2024 Mid Winters RCNP, Spain,

Real Club Náutico de Palma, 13-14 January

Fifteens sailors from six nations set out on Saturday morning for the first day of racing of the OK Dinghy Mid Winters in Palma. The conditions were 10 to 12 knots building to 14 by mid afternoon from the SW with the air temperature around 16 degrees with a moderate sea state. As expected, the racing was very close with several guests to the Island including multiple world champion, Nick Craig, and Andy Davis, from HD sails, with the top five finishing overlapped at the finish after the 35 minute races with the Irish Spanish sailor, Tim Goodbody, having a bit of a edge of speed down wind on his home waters. After racing most the fleet stayed out and did some extra training focusing on downwind technique. After sailing all the sailors went straight home to sleep and definitely didn’t have any beers and a couple of bottles of Roca, or did they?

On day 2 the SW gradient breeze built in the morning to around 16 knots and the sea state built to around 1 metre and 18 degrees – perfect conditions to sail in. The format of the day was short course races close to the yacht club and famous Cathedral in Palma. Four twenty minute races were sailed with experienced Spanish Sailer Miguel Santa Ursula Vila running the races for the fleet. It was fast and furious racing, if you had a bad start you were finished with leads changing multiple times during the races. After racing again the fleet did some training as it was perfect conditions. Once we got back in the overalls were in and Tim Goodbody ESP won, Nick Craig GBR second and newcomer and one to watch for the future Simon Gorgels GER, in third.

Goodbody commented, “It’s been great having Nick and Andy coming over; they have helped us with so many questions we have about the boat and I hope we helped them prepare for the worlds next month in Brisbane. The OK fleet in Mallorca started about 16 months ago with some talented people building boats during covid. Now we have 15 and hopefully 20 by the Europeans in November here in RCNP. Our goal is to develop the class on the Island and also a place where people can come and sail in the winter and use the world class conditions. We already have a winter series that started last year and multiple regattas through out the year. I think we are very lucky here and the group we have are amazing not just on the sailing side but we have world class boat builders mast builders, riggers and sailmakers racing in the class. It’s a recipe I think for future success. And hopefully very soon the release of a production boat. It’s going to be fast.”