OK Dinghy European Championship - Hot and tricky day 1 in Steinhude

by Robert Deaves on 23 Jul 2014

2014 OK Dinghy European Championship Day 1 Ania Pawlaczyk

At the OK Dinghy European Championship, it was a very hot and tricky first day with the highly changeable winds producing a very mixed bag of results for most of the competitors as the hot German wind laid on challenging conditions for the competitors. But in contrast to recent days there was wind and the fleet set out on time. However, just as the warning signal was about to to be made, the wind switched off and the fleets were made to wait in swelteringly hot conditions for just over an hour.

Then, the wind made a welcome return from the same direction and stabilised at 8-10 knots, though this was just to deceive the sailors as it popped in and out all day long. However, there was enough pressure to run two pretty good races.

Yellow fleet was away first. Frederik Svendsen (DEN) came off pin and favoured the left. Greg Wilcox (NZL), Jim Hunt (GBR), and Bo Petersen (DEN) went right. Svendsen emerged in the lead at the top with Oliver Gronholz (GER) joining the leading group on the second round. However Petersen took lead at top of the second beat after Svendson forgot the spacer mark. Petersen led to the finish to win from Gronholz and Svendsen, while Hunt was scored OCS.

2014 OK Dinghy European Championship Day 1 © Ania Pawlaczyk

In the Blue group, Jorgen Svendsen (DEN), father of Frederik, battled at the front with Andre Budzien (DEN) who had led round the top mark. On the first upwind there was a huge shift to the left and the leaders reached into the mark while the right was stranded. Svendsen eventually won from Budzien and Martin von Zimmermann (GER).

Race 2 started almost immediately to make the best of the wind. Wilcox dominated Yellow fleet, starting in the middle of the line before a long tack to the left. He tacked on the first big shift to be lifted to the top mark. He led all the way round apart from Alex Scoles (GBR) briefly taking the lead on the second beat. Simon Davies (GBR) and Simon Cox (GBR) were also in the mix and rounded out the top four while Petersen moved up to fifth by the end.

Blue fleet started after a slight delay to allow the fleet to get back to the start line. This caused an interesting situation later in the race as the two fleet crossed twice. Robert Deaves (GBR) came of the line near the pin and tacked in the first big shift and had clear air all the way to the top mark. He extended on the reach but then the wind died and filled in from behind. Budzien moved through the fleet and passed Deaves at the end of the second reach. At that point the Yellow fleet was rounding the gate mark to starboard while the Blue fleet was rounding its leeward mark (the same mark) to port. It led to some interesting situations, but everyone was very polite about it! The Race Officer is looking at introducing a second leeward mark on Wednesday to avoid this situation again.

2014 OK Dinghy European Championship Day 1 © Ania Pawlaczyk

Von Zimmerman rounded third and went right to come back well ahead. He led round the remainder of the race, while Tomasz Gaj (POL) led a small group to the right on the final beat and came through on a big pressure shift to cross the finish second, which turned into first as von Zimmermann was over early on the start line. Budzien ended up second with Pawel Pawlaczyk (POL) in third.

Wilcox said of the day, 'It was a shifty nightmare, with the pressure up and down and all over the place. It was pretty warm out there as well. It's going to be a week where keeping the losses to a minimum is going to be crucial. I think pretty much everyone is going to have a good race sometime this week.' It would seem that keeping a sense of humour is also going to be important.

After racing the class held a Special General Meeting to address urgent matters. Among other matters, Juliane Hofmann (GER) was elected as the new secretary of OKDIA, The Netherlands was welcomed back as a full member of OKDIA, personal sail numbers were adopted by the class (subject to National Authority ratification), and the members present presented feedback on OKDIA's development strategy which is being prepared. Hofmann replaces Mary Reddyhoff (GBR) who has been class secretary for seven years. The meeting minuted the class's grateful thanks for all her hard work over many years.

2014 OK Dinghy European Championship Day 1 © Ania Pawlaczyk

Each day after sailing the competitors are greeting by cold beer and hot snacks on the grass by the dinghy park, while each evening dinner is offered in the tent by the lake, all included within the entry fee. There is sunshine, sailing, beer and food, all shared between great friends from across the world. What more do sailors need?

Racing continues Wednesday from 12.00, with a forecast of slightly less wind than today.

Ten races are scheduled for the European Championship from Tuesday 22 July to Saturday 26 July. On the first day, the fleets will be split into two starts based on the latest OK Dinghy World Ranking list, and adjusted each day thereafter based on the overall positions at the end of each day. On the fourth and fifth days, the fleet will be split into gold and silver fleets. The warning signal for racing is scheduled for 12.00 each day.

Place	Sail-Nr.	Helmsman	Club	1.WF	2.WF	Punkte

1	GER-789	André Budzien	SYC	3	2	5,00
2	NZL-544	Greg Wilcox	PSV	5	1	6,00
3	DEN-1431	Bo Petersen	HS	1	5	6,00
4	GBR-2160	Alex Scoles	OSSC	7	2	9,00
5	GER-777	Andreas Pich	LYC	6	4	10,00
6	SWE-2804	Per Jaennsson	SSV	5	5	10,00
7	GER-772	Oliver Gronholz	SSC	2	12	14,00
8	GER-607	Christian Heinze	SCV	10	6	16,00
9	POL-1	Tomasz Gaj	MOS-2	16	1	17,00
10	GER-771	Ralf Mackmann	SCH	12	6	18,00
11	GER-765	Rainer Pospiech	YCBG	4	15	19,00
12	GER-735	Dirk Gericke	SGE	10	11	21,00
13	GER-778	Sönke Behrens	SCOe	15	7	22,00
14	GBR-2169	Will Turner	DSC	8	14	22,00
15	POL-4	Radoslaw Drozdzik	LGT	17	7	24,00
16	GER-731	Thomas Glas	SSC	13	12	25,00
17	POL-14	Pawel Pawlaczyk	JKWP	23	3	26,00
18	DEN-1421	Jesper Strandberg	HSS	11	15	26,00
19	GBR-2156	Robert Deaves	WSC	18	9	27,00
20	DEN-1410	Jens Lauge	HS	15	13	28,00
21	GBR-2158	John Ball	BSC	22	8	30,00
22	GBR-2151	Simon Cox	WSC	27	4	31,00
23	GER-695	Erik Bork	SSCRa	9	22	31,00
24	POL-31	Antoni Pawlowski	AZS	9	23	32,00
25	DEN-1427	Jørgen Svendsen	HS	1	32	33,00
26	DEN-1420	Jørgen Lindhardtsen	HS	25	8	33,00
27	NZL-54	Peter Milne	BRYC	20	16	36,00
28	GER-726	Jörg Sylvester	SSC	17	19	36,00
29	DEN-1393	René Sarabia Johannsen	VSK	8	29	37,00
30	GER-774	Michael Wolf	SSCP	24	13	37,00
31	DEN-1354	Peter Heide	SSS	14	24	38,00
32	DEN-427	Frederik Svendsen		3	37	40,00
33	GER-769	Volker Paatz	SVB	31	10	41,00
34	GER-766	Gunnar Goronzi	SCSt	24	17	41,00
35	GER-761	Stefan Rassau	DYC	23	18	41,00
36	GER-643	Jürgen Illers	SCO	22	19	41,00
37	POL-19	Grzegorz Salamon	HORN	21	20	41,00
38	GBR-2147	Tom Lonsdale	WOSC	16	26	42,00
39	GER-642	Claus Stockhardt	SSCP	13	31	44,00
40	GBR-2167	Lee Child	DSC	7	38	45,00
41	GER-775	Jörg Rademacher	SCSt	35	10	45,00
42	GBR-2084	Keith Byers	MHYC	18	27	45,00
43	DEN-1396	Stig Frandsen	KB	32	14	46,00
44	GER-757	Falk Hagemann	SWS	30	17	47,00
45	GER-606	Katharina Huß	SCFr	12	36	48,00
46	DEN-1315	Bo Reker Andersen	HS	25	26	51,00
47	GBR-2123	Andy Turner	OSSC	6	46	52,00
48	GER-767	Juliane Hofmann	PSV	27	25	52,00
49	SWE-2790	Ulf Sahle	GeSS	26	26	52,00
50	GBR-2141	Simon Davis	UTSC	50	3	53,00
51	DEN-1324	Nicklas Heide	SSS	42	11	53,00
52	GER-727	Frank Strelow	WSVRh	11	43	54,00
53	GER-755	Yves Kaminski	SVEW	29	25	54,00
54	GER-640	Sven Marchot	SGSP	19	37	56,00
55	GER-665	Peter Stephan	SCSt	34	22	56,00
56	DEN-1407	Malte Pedersen	RYCS	48	9	57,00
57	GER-567	Jan Beckmann	SVPb	39	20	59,00
58	GER-662	Gerd Breitbart	SCOe	44	16	60,00
59	DEN-1335	Mogens Johansen	SSSK	26	34	60,00
60	GER-576	Ute Witke	BSC	38	23	61,00
61	SWE-2741	Ulf Dagerbrant	USS	33	28	61,00
62	GER-750	Dirk Dame	SVM	30	31	61,00
63	GER-693	Martin von Zimmermann	SCOe	2	OCS	62,00
64	GBR-2145	Tony Woods	GSC	39	24	63,00
65	GER-787	Ralf Tietje	SVG	28	35	63,00
66	GBR-2162	Jim Hunt	BSC	4	OCS	64,00
67	SWE-2810	Johannes Dagerbrant	USS	19	45	64,00
68	GER-748	Wilhelm Kath	SVN	21	44	65,00
69	SWE-2788	Magnus Gillgren	GeSS	31	34	65,00
70	POL-7	Marek Bernat	KKSWO	49	18	67,00
71	BEL-220	Ronny Poelman	KLYC	37	30	67,00
72	BEL-151	Paul Bouts	RYCM	35	32	67,00
73	FRA-1823	Guillaume De Kervenoael	ABCV	20	49	69,00
74	GER-688	Ronald Foest	DRS	28	41	69,00
75	GBR-2139	Kenneth Carroll	AWSC	33	36	69,00
76	GER-697	Jörg Posny	SCSt	34	35	69,00
77	GBR-2154	Simon Cowood	NSC	41	29	70,00
78	GER-653	Susanne Mackmann	SCSt	44	27	71,00
79	SWE-2803	Mårten Bernesand	SSV	45	28	73,00
80	GER-788	Kai Nickelkoppe	SCS	14	OCS	74,00
81	GER-633	Cornelia Wirbeleit	SWS	41	33	74,00
82	FRA-1820	Raymond Dodard	AVA	48	30	78,00
83	GER-649	Kai Wehmhörner	SSCRa	45	33	78,00
84	GER-690	Carsten Saß	ZSK	36	42	78,00
85	POL-21	Waldemar Czyz	HORN	36	43	79,00
86	GBR-2155	Robert Bourne	URYC	42	38	80,00
87	GER-740	Gunter Arndt	FYC	OCS	21	81,00
88	GBR-2080	Paul Pike	CSC	32	49	81,00
89	BEL-214	Paul Verrijdt	KLYC	40	41	81,00
90	GER-539	Uli Borchers	SCSt	43	39	82,00
91	GBR-2163	Gavin Waldron	MHYC	37	48	85,00
92	DEN-1432	Ralph Eriksen	SB	43	42	85,00
93	GER-783	Karsten Kath	SVN	47	39	86,00
94	SWE-2796	Bengt Larsson	SS Kaparen	29	RET	89,00
95	GBR-2142	Ian Harris	BCYC	46	44	90,00
96	BEL-203	Joost Rommelaere	KLYC	52	40	92,00
96	POL-201	Darius Heinemann	AZS	52	40	92,00
98	POL-1361	Zbigniew Dryzner	JKK	46	47	93,00
99	GER-734	Jessica Finke	SKM	47	47	94,00
100	GER-630	Norbert Petrausch	TSVS	51	45	96,00
101	NED-638	Robert Bancken	WVB	50	46	96,00
102	GER-651	Heinz Ridder	SVPb	49	48	97,00
103	NZL-553	Finn Gheury	DWSC	38	OCS	98,00
104	POL-58	Michal Gaj	FIRW	40	DSQ	100,00
105	FRA-1053	Francois Podevyn	CVD	53	50	103,00
106	GER-715	Sven Beye	SSC	51	52	103,00
107	GER-749	Jens Wehmeier	SGH 1978	54	50	104,00
108	BEL-1	Rod Andrew	SNEH	53	51	104,00
109	BEL-29	Johanna Andrew-Becker	SNEH	55	DNC	115,00
110	DEN-1369	Christian Hedlund	HS	DNC	DNC	120,00
110	GER-762	André Hennings	CKA	DNC	DNC	120,00
110	POL-10	Janusz Stobinski	AZS	DNC	DNC	120,00
110	POL-16	Marek Jarocki	ZLKS	DNC	DNC	120,00
110	POL-40	Robert Swiecki	MOS-2	DNC	DNC	120,00
110	SWE-2775	Johnny Billström	SSV	DNC	DNC	120,00
110	POL-333	Mieczyslaw Poplonyk	AZS	DNC	DNC	120,00
110	UKR-8	Mykyta Bushtian	BSYC	DNC	DNC	120,00