Beechworth's Andrew Davison nabs third in Blokarting World Champs

Blokarting, a variation of land sailing conducted on compact yachts, held its World Championships over five days in the town of Sanson, News Zealand, late last month.

More than 130 entries from around the globe transcended for a Blokarting mecca - and reaching the podium was Beechworth's Andrew Davison, who came third in the lightweight class.

"I came third and I was tickled pink with that, I was a little bit amazed," he said.

"The clubs (in New Zealand) are much bigger than we've got here, and also because it was a world championship there were people there from all over, so it was good to compete against them."

Contestants are judged on a series of a timed races where sailors try to clock up number of laps around a course in a select time frame.

Davison was one of eight Australians competing, three of which hailed from the Springhurst-based North East WindSport Club (NEWC).

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Fellow NEWC members Mike Reid and Simon Purser also fared well in the competition, both slotting inside the top 10 in their respective weight categories.

But as Davison explained, it's been quite the journey from where the club began.

"There used to be a Mokoan Yacht Club, but once the lake was drained around 10 years ago that was end of the club," he said.

"One of the blokes from the club saw these things in Queenstown, and said they looked like a bit of fun.

"So we got into them, and that's where it happened.

"They're sailed all over the world, it's a New Zealand invention, but they're portable, quick and fun."

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