Dinnis proves a menace to opposition

James Dinnes rates his latest national windsurfing title better than the first he claimed eight years ago.

The 39-year-old Okato man came up trumps, winning the open men's grade at the national windsurfing championships on Otago harbour last weekend.

Not only did Dinnis win, he dominated his opposition, taking out all but one of the 21 races over four days.

"It was a great weekend, very successful," Dinnis said. "I'm stoked.

"It's probably the best result I've got. I've won a national title before, but that was only one day of racing."

There were 34 competitors at the nationals this year and Dinnis' only defeat came on the fourth day, on Sunday, when conditions were "really dodgy" and racing was called off early.

"They really shouldn't have been racing.

"I was leading and went into a big hole and basically there was nothing (wind) there and everyone else got a gust and sailed past.

"I caught up, but ran out of time and finished second in that one race."

The downside to Dinnis' weekend came when his efforts to get back home on Monday were thwarted by bad weather.

The plane he was in on Monday night ended up being diverted to Wellington when New Plymouth airport was closed because of low cloud.

It was double bad luck yesterday morning when his flight struck similar problems and was diverted to Wanganui.

That meant a long ride back home in a bus.

Dinnis grew up in England where he first started windsurfing.

Since arriving in New Zealand he has founded Carbon Art International, a business based in Okato that specialises in designing and manufacturing windsurfing boards.

Dinnis said 80 per cent of the boards made were sold overseas.

He plans to combine work and sport on a planned visit to Maui, Hawaii, later this year. "I go up to Maui with another guy for three weeks on average every year testing boards and there is some racing there that I'll do."

- © Fairfax NZ News