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Rio Olympic medallists Sam Meech and Jo Aleh headline a quality field lining up for the OKI 24-Hour Race which begins at Lake Pupuke on Saturday.
(Sam Meech claimed bronze in the Laser at last year's Rio Olympics. Photo: Sailing Energy / World Sailing)
Meech and Aleh will take part in the two-hour legends race during the 50th sailing of an event labelled the North Shore’s toughest dinghy race and will take on the likes of Dan Willcox, Nathan Handley, Chris Dickson, Dan Slater, Mike Bullot and Chris Kitchen. Meech won the legends race last year, finishing ahead of Matt Coutts, Willcox and Ray Davies.
Three-time winner Rohan Lord will compete in the solo race as well as Andrew McKenzie and defending champion Tom Saunders. Current world master Laser champion Scott Leith and his team are eager to defend their title in the masters race.
The races are fundraiser events for the Murrays Bay Sailing Club to develop youth sailing.
Sailing the OKI 24-Hour-Race is a mental and physical endurance challenge, not only for those sailing the 24 hours single-handedly, but also for the teams of two or three sailing in shifts. Previous years have shown that weather conditions can be extreme and range from 30-knot southerlies to two knots of shifting breeze and coping with the cold, tiredness and nutrition are major concerns. Rain and northeasterlies are predicted for this weekend's event.
“The OKI 24-Hour Race is one of the highlights of New Zealand’s yachting season, because it is a personal challenge for everyone, but also because it has every-day sailors competing with Olympians and world masters”, said Leith, the Murrays Bay Sailing Club commodore.
The event kicks off at 7.30am with the six-hour Optimist race for young sailors who compete in New Zealand’s green and open fleets. Ther Laser sailors start their hunt for the highest lap numbers at 2pm.
The major prize of $2000 will go to the sailor/s who complete the highest number of laps within the 24-hour timeframe. The best solo sailor has the chance to win $1000 as well as the major prize.
What:
OKI 24-Hour Race
Where:
Lake Pupuke at Sylvan Park
When:
OKI 6-Hour Race: Saturday, March 11, 7.30am
OKI 24-Hour Race: Saturday, March 11, 2pm
Legends race: Saturday, March 11, 6.30pm-8.30pm
