German takes the lead

With Nick Craig second at OK Europeans in Loctudy

The 2006 OK Dinghy European Championship opened in Loctudy in northwestern France with three races being sailing on Monday 24 July. The early leader is Oliver Gronholz (GER) with current World Champion Nick Craig (GBR) in second and 2002 World Champion Greg Wilcox (NZL) in third.

Martin von Zimmerman tells the story of race one, “Light wind conditions dominated the first race and a rising tide made the right hand side favoured. Various obstacles such as bread rock (a small island) and several boats anchored in front of the shoreline put an additional challenge on the first beat. Tomacsz Gal (POL)got the right side first and no one could pass him. It was a surprise to me that course was shortened to only one triangle. Greg Wilcox finished second and I was third ahead of Oliver Gronhotz and Thomas Hansson Mild (SWE).”

World Champion Nick Craig finished in seventh, but in the next race he made sure of a win followed by Greg Wilcox again and Thomas Hansson Mild.

The race committee then decided to go for a third race. Oliver Gronholtz takes up the story: “After the second race we all thought we could go ashore and drink beer but no, we had to race again. The tide had turned and the sea breeze was dying. The pin end favoured Jorgen Lindhartdsten (DEN) and myself and we went left up the first beat. Jule Hofmann, however started in the middle and was a fraction faster. The wind filled in from the left and Jule was first at the top mark followed by myself and Jorgen. Up the second beat Jule got confused thinking the course was again to be shortened so I was first at the top but the lightweight Jule flew down the run to have a big lead at the bottom. On the last beat the left was again favoured but I tried the right. Jule won easily from Andreas Pich (GER) then myself and Jorgen. Happily we all managed to get to shore time for the champagne and pate party at the club.”

Results:

Pos	Sailno	Name	R1	R2	R3	Tot
1	GER 717	GRONHOLZ Olivier	4	5	3	12
2	GBR 2116	CRAIG Nick	7	1	7	15
3	NZL 522	WILCOX Greg	2	2	18	22
4	GER 656	PICH Andreas	9	11	2	22
5	GER 693	V. ZIMMERMANN Martin	3	8	11	22
6	SWE 99	ELKJAER Hans	8	7	14	29
7	SWE 2767	HANSSON-MILD Thomas	17	3	12	32
8	POL 1	GAJ Thomasz	1	27	9	37
9	GER 731	GLAS Thomas	6	4	27	37
10	GBR 2118	CURTIS Terry	12	12	13	37
11	DEN 1348	LINDHARDTSEN Jorgen	15	19	4	38
12	GER 699	HOFMANN Juliane	26	13	1	40
13	GER 690	BEHRENS Sonke	14	16	10	40
14	SWE 2763	ENGHOLM Jan-eric	11	9	22	42
15	DEN 1335	JOHANSEN Morgens	22	17	6	45
16	DEN 1340	PETERSEN Jesper	31	10	5	46
17	POL 61	STOBINSKY Piotr	13	24	16	53
18	BEL 214	VERRIJDT Paul	5	30	21	56
19	DEN 1330	LYKKE Troels	16	28	15	59
20	GBR 2107	EDWARDS Mike	10	34	17	61
21	GER 688	DAME Dirk	20	22	20	62
22	GER 725	HARTMANN Christian	33	6	26	65
23	SWE 2739	NYSLEDT Jan-eric	21	15	29	65
24	GER 666	HARTMANN Jan	27	31	8	66
25	DEN 1347	JOHANSEN Rene	30	20	19	69
26	FRA 29	MASSERON Noel	18	32	23	73
27	GER 539	SASS Carsten	19	29	25	73
28	DEN 1324	TEGLEIS Bo	28	18	32	78
29	GBR 2104	LOVEGROVE Deryck	34	14	31	79
30	FRA 1764	LAMARQUE Frederic	29	26	30	85
31	POL 27	KANIA Jakub	24	21	DNF	87
32	GER 645	LINDEMANN Arne	23	23	DNF	88
33	POL 24	KRAS Darek	25	36	28	89
34	GBR 2007	RICH Anthony	32	25	33	90
35	POL 424	PRZEWOZNY Piotr	36	35	24	95
36	POL 46	GORKA Adrian	37	33	36	106
37	GER 695	GERICKE Dirk	39	37	34	110
38	GBR 2060	PIKE Paul-stephen	35	40	35	110
39	FRA 1769	RONSIAUX Olivier	41	38	37	116
40	GBR 2083	TURNER Andy	38	41	DNF	121
41	GER 728	KATH Karsten	40	39	DNF	121