1998 Interdominion Championship, Glenelg, Australia

Glenelg Sailing Club / Adelaide / Australia

To Results

Report, courtesy John Dunne
Results, courtesy Peter Nielsen

The 1998 OK National and Open Championships were held at Glenelg, a suburb of Adelaide, South Australia. For those who have not been to Glenelg it is best described as the fun park of Adelaide. At various times – an athletic carnival, a horse jumping championship and a mardi gras all shared the beach front with the OKs.

The water off Glenelg is called the St. Vincents Gulf. It is a large shallow area of water with moderate chop and moderate wind – however, it can also produce big waves when there are big winds from the south. Surfing these waves in an OK dinghy can be a buzz or terrifying.

Heat 1 was scheduled to be a morning race but was postponed to due to no wind. Race started at 1330 hours in 5-6 knot winds from the SW with moderate to flat seas. Temperature was around 34 degrees C. Fleet got away after several general recalls and the black flag. Most of the fleet started sailed to the left up the beach or up the middle – Mark Fisher went to the right and at one stage was out there by himself. He got it right and was well placed first time around the weather mark. The light conditions suited the Northern Europeans with B. Moczorodynski, POL, being a clear winner.

1. POL 6 B.Moczorodynski
2. NZL 501 D. Bush
3. NZL 369 G. Wilcox

Heat 2 was sailed late afternoon immediately after heat 1 in 15 knots plus from SW in rising seas and 1 metre plus waves. Local big weather sailors showed the others how to grunt Carl Schmidt being first around the top mark and Roger Blasse second. Roger went through Carl on the reach to have a considerable lead at the leeward mark and went on to a comfortable win. Rogers strength is his down wind speed and will be hard to catch in these winds. The heavy conditions clearly favoured the Aussies and New Zealanders as they dominated top placings.

1. AUS 678 R. Blasse
2. AUS 697 C. Schmidt
3. NZL 498 N. Mannering

Heat 3 was sailed in the morning in moderate seas and 10-12 knots. Again after what seemed to be the several mandatory restarts and black flag – the race got under way. Again most of the fleet went to left up the beach. Andre went up the middle and led from start to finish.

1. Andre Blasse AUS
2. David Rose GBR
3. Roger Blasse AUS
4. Karsten Hitz GER
5. Greg Wilcox NZL
6. Carl Schmidt AUS

Heat 4 scheduled to start at 1000 but was delayed due to no wind. Race started at 1400 hours in 6 Knot SW wind in light to moderate seas. These conditions have proven to suit Europeans and today was no exception. Alistair McMichael went left up the beach and was a clear first around the top mark. Alistair looked a winner, but a wind shift on the second beat changed placings allowing sailors on right hand side of course to benefit.

1. GBR 2074 T.Curtis
2. AUS 1970 A.McMichael
3. GER 711 R.Prinz
4. GBR 2046 A.Deaves
5. GBR 2085 D.Carroll
6. GER 672 K.Hitz

Race 5 canceled.

Heat 6 Again – morning race sailed in 10-12 knots SW wind in light to moderate seas. Europeans failed to preform to expectations in conditions which appeared to favour them.

1. AUS 698 A.Blasse
2. AUS 670 M.Fisher
3. AUS 678 R. Blasse
4. NZL 502 J. Weston
5. DEN 1280 J.Lindharsen
6. GER 672 K. Hitz

Heat 7 Started in 25 plus winds from SW in big seas. Many of European boats had difficulty handling conditions with rescue fleet being kept busy. Roger Blasse, who had previously shown that big waves hold no fear, again won comfortably. This was the race that showed what Glenelg can produce and why local sailors like to come here – coming down the face of one of those big curlers is a buzz.

1. AUS 678 R. Blasse
2. NZL 498 N.Mannering
3. GER 672 K.Hitz
4. AUS 666 P.Jackson
5. DEN 1280 J.Lindharsen
6. GBR 2054 K.Carroll