The OK qualification series for the 2004 worlds in Parkstone has just been completed and raised new interest in the class. The worlds only comes to the UK about every 10 years so many sailors have been working hard to qualify while it is cheap to compete in a high quality field of limited entry 80 boats from 13 countries. Moreover, in 45 years of OK sailing a British sailor has never won the worlds.

Competition for the places was fierce with only 14 slots guaranteed for the UK – others will have to wait and see if the rest of the OK World send their full contingent (France, Belgium, Holland, Germany, Denmark, Poland, Sweden, Finland, USA, India, Thailand, South Korea, New Zealand, Australia).

The series took place over five months at four sea venues – Dabchicks, Tees, Felixstowe and Stokes Bay with 45 boats competing over the series. There was a mixture of winds so proved a good test and in line with what will be expected in Parkstone.

The class is already looking to have a series of three coaching weekends next summer at Parkstone to get the team acclimatised with the local conditions and raise the standard. The nationals will be the weekend before the worlds at Parkstone in July so will again give more time to practice and the overseas sailors are expected to join which could swell the entries to over 100 boats.

Overall Results

1st Jim Hunt 8 points

2nd Nick Craig 8

3rd Dave Carroll 16

4th Terry Curtis 19

5th Tony Thresher 27

6th Neil Goodhead 28

7th Robert Deaves 30

8th Dave Rose 39

9th Gavin Waldron 43

10th Will Turner 46

11th Andrew Rushworth 49

12th Geoff Woollen 52

13th Ian Harris 53

14th Andy Turner 61

15th Dan Ager 61

16th Pete Turner 62

17th Peter Wibroe 69

18th JP Williams 80

19th Alan Atkin 82

20th Dave Bourne 85