2006 Roto-Vegas, Rotorua, New Zealand

Rotorua 7/8 Oct

Report by Alistair Deaves & Steve McDowell

The first regatta of the 2006-7 OK Dinghy Summer Series took place at Rotorua over the weekend of October 7th and 8th. Fourteen OK Dinghy sailors made the trip to the smelly centre of New Zealand along with the yachts from the organizing body, the Bay of Plenty Trailer Yacht Association. Many thanks again to them, for organizing this weekend.

It was great to see some new faces on the circuit, notably Andrew Pardington, Mark Orams and Scott Beavis from Auckland, local sailor Rob Longston, and, making a return after a 17 year absence, not only from the class but also from sailing, Glen Berry. It is also worth noting that nine of the sailors came from Auckland.

The racing itself was a rather confusing affair, with only 4 boats managing to keep all their results in the single figures. As can be seen from the results, most people produced a random set of results, caused mainly by the random shifts and breeze lines. Needless to say, without going into too much detail, it was possible to take 10 places on the run if you sat in the right breeze line. Likewise it was also possible to lose 10 places on a beat it you found yourself on the wrong side of a 120 degree wind bend. And I kid you not, one shift was that big.

Overall, it was a closer run thing between Mark Perrow of Wakatere and Steve McDowell of Worser Bay, separated only after a count-back.; Perrow again taking out the title he won last year. Count backs also decided 4th and 5th place and 6th and 7th place.