2009 British Regattas

Winter Championship, Oxford Sailing Club

21st February
by Mike Edwards

What a glorious day!!

On Saturday the 21st February the re-scheduled International OK Dinghy Winter Championship took place at Oxford SC. The snow had forced the planned event to be postponed two weeks ago. What a contrast, with glorious sunshine and warm temperatures all day. Twenty four sailors managed to rearrange their diaries and make it to Farmoor reservoir, to be warmly greeted by club members and bacon rolls. The wind was not up to much when people started to arrive, but by the first start there was enough for everyone to sit on the side deck.

Race 1 – Got underway first time with Tony Woods, Mike Edwards and Nick Craig popping out ahead of the rest. However, the first beat proved extremely shifty and it was young Richard Burton who led at the windward mark, closely followed by Woods, Chris Murray, Nick Craig, Jon Fish, Neil Goodhead and Terry Curtis. This group managed to pull away from the rest and places changed a lot in the shifty conditions. Eventually Craig hit the front, but had to fight hard to stay there and at the finish Craig took the bullet just from Woods relishing the light wind in second. Goodhead pulled through for third from Fish and Burton.

Race 2 – After being fully catered for by the galley staff and with a little more wind, everyone seemed very keen to begin race 2, with a general the inevitable outcome. The black flag went up and claimed one casualty in newcomer to the fleet Simon Davis. At the port end Fish, Keith Dutton and Edwards made perfect starts. Craig managed to fall out of his boat at the top of the beat which allowed Dutton to reach the windward mark first followed by Curtis and Dan Ager. Again, the racing was tight throughout the fleet and picking the shifts was all important. Rounding the final mark and Curtis had gained command which he held to the finish from Ager and the recovering Craig. Dutton came in fourth and Alex Scoles finding some form in fifth place.

Race 3 – So, as they lined up for the final race the title was still up for grabs. The wind had increased a little more and it was Curtis who rounded first from Edwards, Dutton and Craig. Craig then moved ahead of Dutton downwind. The front three pulled out a little gap and on the run Edwards took the lead. The front three swapped places up the tricky beat and as they started the last leg to the finish Curtis had a slim advantage over the other two. Approaching the finish and Curtis and Edwards were neck and neck, with Curtis just taking the gun from Edwards and Craig third. Dutton held a comfortable fourth from Goodhead who had pulled through after being down the pan initially.

So, it was Terry Curtis who walked away with the title of Winter Champion, with Nick Craig having to settle for second and Mike Edwards in third.

Thanks must go to the team at Oxford for rescheduling the event so quickly and for their organization and hospitality.

Easter Egg, Waldringfield

11-12 April
by Robert Deaves

Former world champion Nick Craig didn’t have it all his own way in a rare visit to Waldringfield Sailing Club over the Easter weekend. The regatta was characterised by light winds, brilliant sunshine and local knowledge as several times, Craig lost the advantage to local sailors.

The opening race included a long beat from the club line against the tide and while Craig led the fleet along the island, Robert Deaves sailed straight to the opposite shore and popped out at the first mark some 300 metres ahead of Craig to take the race win. In the very short second race, Dan Ager found a shift out of the start to lead at the top mark and with a shortened course at the bottom of the course to make time for tea, there was little anyone could do about it. Ager also won the afternoon race after getting the very important inside overlap on the first downwind mark and leading the rest of the way to take a useful overnight lead.

Sunday morning dawned with a new wind direction and Craig finally getting his act together. A nice little course downstream of the club was set and Craig produced two race wins from Ager and Jon Fish in the light winds with long downwind legs against the flood tide.

The deciding race was between Ager and Craig for the Egg, and with the tide now ebbing made for some interesting tactical decisions upwind. However, once ahead of Ager, Craig stuck to him like glue and looked to be heading for this third win of the day. However, on the final beat Deaves sailed the other side of the island from the fleet and took a 200 metre lead, while Simon Shaw, sailed up the far shore to round the final upwind mark second. Craig finished a distant third with Ager fourth.

So with two race wins apiece between Craig, Ager and Deaves, Craig, sailing a borrowed boat, took the WSC Easter Egg Trophy he last won in 2001.

Upper Thames SC

20/21 June
Report by Terry Curtis

14 OK dinghy sailors competed in the annual event at Upper Thames SC. Racing got underway on Saturday in 5-10 knots of breeze from the west, enabling race officer Nigel Garland to start the fleet from the club line with a long beat upstream adding a dogleg in the course to mix things up. The first race was lead from the start by Terry Curtis, followed by Alan Atkin and Julian Burnham. Curtis extended his lead through the race to win comfortably from Burnham with Simon Davis pulling through from an average start to finish 3rd with Atkin dropping to 4th.

Burnham hit the front first in race 2 building up a good lead on the first lap. Curtis started to reel him in, but couldn’t get close enough to challenge the lead leaving Burnham to take the bullet & lead overnight, once again Simon Davis finished 3rd.

The evening festivities lasted well into the early hours, Sundays 10.30 start time arrived all too soon for some. Simon Davis took the first race from the gun extending his lead to finish way out in front Curtis, Burnham & Alan Atkin battled it out for second, with Curtis coming out on top from Burnham & Atkin.

Davis clearly had the bit between his teeth leading the fleet off the line to take his second bullet of the day, leaving the same 3 fighting it out for second. The Wind dropped, then shifted southerly filling in from behind on the run, turning the fleet inside out. Curtis held on to second with Roy Burnham overhauling his son to take 3rd.

Going into the last race it was wide open with Curtis, Julian Burnham & Davis all within a point. Davis once again lead the fleet off the line & rounded first closely followed by Burnham with Curtis some way back. Curtis clawed his way back into contention finally overhauling Davis to take the lead on the third beat. Curtis took the gun & the Yeatman bowl for the event from Davis & Burnham who finished up on equal points – Davis winning on the countback.

Jackie Howden presentated a new Trophy – The Windfall Cup for the first race of the event in the memory of her Late Husband Jim who had been a stalwart of the class at Upper Thames for some 30 years.

Jim won the first race in the 2008 event in spite of suffering with ill health, but sadly passed away later in the year after losing his fight with cancer. He will not be forgotten at Upper Thames or in the OK class.

Hunstanton

15/16 August
Report by Keith Byers

This event was scheduled for 6 races over the two days of 15/16 August. Competitors were met on Saturday with wind gusting into a force 6 and large waves coming from various directions making the conditions extremely challenging. Conditions that would prove too much for the RS700 fleet who didn’t manage a start.

Race 1 – saw current national champion Terry Curtis 1st round the windward mark and promptly (and uncharactaristically) capsize. Edwards and Fish rounded second together with Edwards forgetting to duck as he tacked resulting in a swim. The main pack of the fleet hurtled towards the jibe mark, close in shore, with trepidation, the first few stalwarts including Jon Fish and Keith Byers successfully jibed but never have so many OK been capsized round one mark – keeping saftey boat crew entertained. During this race the run proved to be very testing with many experienced sailors being caught out by the gusty conditions and large waves. Jon Fish finished in first, closely followed by Keith Byers and Dan Ager third.

Race 2 – continued the days sailing in equally challenging conditions. Fish capsized as the gun went leaving him well back, with Curtis once again rounding the windward mark in first place, hotly pursued by Scholes, Edwards and Byers. Curtis retained his position finishing in first place, Edwards closely behind, capsized on the run letting Byers through into second place with Scholes in third.

Race 3 – won once again by Curtis, with Fish in second place and Gavin Waldron in third. This completed sailing for day 1 – all competitors having the opportunity to swim at least part of the course during the day. Once ashore the fleet took the opportunity to repair damaged gear and unfortunately, for Tony Wood, to pack up due to a broken mast.

Race 4 – racing resumed on Sunday in more moderate conditions, started in a pleasant wind force 3 – 4, with Curtis once again dominating the race from the start. Scholes showing good speed was followed by Edwards and Byers. These placings held until the finish.

Race 5 – saw a duel between Curtis and Scholes for the windward mark and subsequent reaches. Racing continued to be closely contested with big wind shifts a feature catching many sailors out. Final positions were Curtis, Scholes, Waldron and Byers.

Race 6 – racing was much closer due to decreasing wind conditions. Curtis rounded first, followed by Byers, Scholes and Edwards. On the first reach Scholes overtook Byers, and on the subsequent run Edwards slithered through to third. These results held to the finish.

So, following his seventh place at the Worlds in Sweden a few weeks ago, Curtis proved too quick for the rest. A big thanks must go to Hunstanton SC for putting on a great weekends sailing, in particular the race officer, rescue teams who were kept very busy on the Saturday and the onshore crew who ensured we all got off the beach and got back onto the beach safely.

South Staffs SC

18 October
Report by Mike Edwards

Pictures at picasaweb

Twenty OK sailors turned out for the annual late season open meeting at South Staffs SC, to be greeted as warmly as ever with free cups of tea and coffee and tasty bacon rolls. Some had come from far and wide, from the south coast, Lincolnshire and the northwest. Two of entrants were ex OK World Champions, plus one of the top GP14 sailors in the country giving the OK a try. Light winds were forecast and light winds we got!

Race 1
Got away at the second time of asking following the inevitable general recall. With several converging at the windward mark together, it was Mike Edwards who rounded first closely followed by Nick Craig, Mike Senior and Jim Hunt. Over the next few legs these four pulled out a decent lead on the rest. Craig and Senior picked the shifts correctly to overhaul Edwards on the second lap, but Edwards and Hunt were never too far behind. At the final mark Craig and Senior were locked together and battle commenced! A tacking match ensued with Craig just managing to cover Senior to the finish to win, with Edwards third, Hunt fourth and Tony Woods fifth.

Race 2
Following and excellent South Staffs lunch race two got away first time with a couple needing to go back. Upwind was proving to be very tricky, with many shifts to contend with. Senior clearly enjoying the OK and the conditions rounded first followed by Craig, super veteran Alan Atkin and Hunt. Edwards was forced to spin after not noticing Neil Goodhead coming in on starboard. As the race developed, Senior using his local knowledge built a healthy lead on Craig and Hunt. A lead his was to easily hold to the finish, from Craig, Hunt, Atkin and Goodhead.

Race 3
The final race of the day was all about two people, Craig and Senior! Would Senior manage to win at his first attempt at an OK event and beat a three time OK World Champion to do it? Craig was up for it and tracked Senior before the start. Another tricky first beat and Goodhead finally showing true form rounded first from Woods, Craig and Gavin Waldron, with Senior a little way down the order. All was well until Goodhead rounded the second windward mark the wrong way, with Waldron, Craig and Edwards following on behind. Senior spotted the mistake and rounded correctly to quickly build a decent lead. Craig and Waldron managed to unravel themselves but were left well down. Senior crossed the finish line to win the race and the event with Hunt finishing in second and Craig coming through to take a determined third from Woods.

Everyone came ashore quickly in order to capitalize on the famous South Staffs afternoon tea, with a seemingly greater selection of cakes than ever!

So, congratulations to Mike Senior who took first prize in only his second time in an OK, against pretty talented and experienced competition. Craig finished a frustrating second from Jim Hunt in third and Mike Edwards fourth. Alan Atkin at 69 years of age took the senior prize finishing in a terrific sixth place overall and the Dave Danbury junior prize went to Ed Dutton from South Staffs.

A big thank you from the OK Class to the race team, galley and bar staff at South Staffs for laying on the usual quality event.