KLYC, 2.-3. September
Report by Nick Craig

The OK Belgian Nationals were sailed on 2-3 September on a lake near Antwerp with 28 boats from 5 countries attending. There isn’t much better value for money than this event with the £7 entry fee giving free beer, a 3 course meal and 6 well run races!

The opening day started off light & shifty and then the weather threw everything from sunshine to lightning at the fleet! Race 1 was led for 3 laps by Neil Goodhead (GBR), showing his fine lake sailing talents. In a very close race, Nick Craig (GBR) came through on the final lap to win from World no. 3 Bart Bomans (BEL) and 3 times German Champion Rudi Prinz, with Goodhead holding on to 4th.

The wind picked up to marginal planing weather in race 2 and lightweight Prinz motored off downwind to a large win. Craig just held 2nd from Alex Schoenmakers (BEL) but both were OCS. Schoenmakers protested for redress and after a long hearing the claim was rejected. Bomans knew he was over and returned at the start and then staged an impressive comeback to 4th, which moved up to 2nd with OCSs, followed by Frank Vanroy (BEL).

Local sailor Bomans showed good speed to win race 3 and move into an overnight lead with 2,2,1. Prinz held onto 2nd to be close behind Bomans with 3,1,2 and Craig was waiting for a discard with a score of 1,OCS,3.

Day 2 emerged with lighter winds – Bomans had beaten Olympic Silver Medallist Sebastien Godefried in just these condition at the Finn Nationals here so was in confident form. Race 4 was very close with Craig just pipping Bomans in the last 100 yards. Tommy Neveling (GER) sailed his best race by far to finish 3rd and Prinz was 4th.

The wind picked up for race 3 to force 2 and there was again a very tight race between Bomans and Craig with the 2 never more than a couple of boatlengths apart. Bomans got through on the penultimate beat to win from Craig. World no. 7 Andrew Rushworth (GBR) was not enjoying the shifty weather but found some form to score a 3rd with Prinz dropping out the running with a 5th. Craig needed to win the final race to beat Bomans. As expected there was an even tighter duel between these 2! Bomans sailed Craig out the left side of the course up the 1st beat to round the windward mark 3rd with Craig 7th. A pile up of the leading 8 boats and a 40 degree windshift caused chaos at the leeward mark but Bomans emerged in front with Craig not far behind. Craig closed in so that by the final run, it was like the America’s Cup was being rerun with both boats inches apart as Craig attempted to get inside Bomans. Bomans defended vigorously and after another 20 tacks exchanged up the last beat, Bomans won the Belgian Nationals by a couple of boatlengths. Goodhead sailed another excellent race to finish 3rd and claim 5th overall.

Pos Name Sail No Club R1 R2 R3 R4 R5 R6 Tot
1 Bart Bomans BEL 44 KLYC 2 2 1 2 1 1 6,0
2 Nick Craig GBR 2094 Frensham 1 OCS 3 1 2 2 11,7
3 Rudiger Prinz GER 711 SCST 3 1 2 4 5 5 26,7
4 Gwynn Hagenaers BEL 207 SRNA 5 4 4 6 4 4 42,0
5 Neil Goodhead GBR 2069 South Staffs 4 6 5 13 13 3 54,4
6 Frank Van Roy BEL 128 KLYC 7 3 9 7 6 10 58,4
7 Andy Rushworth GBR 2097 8 12 6 11 3 7 61,4
8 Joris Claes BE L56 KLYC 11 5 7 8 9 12 69,0
9 Alex Schoenmakers BEL 03 KLYC 6 OCS 10 5 14 6 69,4
10 Franz Hawer BEL 208 KLYC 9 OCS 8 16 7 8 78,0
11 Paul Bouts BEL 203 VVW Sirocco 10 9 11 14 10 11 81,0
12 Thomas Neveling GER 664 Prinzenst 12 11 18 3 17 15 84,7
13 Rod Andrew BEL 1 SNEH 13 7 12 15 DNF 9 86,0
14 Steven Jamar BEL 1675 VVW Sirocco 15 10 16 9 15 14 93,0
15 Raymond Dodard FRA 2000 St Ouen 16 16 14 18 12 13 101,0
16 Christophe Colle BEL 165 KLYC 19 14 13 22 11 16 103,0
17 André Deboeure BEL 441 Sodipa 14 15 20 17 16 17 109,0
18 Ton Vogelzang NED 659 Amstelmeer 20 8 17 24 19 DNF 118,0
19 Marc Vande Ghiste BEL 1656 PYC 22 20 21 12 18 18 119,0
20 Dilly Dale GBR 1984 South Staffs 18 13 22 21 20 24 124,0
21 Valentin Baeten BEL 176 VVW Sirocco 17 18 15 28 DNF 19 127,0
22 Vic Abbeloos BEL 205 KLYC DNC DNC DNC 10 8 DNC 135,0
23 Johanna Kruezinger BEL 29 SNEH 21 17 DNC 25 25 20 138,0
24 Katrien Aerts BEL 167 VVW Sirocco 23 23 19 23 21 22 138,0
25 Jurgen Dieris GER 696 Crefeld 25 22 23 19 24 21 139,0
26 Paul Verrijdt BEL 141 VVW Sirocco 26 19 24 26 23 23 145,0
27 Jos Claessens BEL 20 KLYC 24 21 DNC 20 22 DNC 146,0
28 Pieter De Bondt BEL 110 KLYC DNC 24 DNC 27 26 DNC 165,0