Craig knocked from the top

British sailor, Nick Craig, has been pushed to second place in the OK World Rankings

In a bizarre twist of mathematics, Jørgen Lindhardtsen (DEN) has taken the top spot on the OK Dinghy World Rankings, knocking double and reigning world champion Nick Craig (GBR) off the number one position for the first time since the list was created two years ago. While Lindhardtsen has raced most of the qualifying regattas in the past 12 months, Craig has been concentrating on the Finn and has only competed in two regattas since the last world championship in Australia in February 2006.

After solid performances at the past two world championships and a second place at the New Zealand Nationals and Interdominions in Wellington in March of 2007, Steve McDowell (NZL) has climbed four places to second overall. Roger Blasse (AUS) remains in fourth place yet again after winning his ninth Australian national title at Adelaide over Easter.

However, despite these three regattas seeming to favour the Antipodean sailors, it is the Europeans who are making the advances. Terry Curtis (GBR) moves from 15th to 11th, Thomas Hansson-Mild (SWE) from 22nd to 16th and Mogens Johansen (DEN) from 27th to 19th.

The next list to be released in June will include the Spring Cup at Medemblik and Kiel Week and should bring a few new names to the top 20 as the class prepares for what is expected to be its most competitive World Championship for many years in Leba, Poland during July, where the OK Dinghy will be celebrating its 50th anniversary.

Rankings:

1-Jorgen Lindhartdsen DEN
2 Steve McDowell NZL
3 Nick Craig GBR
4 Roger Blassé AUS
5 Greg Wilcox NZL
6 Mark Perrow NZL
7 Alistair Deaves NZL
8 Karl Purdie NZL
9 Jesper Petersen DEN
10 Andre Blasse AUS
11 Terry Curtis GBR
12 Robert Deaves GBR
13 Russell Wood NZL
14 Hans Elkjaer SWE
15 Jon Fish GBR