OK Open Meetings

Report reproduced by kind permission from the OK Dinghy UK website http://www.okdinghy.co.uk/

Report: Dan Ager, Photo Gallery

24 OKs turned up at Ardleigh Sailing Club on the 9th February to take part in the next round of the Winter Cup and the Winter Championships. Very welcome sunshine but uncharacteristically light winds were a feature of the day.

The first race held in 10kts of breeze was lead by the newly sylph like John Ball for the first round, closely followed by Dan Ager. Those two pulled away from the rest of the fleet. Ball let Ager through on the beat of the second round, who went on to win quite comfortably. The rest of the fleet caught up to Ball, with Nick Craig coming through to second and Homer Goodhead third.

The second race started with the wind decreasing. Craig was first to the windward mark and sailed on with little difficulty to win. Tony Woods a little way behind but retained a comfortable second place. The third position was taken by junior Jake Cracknell, who battled round with and had the better of Jon Fish in 4th, Robert Deaves in 5th and Ball in 6th.

The wind held for the duration of the final race which was thankfully shortened just as the wind was about to disappear completely. Will Turner decided that his own boat wasn't fast enough for his liking and swapped boats with his father. He might have been right as he got a second place. Craig winning after coming through following an average first beat. Woods getting third from the consistent Ball in 4th and Ager in 5th.

Craig won the event for the second year running from a competitive fleet of the usual names, newcomers to the class and some good juniors.

Ardleigh Sailing Club OK Open Summer 2007

A good turnout of 18 OKs, including 8 from the home club made their way to Ardleigh S.C. to be greeted by a warm welcome and the sunshine ration of summer '07. Unfortunately though wind was in short supply, and after several abortive attempts to start race one Race Officer Steve Ede postponed for lunch.

When race one finally got underway in a gentle afternoon breeze, Will Turner rounded the windward mark first followed by Terry Curtis and Nick Craig. Neil Goodhead was heard cursing the randomness of it all. John Ball picked up some pressure downwind to take the lead by the leeward mark, and the first six boats rounded in a tight bunch. Everything was up for grabs in the light, shifty conditions and Neil Goodhead shot straight to the front of the pack, proclaiming "It's easy if you know where you're going." Once again the front boats rounded the last mark nose-to-tail, and after a frantic roll-tacking duel up the last beat Mike Edwards emerged to take the gun seconds ahead of Turner, with Goodhead in 3rd and Craig 4th.

Race two started with both ends of the line looking favoured, depending on where you were at the time! A rusty Will Turner was left doing spins having infringed Goodhead at the pin, who emerged with Andy Turner to lead up the first beat. As the wind began to peter out on the second lap, the race developed into a three-way duel between light weather specialists Goodhead and Turner and World Championship specialist Craig. Craig came out on top, Goodhead and Turner drifting in shortly afterwards in 2nd and 3rd respectively. The fleet made a bee-line for the shore rather than facing the prospect of a third race as what was left of the breeze faded.

It was a shame the wind didn't play ball for the day, as the race organisation was excellent and the good sized fleet made for some tight racing all over the course.