Matt Howard has won the 2026 OK Dinghy Autumn Trophy in Bandol after a spectacular week on the Côte d’Azur with wind, waves, sunshine and rosé. Charlie Cunbley took second with Tim Petetin third.
Only one race was sailed on the final day in a very light and patchy sea breeze that never built to more than 6-7 knots. James Downer led all the way only to find himself UFD at the shortened finish line, so Charlie Cumbley took the win from Mark Jackson and Dennis Dixon.
If Howard had read the Sailing Instructions, he would have realised he had won the event the day before as after nine races there were two discards. As it happened the only need one discard an opted not the start the final race given the conditions.
Howard and Cumbley have clearly it a marker in the sand ahead of the 2028 World Championship which will be here in Bandol. Third placed Petetin is the best of the French and the local fleet and continues to improve.
The Autumn Trophy is the half model that was presented by the International Sailing Federation to commemorate the 80th Birthday of HM King Bhumibol Adulyadej, who was himself an OK Dinghy sailor. It was acquired by OKDIA when World Sailing disposed of its collection of half models when it moved to London. OKDIA repurposed it at the Autumn Trophy which has run since 2021.
Day 4 gallery: https://www.flickr.com/photos/okdia/albums/72177720335694556/
Check the OKDIA Facebook and Instagram for reels.
Results after Day 4
1 GBR 2298 Matthew Howard 9
2 GBR 6 Charlie Cumbley 17
3 FRA 8 Timothe Petetin 28
4 GBR 49 James Downer 33
5 NZL 15 Greg Wilcox 41
6 AUS 8 Mark Jackson 42
7 AUS 81 David Meehan 55
8 SWE 14 Hakan Soderberg 63
9 SWE 2884 Lars Bergfeldt 70
10 GBR 17 David Bourne 72
Full results: 2026-Autumn-Trophy-Final-Results