OK Dinghy Youth, Junior & Open Weekend at South Staffs Preview
by Rodney Tidd 2 Oct 2016 20:51 BST
15-16 October 2016
OKs at South Staffs © Ed Bradburn
The International OK Dinghy British Class Association is delighted to invite all interested participants to this two event weekend on 15th and 16th October.
The Youth and Junior event will be held at South Staffordshire Sailing Club based near Cannock in the midlands. The club has an historic OK fleet of its own and holds regular fleet racing. It is also the home club of the two time and current 2016 world champion, Jim Hunt. This event aims to give youths and juniors the opportunity to experience the boat and its challenges. The Championships will be held on the Saturday and comprises of three categories 20 years, 18 years and 16 years and under on the day of the event. The event is planned to consist of three races, two to count, with the first starting no earlier than 10.45. Registration will be open from 09.00 on the day.
This is the prime sailing event for the class to generate understanding and interest in the OK among younger sailors and unlike a normal OK event there is no requirement for the youth or junior helm to be a member of the class association. Many great sailors have developed their sailing skills in an OK including Nick Craig, who has won the OK World Championships three times. John Derbyshire - RYA Performance Director and Racing Manager and Mateusz Kusznierewicz from Poland, who won the OK European Championships in 1994 and went on to win the gold medal at the 1996 Olympic Games in the Finn.
OK owners are being asked to encourage young people at their own, or other local clubs to enter the event and to help by either lending their own boat or helping to find an OK for them to sail. Simply put, secure the availability of a boat, let the young person have a practice sail.... or preferably more... Then get the young persons parents to bring them to the club....get them to pay the entry fee and then retire to watch the action from the comfort of the bar. If you're interested in participating, under the age of 21 or willing to lend your boat to a young helm then please contact the South Staffs OK representative, Will Croxford via and he will do his very best to arrange a boat.
After the youngsters have had their day a social event with food and entertainment is planned in the clubhouse in preparation for the traditional OK Open meeting will be held on the following day at similar times.
Further information can be found on both the OK Dinghy website at www.okdinghy.co.uk or South Staffordshire Sailing club at www.southstaffssailingclub.co.uk