European Championship 2010

Preview

With the highest entry for more than 20 years, the OK Dinghy European Championship in Medemblik, Netherlands next week is set to be the highlight of the year for many sailors. In total there are 67 sailors from 11 countries pre-entered for the week and with many of the leading sailors missing, it looks set to be a wide open championship.

The European Championship coincides with the latest release of the OK Dinghy World Ranking List which includes the Spring Cup, Kieler Woche, Warnemunde Woche and the Nordic Championship. World Champion Karl Purdie (NZL) still leads the rankings with very few changes at the top. It is interesting to note that only four out of the top 20 are sailing in Medemblik.

In fact only one former world champion and the current European champion are attending. As the worlds has already been held in February many of the class stars are taking a break before next years worlds in Largs, Scotland, so this could be the most wide open championship for a long time.

On recent performance, the convincing winner of the Spring Cup and Kiel Week and the highest ranked sailor competing, Greg Wilcox (NZL) has to be one of the favourites. World Champion in 2002, Wilcox has been near the front of the fleet ever since and has won a score of ranking events in recent years.

Another sailor to watch will be newcomer Tim Goodbody (IRL). Having competed in the Finn in the Olympics in 2008, he jumped into the OK earlier this year after threatening to do so for many years. With the handling and set-up characteristics between the OK and the Finn being very similar, Goodbody - who is the first Irish entry at a major OK Dinghy championship for a generation - should be a front runner next week. His only form so far is a third place at Kiel Week this year.

The defending Champion is Martin von Zimmerman (GER), the winner of the Nordic Championship this year. He won the European title in Loctudy, France, four years ago. The OK Dinghy Europeans is normally only held once every four years, when the World Championship is held in the southern hemisphere, as it was this year - in Wellington, New Zealand.

Other sailors likely to be pushing the front are: British National Champion Terry Curtis (GBR); 1994 European Champion J�rgen Lindhardtsen (DEN); the 1999 Interdominion Champion Alistair Deaves (NZL); Christian Hedlund (DEN); winner of Warnemunde Woche Oliver Gronholz (GER); J�rgen Svendsen (DEN); and Polish National Champion Bartosz Rakocy (POL).

While both Denmark and Poland are fielding extremely strong teams, there are also a lot of new faces this year with fleets growing fast in many countries, so there could also be some surprises in store.

Registration and measurement starts on Saturday 24 July with 10 races scheduled between Monday 26 and Friday 30 July. Medemblik is one of the OK fleet's favourite venues and it will be a tough week's racing but the bonus is that the winner will be European Champion for four years.

Day one - Terry Curtis leads after solid day on IJsselmeer

The 2010 OK Dinghy European Championships started Monday at Medemblik, Netherlands with two great races in a solid 3-4 with a few rain storms passing over providing some interesting wind shifts. With two third places, Terry Curtis (GBR) leads from Tim Goodbody (IRL) and Antoni Pawloski (POL)

In the first race, Pawel Pawlaczyk (POL) led round the top mark from Antoni Pawlowski (POL) and Alistair Deaves (NZL). Deaves took the lead on the second reach and then Pawlaczyk picked up a yellow flag just at the leeward mark and capsized while doing turns. Pawlowski took the lead up the second beat as the wind increased with Bartosz Rakocy (POL) in second and Deaves in third. There were not many changes on the run except that Terry Curtis (GBR) and Greg Wilcox (NZL) caught up and they all rounded very close. On the final beat Pawlowski maintained his lead with Rakocy in second and Curtis climbing to third, with another Pole Marek Jarocki (POL) finding a big shift to place fourth just ahead of Deaves in fifth.

The wind increased for the second race with newcomer Tim Goodbody leading from start to finish. At the top mark he had a narrow lead over Christian Hedlund (DEN) and Robert Deaves (GBR). Jorgen Lindhardtsen (DEN) rounded in fourth and was soon moved up to second place chasing Goodbody, getting close to him at the leeward mark. However Goodbody extended on the second beat and was never threatened again to take his first win in the class - after just five days sailing the boat.

Goodbody has good pedigree though, having sailing the Finn in the 2008 Olympics in Qingdao. He said of the class, "This is a great class to join. I really liked the boat first time I saw it and I am really enjoying the class. They are a great bunch of people. The competition is really good and everyone underestimates how good it is, especially for amateur sailors. It is far harder than any other non-Olympic class I have sailed. So it was great to win today."

Overall leader Curtis commented "It was surprisingly windy today, but nice to see the breeze come in and stay. I am pleased with my results, but I was quite lucky as I didn't have great starts and managed to pick my way through the fleet. They did a great job on the water today with two fantastic races and we're all looking forward to the rest of the week."

Day two - Bartosz Rakocy takes lead after mixed day in Medemblik

Day two of the OK Dinghy European Championships in Medemblik, Netherlands produced a late finish after a complete change in conditions with very unstable offwind winds mixing up the results, with most of the leading contenders picking up a high score.

Race three got underway at 13.30 in about five knots after an earlier attempt was postponed and the fleet sent ashore to wait for the wind to build. At the start much of the fleet immediately had to tack onto port as no one could cross on starboard and this was a hint of things to come. Most of the favourites headed to the left hand side towards a big black cloud but after one third of the beat, a 60 degree shift to the right gave the other half of the fleet a massive lead over the left side. The regatta leaders Terry Curtis, Tim Goodbody and Antoni Pawlawski were all on the left and paid a heavy price for this.

Race winner Thomas Glas said, "I started in the middle of the line and then there was a big right shift. Andreas Pich (GER) led round the top mark followed by Christian Hedlund (DEN), Jurgen Illers (GER) and myself. On the last beat Christian and Andreas went to the right and were fighting together so I went left of the fleet and got a lift which took me into the lead and I won by about 50 metres."

Glas rounded off an excellent day with a ninth to end the day in ninth overall He added, "Today was really tricky sailing, especially with the big shifts in the first race."

The wind increased slightly for race four and still very shifty. The left side did pay this time with Neil Goodhead (GBR) and Martin Bower (GBR) leading round the top mark from the left corner and Alistair Deaves (NZL) in third from the right. Goodhead maintained his lead to the leeward mark and then Tim Goodbody (IRL) made his move, taking the lead at the top of the second beat from Bartosz Rakocy (POL) and Deaves with the wind now at 12-15 knots. Goodbody extended down the run to lead to the finish.

Rakocy sailed well to record another second place to the take the overall lead while Jorgen Lindhardtsen recovered from an average first beat in race four to finish third and move up to third overall. Pawel Pawlaczyk (POL) continued his consistency to end the day in second overall.

Overnight leader Terry Curtis (GBR) posted a 33 and 27 in the shifty conditions to drop to 12th overall, while Goodbody also picked up a 23 in race three. All apart from four out of the top 10 have posted high scores so far, so after Wednesday's two races, the discard should considerbly change the order at the top.

Day three - Bartosz Rakocy extends lead after another mixed day in Medemblik

After a second shifty offshore breeze day, Batozs Madrcoy continues to lead the OK Europeans in Medemblik, Netherlands. Jorgen Lindhardtsen moves up to second with race six race winner Greg Wilcox (NZL) in third after six races.

The forecast of stronger winds were not accurate and day three was sailed in 8-12 knots of shifty offshore winds with 20-30 degree shifts upsetting at least half of the fleet,

The left hand side was generally favoured in race five and was led from start to finish by the overnight leader Rakocy to cement his lead at the top of the scoresheet. Jorgen Lindhardtsen (DEN) finished second and day one leader Terry Curtis (GBR) refound his earlier form to finish third. The race was perhaps defined by the number of black flags including front runners Tim Goodbody (IRL), Pawel Pawlaczyk (POL) and Antoni Pawlowski (POL), which has significantly changed the overall ordering.

Race six was characterised by a large right shift on the first beat and a large left shift on the second beat which left the leaders laughing and the tail enders hoping.

Racer winner, Greg Wilcox (NZL) said, "It was another tricky day. There was quite a big left hand shift at the start so I was pretty sure it was going to come back so I started at the boat end and went right and when it came back I flipped and worked up the shifts up middle right hand side with Tim Goodbody (IRL)." At the top mark Goodbody led from Wilcox and Rakocy.

"Tim and Bartosz dragged each other a bit high in the second reach and I got through to leeward of them. I extended a little bit up the second beat and the three of us left the fleet behind. They then shortened the run which made it a bit easier with Bartosz sitting on Tim down the run." Goodbody finally finished second to Bartosz in third.

"It was the kind of the day when a lot of people made one mistake too many and paid a big price for it, especially with the black flags. It was the 'moving day' - you either consolidate what you have done or move backwards. Today was that day."

After six races one discard has now kicked in. Rakocy had a very good day with a 1-3 to move into a ten point lead and Lindhardtsen, the 1978 World Champion and 1998 European Champion, also had a good day with a 2-5 to move into second overall and. After a 5-1, Greg Wilcox, the 2002 World Champion, moves into third overall.

Racing continues to Friday with four more races scheduled. On Wednesday night the sailors enjoyed free beer night at the Brakeboer pub by the quayside. With the sailing causing enough sore heads, a few more will not make any difference...

Day four - Double win for Goodbody, but Rakocy still leads

The final day of the OK Dinghy European championships will be a fight between youth and experience. After two more races on Thursday, the gap at the top has narrowed though the young Bartosz Rakocy (POL) still maintains a 13 point advantage over Greg Wilcox (NZL). Both races on Thursday were won by Tim Goodbody (IRL).

Race seven was sailed in a very patchy 8-12 knots of breeze and was again characterised by large shifts across the course area with the majority of the front runners emerging from the left. Greg Wilcox led at the to mark from Tim Goodbody and Jorgen Svendson (DEN). Svendson took the lead on the first second reach and stayed in the lead until the last beat when Goodbody made his move to take his third race win of the week. Wilcox moved up to second with Svenson in third. Second overnight Lindhardtsen was scored OCS.

Race eight was started in a bit more breeze which increased to 18-20 knots on the first beat when a large left hand shift came in, lifting the middle of the fleet to the top mark and leaving those on the right stranded and those on the left with a reach to the windward mark.

Emerging from the middle Goodbody led round followed by Lindhardtsen and Robert Deaves (GBR). Goodbody said 'bye' and was gone, building a large lead on the fast offwind legs. He led for the remainder of the race, loosely covering the fleet to win his second race of the day and his fourth of the regatta so far.

Behind him, Jorgen Svendson was continuing his good day moving past Lindhardtsen - who had broken his kicking strap - on the second reach to secure second place. Wilcox made big gains on the run and then moved up to fourth by the finish, just behind Lindhardtsen.

Goodbody said, "I had good speed today and it was good fun racing in the breeze, though still very shifty. I think the key was just to look for the pressure and drive into it. Any time I got a lift I was just trying to drive to the next lift to get the the next shift as soon as possible. Low and fast worked better than pointing"

A black flag yesterday has cost him dearly as he now has to count the 23 from day one. "I have a lot to do. But I'll just go out and sail the race and hope that the others make the mistakes and try not to make any myself. Being new to the class it is easy to make mistakes when you are not used to the boat but I am here to stay and really enjoying it."

The championship concludes with two more races on Friday, and with a forecast of light winds, the result is by no means a foregone conclusion. Rakocy has yet to make a major mistake this week, so he will be the one to beat. However, the final races will come down the youth and talent of Rakocy and Goodbody against the experience of Lindhardtsen and Wilcox.

Day five - Youth wins over experience as Bartosz Rakocy takes OK Europeans

The final day at the OK Dinghy Europeans at Medemblik, Netherlands brought sunny skies and high temperatures, but more of the same shifty, tricky winds that have plagued the week. Bartosz Rakocy (POL) took the title with a fifth place in race nine, while Tim Goodbody (IRL) took second and Jorgen Lindardtsen (DEN) took third.

In race nine the shifty conditions continued but the duration of the big shifts was shorter so there was usually a way back. At the top mark Lindhardtsen led from Rene Johannsen (DEN) and Robert Deaves (GBR). Lindhardtsen and Johannsen took off and built a large lead before Goodbody found his way past into second. A fifth place for regatta leader Rakocy was enough to take the title with a race to spare.

Race ten was sailed in similar conditions with Pawel Pawlaczyk (POL) leading round the top mark from Deaves and Oliver Gronholz (GER). The wind died on the first reach allowing the chasing pack to catch up, and after a few patchy, shifty beats, Gronholz emerged as the race winner from Goodbody and Pawlaczyk.

While two second places secured the bronze medal for Goodbody, a 1-4 for Lindhardtsen moved him up one place to third. Second overnight, Greg Wilcox (NZL) had poor first beats today and could only managed to finish 6-8, so dropped to fourth overall.

In winning his first major title, Rokocy said, "It's a very nice feeling and I very happy to win this regatta. It was very hard to win. But Tim and Jorgen has OCS which really helped me. They are really good sailors, so it's very special to win here."

Rokocy is just 20 years old and has been sailing the OK Dinghy for a number of years. "I need more power. I am only 82 kg so it is hard to sail against 90 kg sailors. I still have bit to learn upwind, but downwind I was fast."

"Now I have a week off and then I am sailing the Laser youth world championships at Hayling Island, in the UK. When I get heavier I will go for the Finn in maybe one or two years. I also plan to defend the OK National title in Poland later this year. Next year I am planning to sail OK as well including the worlds in Largs and Kiel week. It's a great class to be involved in."

As usual the excellent Medemblik hospitality and slick race management made the event one to remember, with several free beer nights at the Brakeboer all the sailors enjoyed the championship on and off the water. Medemblik is a regular venue for the OK Dinghy class who love coming back here, and they will surely be back for more in the near future.

The last time a sailor from Poland won the OK Europeans was in 1994, when a young Mateusz Kusznierewicz won and went on to winn the gold medal at the 1996 Olympic Games in the Finn.