Robert Woodbury-First time at CORK

PHONE: +1 (613) 545-1322
EMAIL: info@cork.org
ADDRESS: Portsmouth Olympic Harbour 53 Yonge Street, Kingston ON, Canada, K7M 6G4

(photos and story submitted by Robert Woodbury)

I first attended CORK as an athlete in the OK Dinghy class in 1971. Jim Beckett sailed in that fleet as well if I remember correctly. There were 56 boats (I might have these numbers a bit wrong). Four did not compete in the series, so there were 52 actual boats. I finished 51st. The Kingston Whig Standard did an article on me entitled “This is the story of a loser.” No kidding! Two years later, in the OK’s last appearance at CORK, we had only 18 boats. I finished second. First was Clive Roberts, then world champion. Third was Tony Rose, then youth champion.

I have no photos of those long-ago days, but do have some around the 1980 Olympics.

Robert went on to be the top Canadian Finn athlete set to represent Canada at the 1980 Olympics. Now he is

a National Race Officer & dedicated CORK volunteer!

(The heavy weather photo is the Finn Gold Cup 1980.)

The fleet one (I’m in the lead) is the 1980 USA Nationals in Los Angeles.

Robert with the CORK volunteer team at the 2019 CORK International Optimist Regatta (Robert is holding the flag on the left with Tim Irwin holding the flag on the right )