Please select your home edition
Edition
Maritimo 2023 S600 LEADERBOARD

OK Dinghy European Championship at Real Club Náutico de Palma - Day 2

by Robert Deaves 31 Oct 20:27 PDT 30 October - 3 November 2024

Charlie Cumbley, from Britain, leads the OK Dinghy European Championship in Palma after the first three races were sailed on Thursday in Palma Bay. Luke Deegan, from New Zealand, is second, on equal points with Britain's Matt Howard. All three took a race win each.

After the opening day was lost, the forecast came good with a very shifty north-easterly 8-15 knots, which kept everyone on their toes. The race management from the Real Club Nàutico de Palma was slick, with fast turnarounds and just one general recall.

Defending Champion, Cumbley, won the opening race after leading all the way by a comfortable margin. Deegan recovered from around sixth at the top to cross second with Howard third. Cumbley also led the next race, but Deegan passed him at the top of the second upwind and extended downwind for the win. Sweden's Niklas Edlar was also making a charge and just got the overlap on Cumbley at the last leeward mark to take second.

Howard then dominated the final race leading all the way round. Behind him there was an intense scrap with Cumbley climbing up to second and Britain's Andy Davis just pipping Tim Petetin, from France, for third on the finish line.

Matt Howard, "Really tricky day actually, with a north easterly, three races and the last one was an upwind finish, so plenty of upwind, plenty of shifts plenty of pressure. All run really smoothly by the race committee. It was real snake sand ladders today.

"I did all right. The middle race was a bit ropey but the other two were good."

Cumbley, "Really nice breeze, more than I was expecting, so all day hiking which the legs are finding hard. But I won the first race. I kind of got away and there was a group fighting behind me which kept them at bay, which was nice, so nice to start with a race win.

"Then I got a third and a second, so really pleased with that. I was quite lucky as my compass died on the way out, but luckily the shifts were big enough that you could see them with the compass.

"Really good day, great racing, and everyone is competitive, with some new guys that are really quick, Luke in particular, so plenty to look forward to in the next days."

Both Cumbley and Howard have put in a lot of hours in Palma Bay in the Finn in years past. How much of the old Palma knowledge is kicking in? Howard laughed, "Absolutely none at all. I've never raced on that part of Palma Bay, and not much in a north easterly, and it's a lot different watching it than doing it yourself."

Cumbley said, "I came here last month for the J70 Worlds and I was coaching. I did a couple of days in the boat beforehand and we did have a day at the worlds in these conditions. So, I haven't done loads, but at least it's not my first day out there.

"The Finn racing was in a different part of the bay, though still the same geographical features. You had to be relatively punchy to get to the left-hand side, which generally paid, but there was always a right shift that people could get back on so plenty on."

Racing is scheduled to continue at 12.00 on Friday, though racing is currently in the balance with an orange weather alert in place in Palma. A decision will be made in the morning. The event concludes on Sunday 3 November.

Event website including results and notice board: www.regatas.eu/2024-okeuropeans

Related Articles

Single Handed Regatta at Big River Sailing Club
The regatta at Clarence River at Harwood attracted 62 entrants Tucked away in the cane fields on the northern bank of the Clarence River at Harwood, Northern NSW, lies the beautifully groomed parkland and grounds of the Big River Sailing Club. Posted today at 7:51 am
2024 OK Dinghy Europeans at Palma Day 1
Get set, ready... wait Despite a forecast for good wind, the first day of the OK Dinghy European Championship in Palma was abandoned late afternoon with not enough wind to run racing. Posted on 31 Oct
2024 OK Dinghy Europeans at Palma opened
82 sailors from 14 nations complete registration for the event The OK Dinghy European Championship was opened in Palma Tuesday evening with 82 sailors from 14 nations completing registration. Hosted by the Real Club Nàutico de Palma, it will be the first ever international OK Dinghy championship to be held in Spain. Posted on 29 Oct
2024 OK Dinghy Europeans at Palma preview
The event will mark the first ever international OK Dinghy championship to be held in Spain The OK Dinghy European Championship is being held this coming week at the Real Club Nàutico de Palma. Nearly 80 sailors from 14 countries are expected to arrive in Palma in the coming days. Posted on 28 Oct
No let up for the Australian OK Dinghy Class
2025 has the prospect of the Worlds at Lake Garda! Under normal cycles, you would think coming off the back of a home World Championship in Australia, there might be a lull in the OK dinghy class. But now, there is a carrot being dangled - to sail the next worlds at Riva Del Garda, Italy in 2025. Posted on 22 Oct
OK Open at South Staffs
A polar opposite forecast to the youths the day before South Staffs welcomed 13 boats to their annual open meeting on Sunday the 13th October. With a polar opposite forecast to the youths the day before, with wind in the morning rapidly dying to nothing in the afternoon. Posted on 19 Oct
OK Class Youth Championship at South Staffs
Heavy rain before the start and a challenging final race The day started with a postponement of activities for 30 minutes while the wind finally decided to show up and the heavy rain ceased! Posted on 18 Oct
OK class prepare for Ovington Multiclass event
Fleet are all set for training, food and beer in Weymouth this weekend Another weekend and another OK event. Yep, us OK sailors just love being on the water. This time the OK class are heading to Portland for the Ovington Multiclass open at the WPNSA over the weekend of 5th and 6th October. Posted on 2 Oct
OK Scottish Inlands at Loch Earn
Event is a result of growth in the class in Scotland and the North of England While the OK Southern Championships were under way at Stokes Bay SC, the Loch Earn OK fleet hosted a Scottish Inland Champs as part of the recent Loch Earn Final Fling Regatta, building on the successful re-establishment of the OK Scottish Championships. Posted on 1 Oct
Allen OK class UK Southern Championship
Sunday's forecast was a fruity one but 16 keen sailors gathered The weekend of the 28/29th September saw the OK Southerns at Stokes Bay. With two very different days on the forecast 16 keen sailors gathered. Posted on 30 Sep
Maritimo 2023 S600 FOOTERTrinidad and Tobago - Sail Service Stay