DNF	62	44	62	280
59	POL-27	KANIA	JAKUB	56	47	*DNF	63	58	56	280
60	GER-645	LINDEMANN	ARNE	71	58	*DNF	55	51	57	292
61	GER-735	GERICKE	DIRK	63	36	42	78	78	*79	297
62	GBR-2107	EDWARDS	MIKE	69	*DNF	DNF	50	32	31	302
63	AUS-720	O`DONNELL	DAVE	62	66	47	68	70	*72	313
64	AUS-694	FURNEAUX	RICHARD	65	67	56	*71	64	61	313
65	AUS-641	HUNT	DARREN	*DNF	DNF	43	47	52	52	314
66	AUS-724	YATES	GLENN	61	53	55	70	*88	75	314
67	GER-688	DAME	DIRK	67	65	*DNF	60	57	69	318
68	POL-201	KUJAWIŃSKI	DONAT	53	68	*DNF	64	67	71	323
69	GER-666	HARTMANN	JAN	85	*DNF	44	76	66	58	329
70	GER-695	BORG	ERIK	66	72	45	74	*81	80	337
71	GER-632	GRONHOLZ	FABIAN	70	*DNF	DNF	53	65	42	350
72	POL-44	DROŹDŹIK	RADEK	64	57	*DNF	88	71	76	356
73	DEN-1347	SCHUBERT	C.JOE	48	*DNF	DNF	66	43	81	358
74	GER-225	POSPIECH	RAINER	92	60	48	83	79	*DNF	362
75	POL-190	GÓRKA	ADRIAN	75	70	52	*91	91	83	371
76	POL-15	POPŁONYK	MIECZYSŁAW	77	64	*DNF	DNF	60	51	372
77	GBR-2099	DUTTON	KEITH	55	49	49	*SCP	SCP	SCP	374
78	GER-659	HAGEMANN	FALK	87	76	51	84	76	*91	374
79	POL-101	RAKOCY	BARTOSZ	*88	74	53	87	86	77	377
80	GER-120	HARTMANN	CHRISTIAN	79	69	*DNF	79	68	82	377
81	SWE-11	STROMBERG	BENGT	*DNF	DNF	DNF	52	47	47	386
82	GER-577	KAMINSKI	YVES	58	*DNF	DNF	69	80	70	397
83	POL-62	PEAZŁA	MACIEJ	54	*DNF	DNF	72	89	68	403
84	GER-723	MACKMANN	RALF	74	55	*DNF	82	73	DNF	404
85	GER-699	HOFFMAN	JULIANE	78	*DNF	DNF	75	72	85	430
86	GBR-2104	LOVEGROVE	DERYCK	72	75	*DNF	77	DSQ	87	431
87	POL-47	PRZYBYSZ	BARTOSZ	84	*DNF	DNF	86	75	67	432
88	GBR-2087	BURNHAM	JULIAN	96	*DNF	DNF	73	77	73	439
89	AUS-715	PEARCE	TOM	81	*DNF	DNF	80	93	78	452
90	POL-4	BOJANOWSKI	JERZY	83	*DNF	DNF	81	85	84	453
91	POL-30	BAJOŃCZAK	PIOTR	91	73	*DNF	97	99	101	461
92	GER-606	HUSS	KATHARINA	86	*DNF	DNF	89	83	86	464
93	GBR-2092	BRADBURN	WILLIAM	94	*DNF	DNF	85	84	92	475
94	BEL-214	VERRIJDT	PAUL	90	*DNF	DNF	92	87	89	478
95	POL-24	DWORNICZAK	JAKUB	80	*DNF	DNF	93	96	93	482
96	GER-651	RIDDER	HEINZ	89	*DNF	DNF	90	94	90	483
97	POL-46	MIŚKO	MACIEJ	82	*DNF	DNF	95	90	97	484
98	GER-660	WILLMANN	BERND	93	*DNF	DNF	94	92	94	493
99	DEN-1265	MALTE PEDERSEN	ERIC	*DNF	DNF	DNF	96	82	88	506
100	GER-404	WILLMANN	TOBIAS	97	*DNF	DNF	104	95	95	511
101	SWE-222	JEANSSON	PER	34	*DNF	DNF	DNF	DNF	DNF	514
102	POL-45	FALCZYŃSKI	PIOTR	98	*DNF	DNF	99	97	100	514
103	BEL-220	POELMAN	RONNY	*DNF	DNF	DNF	98	100	96	534
104	GER-609	KOSTKA	JENS	*DNF	DNF	DNF	102	98	99	539
105	GER-714	HUSS	CHRISTIAN	60	*DNF	DNF	DNF	DNF	DNF	540
106	POL-81	CZYŻ	WALDEMAR	*DNF	DNF	DNF	101	101	98	540
107	AUS-625	SWALES	DAVID	*DNF	DNF	DNF	100	103	102	545
108	GER-33	KNORR	SEBASTIAN	*DNF	DNF	DNF	103	102	103	548
109	GER-590	WIRBELEIT	JAN	*DNF	DNF	DNF	105	104	DNF	569
110	GBR-2098	DUTTON	ED	*DNF	DNF	DNF	SCP	SCP	SCP	571
111	POL-113	GRUSZKA	SEBASTIAN	95	*DNF	DNF	DNF	DNF	DNF	575
112	POL-61	SZPINALSKI	JAROSŁAW	*DNF	DNF	DNF	DNF	DNF	DNF	600
113	GER-497	MEILENBROCK	ROLF	*DNF	DNF	DNF	DNF	DNF	DNF	600
114	POL-247	DURAJSKI	JAN	*DNF	DNF	DNF	DNF	DNF	DNF	600
115	GER-357	GERBIG	RALF	*DNF	DNF	DNF	DNF	DNF	DNF	600
116	GER-41	WARNECKE	ERIC	*DNF	DNF	DNF	DNF	DNF	DNF	600
117	GBR-2067	BRADBURN	ED	*DNF	DNF	DNF	DNF	DNF	DNF	600
118	POL-178	NIKICIUK	STEFAN	*DNF	DNF	DNF	DNF	DNF	DNF	600
119	SWE-2770	AHLSTROM	CLAES	*DNF	DNF	DNF	DNF	DNF	DNF	600