European Championship 2014

22.7. André Budzien leads after mixed bag on first day at OK Europeans in Steinhude

André Budzien (GER), the 2012 World Champion leads Greg Wilcox (NZL) the 2002 World Champion and Bo Petersen (DEN) the defending European champion after the first two races at the 2014 OK Dinghy European Championship in Steinhude, Germany.

It was a very hot and tricky 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.

In the Blue group, Jørgen Svendsen (DEN), father of Frederik, battled at the front with André Budzien (GER) 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.

Von Zimmermann 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 Paweł 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.

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.

23.7. Defending champion Bo Petersen leads after perfect day's racing at OK Dinghy Europeans in Steinhude

Steinhuder Meer produced its best for the second day of racing at the OK Dinghy European Championship with two races held in glorious sunshine, with wall to wall blue skies and 10-12 knots of warm wind. Defending champion Bo Petersen (DEN) has taken the lead from André Budzien (GER) and Greg Wilcox (NZL). Race wins went to Budzien, Jørgen Svendsen (DEN), Jørgen Lindhardtsen (DEN) and Jim Hunt (GBR).
If the sailors take one lesson from racing on Steinhuder Meer, it would be that it's never over until it's over and that you can never be sure of your position until you cross the finish line. OK, so that's two lessons, but most of the sailors today learned many more lessons in the shifty, patchy winds that kept everyone guessing until the very end.

Overall leader this morning, André Budzien (GER) was in Yellow fleet and took the opening race from Frederik Svendsen (DEN) and Jørgen Svendsen (DEN). The father turned the tables on his son in the second race with Jørgen winning from Frederik. Paweł Pawlaczyk (POL) crossed in third, while Budzien could only finish tenth to lose the overall lead.

While the conditions were still challenging with major windshifts and pressure changes, Steinhude produced some great sailing conditions with temperatures in the high 20s and with winds gusting to 15 knots during the second race, though again there were times when the wind dropped out and it was a guessing game to pick the right side. There were always some substantial gains and losses to be made, but the favourites almost always made their way toward the front.

Simon Cox (GBR) provided the 'tween race entertainment. Trying to change his mast chocks he managed to fall over the bow as the wind caught the sail and the boat capsized on top of him. He then capsized at least three more times trying to regain his composure. Luckily the water here is so shallow he managed to walk round his boat each time to aid recovery.

In Blue fleet the first race was a battle between Oliver Gronholz (GER), Jørgen Lindhardtsen (DEN) and Bo Petersen (DEN). It was tight but eventually Lindhardtsen took the bullet from Gronholz and Petersen. The left side was generally proving to be the best, but Jim Hunt (GBR) favoured the right on the first race of the second race to lead at top mark from Petersen and Greg Wilcox (NZL). Hunt and Petersen pulled away and had a tough fight for the whole race, but on the final beat Hunt made a few gains and Wilcox almost caught Petersen before they ran out of race track.

After one more race a discard will also come into effect, which will bring several sailors to the front and set the scene for the gold and silver fleets on Friday and Saturday. The top three are pretty consistent, but in the winds experienced so far with 40 degree shifts and 10 knots pressure variation across the course anything can happen.

On Wednesday evening the sailors were ferried in open boats to Wilhelmstein Island, a picturesque island in the middle of Steinhuder Meer that was formerly a fortress and a refuge for the citizens of Steinhude in times of seige. The sailors enjoyed a fabulous dinner with the lake lapping at the island's shores. Numerous sailors tried to circumnavigate the island on foot, perhaps encouraged by the copious volumes of free beer supplied by the event organisers. Most returned safely, though the walk only lasted about five minutes. It is not a large island.
Racing continues Thursday from 12.00, with a similar forecast to the past two days.
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.

24.7. Jørgen Svendsen new leader at OK Dinghy Europeans as Steinhude turns it up

Jørgen Svendsen (DEN) has taken a three point lead at the OK Dinghy European Championship in Steinhude, Germany after two race wins as the winds peaked out at 26 knots on a tough day for the fleet. André Budzien (GER) is still in second with defending champion Bo Petersen (DEN) down to third.

Just when the OK Dinghy fleet thought it couldn't get any better, Steinhude turned it up again. The forecast 12-15 knots turned into 15-20 knots at the end of the first race and then increased further for the start of race two. The sun was also out for most of the day for a near perfect day's sailing. Of course it was still as shifty as ever and the short, steep chop tested the stamina of the sailors with more than a few going for an unscheduled swim/walk in the shallow waters of the lake.

Defending champion Bo Petersen (DEN) dominated race 5 in the Yellow fleet, rounding the top mark just behind Paweł Pawlaczyk (POL). Petersen was leading by the gybe mark and extended for an easy win. Will Turner (GBR) occupied second for much of the race, though he was almost caught by Robert Deaves (GBR) who crossed third, after defending from Pawlaczyk in a very close fourth. Petersen pulled out of race 6 with a broken kicker on the first reach and the battle at the front was beween Pawlaczyk, Oliver Gronholz (GER) and early leader Gunter Arndt (GER). With the wind now well over 20 knots it was a gruelling race with spectacular downwinds. On the final beat Gronholz went slightly further to the left and crossed back to win from Arndt who went right and Pawlaczyk, who was more in the middle.

The Blue fleet was great preparation for the gold fleet racing starting tomorrow with most of the favourites racing each other at the front. Jim Hunt (GBR) led race 5 from Greg Wilcox (NZL) and André Budzien (GER). Along with Jørgen Svendsen (DEN) and Jørgen Lindhardtsen (DEN) they sailed their own race ahead of the pack, always very close. On the final upwind Svendsen and Budzien took a risk on the right and came back on a 40 degree shift for first and second while Hunt took third. The same five were at the front in race 6, with Hunt again leading for much of the race. However he got stuck on the downwind and passed by Svendsen. All five finished within 10 boatlengths with Svendsen taking his second bullet of the day from Budzien and Lindhardtsen.

The fleet is now split into Gold and Silver fleets for the remaining four races over Friday and Saturday. Svendsen has a three point lead, while just 27 points separate the top 10, so there is still plenty of racing to come. Five of the top 10 are already discarding a high or letter score, so there could be some movement if they are not too careful. There are also only four points from 10th to 15th which should produce an exciting conclusion.

This championship has highlighted the diversity within the class. For example there are seven women competing this year, probably a record for a major OK Dinghy class championship. The highest placed is Juliane Hofmann (GER) in 51st place and in the Gold fleet. She is also the new secretary of OKDIA. There are also three aged, all wooden boats, including spars, competing, often mixing it with modern boats and rigs. Though likened to pieces of furniture by those sailors they have overtaken, they remain reasonably competitive in the right conditions and the right hands. It can be rather disconcerting to find yourself behind a dinghy built before you were born, as many have found out this week. The sailors here range from 17 to 72 and every age in between and from 60kg to 120kg. If the OK Dinghy is one thing is it inclusive.

As this goes out Steinhude is recovering from a massive storm which flooded the boat park and camping areas. It is still and very quiet apart from another free banquet in the tent by the lake, with a band providing entertainent. The forecast for the coming days suggests not a lot of wind, but every day so far there has been more than has been forecast. Racing continues Friday from 12.00.