Please select your home edition
Edition
A+T Instruments BFD 2024 Leaderboard

Nick Craig Interviews Ben Flower on his experience at the PRO-SET Epoxy OK class UK Nationals

by Nick Craig 6 Aug 2024 09:40 PDT 18-21 July 2024
Ben Flower - PRO-SET Epoxy OK class UK National Championships at Brixham © Tom Wild

Ben Flower is one of the hottest young sailing talents in the UK who loves sailing a variety of boats. Whilst he isn't Olympic campaigning a Laser, he has this year alone won the D-Zero and RS Aero 9 Europeans, and recently borrowed an OK and came fourth at the Nationals on his first outing in a fleet of 38 boats.

Nick Craig caught up with Ben on his thoughts on the OK after the Nationals to get his thoughts on the class and the boat.

Nick: What had you heard about the OK before the Nationals?

Ben: Fortunately I have had the privilege of knowing several OK sailors for many years now with Charlie Cumbley competing in the class at the highest standard when I was just starting to sail at his home club of Teign Corinthian. I was tempted into the class by Nick Craig and Henry Wetherell mostly with them both being former World Champions in the OK I wanted to take on the challenge so when the nationals were to be hosted in the beautiful waters on the English Riviera I knew I had to try and get my hands on a boat.

Nick: Having sailed an OK, what are you impressions?

Ben: It's amazing how different classes of boat that look similar to sail can be so different to sail. I've been luckily enough in the past year to compete in the Aero, D-Zero, ILCA, OK & Solo all of which are single handed, single sailed hiking boats but the OK is certainly the most technical and tweaky boat out of those 5 which is certainly an area in which I want to improve in my sailing career currently. It means that knowledge can overcome fitness which made me have to really think specifically about the rig set up which is something I have overlooked in the past.

Nick: You won the newcomer trophy with an impressive 4th place, the best result by a newcomer for many years. The OK is notoriously difficult to jump in as it has a narrow and nebulous groove upwind and downwind needs smooth, in rhythm steering rather than aggressive kinetics. How did you get up to speed so quickly?

Ben: I was fortunate enough to have a Nick Craig to advise me on shore for getting up to speed, but I made sure I launched early each day to get out and sail in the conditions and try and also look at what the fast guys were doing and trying to replicate this before races commenced to see how it felt.

Nick: How was the quality of racing?

Ben: The depth in the fleet in all conditions is impressive, especially in a venue like Torbay with frequent shifts it meant there was always one of the top five boats rounding the windward mark outside the top ten. I believe I rounded the windward mark inside the top ten on only two occasions throughout the regatta. The fleet is friendly but they race hard but at the same time the majority of the sailors look at the big picture and not individual battles.

Nick: Having attending the class dinner, what do you think of the socials and fleet?

Ben: Apart from being called Bender all night it was an enjoyable evening! The banter and friendliness was very welcoming especially from those I had never met before. It was fantastic to hear about stories from previous events in the OK where some of the socials sounded like really good fun. Brixham YC always hosts a fantastic meal and that was on display again with some fantastic food.

Nick: Will you do more OK sailing?

Ben: The plan is to yes, like I previously stated it's a class of boat that requires a different approach to what I am used to in the ILCA. Purchasing a competitive boat might be out the question at the moment with my main focus on Olympic campaigning for 2028 but once I finish Olympic campaigning it's certainly a boat I would like to own. However my plan is to attend the OK Europeans later this year and hopefully the World Championships in Garda in 2025.

Nick: What's next for you on the sailing front Ben?

Ben: I've taken a few months out the ILCA to give my body and mind a rest from focusing on the ILCA but also keeping my head in the sailing world by racing several other boats such as the OK. My plan is to finish these few months off with the Aero World Championships at the end of August proceeded by getting back in the ILCA in early September.

Nick: What are your long-term sailing dreams?

Ben: Since as early as I can remember I've wanted to win an Olympic gold medal before I even stepped foot in a boat and since I started sailing about 10 years ago that has been my number 1 goal in life. As long as I'm getting fitter and getting wiser that will be my aim until my body starts to fall apart!

Nick: Having borrowed one of my boats, just how impressed are you with my boat maintenance skills?

Ben: It's certainly not the worst I've seen but far from the best. However that is made up by the tool box and knowledge at hand.

Related Articles

2025 Thailand OK Dinghy Open Championship
The first OK class event to be held at Royal Varuna YC in 35 years A small but select group of sailors gathered for the first OK class event to be held at Royal Varuna YC in 35 years, including two visitors from India. Posted on 25 Mar
Entry open for all 2025 OK Dinghy Major Events
The Worlds on Lake Garda is expected to be biggest OK Dinghy event of all time The 2025 OK Dinghy season has all the hallmarks of being another epic year for the class with record turnouts forecast at some iconic venues across Europe. Posted on 20 Mar
Ovington Inland Championships at Grafham
110 sailors spread across 83 boats and 6 classes attended It was great to see over 110 sailors spread across 83 boats and six classes for the Ovington Inland championship. This regatta has become a season opener for our classes over the years and whilst the sun was out, the temperatures stayed down. Posted on 20 Mar
OK Inlands at Grafham
The Ovington Regatta has become a regular and popular fixture on the OK calendar With 30 competitors entered and a good, albeit cold forecast, it was looking like it was going to be a great first event of 2025. Posted on 19 Mar
Entry open for 2025 OK Dinghy Worlds on Lake Garda
The expression of interest survey attracted 259 sailors from 18 countries Entry has officially opened for the 2025 OK Dinghy World Championship, to be held on Lake Garda from 12-19 September, hosted by Circolo Vela Arco. Posted on 4 Mar
Nick Craig talks about the International OK Dinghy
The multiple World, European and UK dinghy champion chats about the enduring appeal of the class Mark Jardine, Managing Editor of Sail-World.com and YachtsandYachting.com chats with multiple World, European and UK dinghy champion Nick Craig about the enduring appeal of the International OK dinghy, with the class approaching 70 years old. Posted on 25 Feb
New Zealand OK Nationals at Queen Charlotte
Picton hosts the first nationals on the south island since 1984 The 2025 New Zealand OK Dinghy Nationals at Queen Charlotte Yacht Club was the best championship regatta I have been to since my own boat club hosted the 2019 Worlds. And that was not what I expected... Posted on 25 Feb
Sail Port Stephens 2025 preview
Full speed ahead for new-look event With Sail Port Stephens 2025 starting in just over five weeks away, change is in the air and all the signs are pointing to another record year of demand and growth for an event that has been on a continual trajectory for 18 straight years. Posted on 23 Feb
OK class at the RYA Dinghy & Watersports Show
Showing the ever popular Ovington OK which has had a new deck moulding With the first signs of spring starting to appear, the OK class is getting ready for what is often seen as the preparatory signal for the new season - the RYA Dinghy & Watersports Show. Posted on 19 Feb
P&B POSH preview
Paignton Open for Single Handers will also host the Fire Nationals Paignton Sailing Club are pleased to announce that entries are now open for their 2025 POSH regatta being held on the 10th and 11th May and this year is being sponsored by P&B. Posted on 17 Feb
C-Tech 2021 (Spars-QFX Racer) 728x90 BOTTOMNorth Sails Loft 57 PodcastSea Sure 2025