OK Spring Cup at Medemblik, Holland

by Richard Burton 9 May 2017 21:10 BST 5-7 May 2017

OK Spring Cup at Medemblik © Will Loy

OK Spring Cup at Medemblik © Rodney Tidd

43 boats entered the OK Spring Cup this year, a sizeable number considering the amount of European boats in containers on their way to Barbados for the upcoming World Championship.

Straight out the blocks Jim Hunt, current World Champion, took the initiative with 3 bullets on day one in his new Ovington built OK. Behind him Charlie Cumbley led the chasing pack with 4 time World Champion Nick Craig remaining consistent just behind at the close of day 1. With the well known hospitality of the Dutch, the OK fleet took full advantage and many where seen dancing the night away to a Bee Gee’s tribute band, but where were the Solos?

After much tomfoolery, where UK Vice Chairman Dave Bourne woke up shrink-wrapped into his van and his boat suffering a similar fate in celebration of his upcoming nuptials, the fleet launched into a freshening breeze. Richard 'Burt' Burton clearly had a straight head on out the blocks and took the first bullet of the day in his Idol Composites, Idol 1 shape. Jim had something to say about this and consequently won the next 2 races, demonstrating epic upwind speed, Burt managed to keep Jim honest with Charlie maintaining his consistency. Overnight it left Jim in prime spot to win and Charlie with a point lead for 2nd from Burt.

Again with some late night antics, some slightly zombie-like figures appeared the next morning for the conclusion of the Spring Cup with only 2 races to face. Jim demonstrated why he is World Champion and how hard he will be to beat in a few weeks winning both races. Charlie held onto 2nd in the lighter airs while Burt fought off the lightweight Craig for 3rd overall.

The whole fleet had great fun at this stalwart venue where the social is just as important as the sailing with a chance to meet old friends and make new ones, if they can be remembered the next day that is...

OK Spring Cup at Medemblik - photo © Will Loy

Overall Results:

Pos	Sail No	Helm	R1	R2	R3	R4	R5	R6	R7	R8	Pts
1	GBR 11	Jim Hunt	1	1	1	‑4	1	1	1	1	7
2	GBR 1	Charlie Cumbley	2	2	‑3	3	3	2	2	2	16
3	GBR 2183	Richard Burton	‑7	4	2	1	2	4	4	6	23
4	GBR 2195	Nick Craig	4	3	4	2	‑6	5	3	3	24
5	GBR 85	David Kenneth Carrol	‑14	5	7	5	4	6	6	4	37
6	GBR 69	Terry Curtis	3	9	5	10	5	3	‑16	11	46
7	GBR 21	Chris Arnell	8	6	10	7	10	‑14	11	5	57
8	GBR 3	Simon Cowood	‑16	7	9	8	7	8	5	13	57
9	GBR 17	Dave Poyane	6	11	8	6	8	13	7	‑14	59
10	GBR 2179	Tony Woods	11	‑12	6	11	9	12	10	9	68
11	GBR 2185	Ed Bradburn	10	10	12	14	(bfd)	9	9	12	76
12	GBR 13	Alex Scoles	‑20	14	13	17	11	7	8	7	77
13	GER 803	Martin van Zimmerman	9	15	15	16	12	10	‑19	15	92
14	GER 790	Thorsten Schmidt	‑23	18	17	15	14	15	13	8	100
15	GBR 2042	Luke Gower	5	8	14	9	(dnc)	dnc	14	10	104
16	GBR 84	Ben Steel	‑22	13	11	12	13	16	20	21	106
17	GER 690	Carsten Sass	17	17	16	18	18	‑21	18	17	121
18	GBR 67	Andy Rushworth	15	32	(dnf)	13	17	19	12	19	127
19	GBR 2189	Duncan Ellis	19	19	18	(dnc)	15	24	15	20	130
20	NED 667	Hessel Hoekstra	29	16	21	‑30	21	22	17	18	144
21	NED 670	Peter vd Schaaf	13	20	20	19	‑31	20	29	27	148
22	GER 791	Frank Strelow	24	21	19	25	(bfd)	26	21	16	152
23	GBR 18	Deryck Lovegrove	‑32	25	27	20	20	18	24	23	157
24	GER 784	Claus Stockhardt	‑33	29	23	24	22	17	25	22	162
25	BEL 230	Jacques Pirenne	‑26	23	24	22	23	23	23	24	162
26	GER 746	Axel Fischer	18	24	26	28	(bfd)	31	28	26	181
27	NED 669	Sybren Hornstra	30	28	25	‑37	26	25	22	25	181
28	DEN 70	Bo Jensen	25	26	28	‑35	28	29	27	31	194
29	GBR 2136	N Logan	31	33	29	26	25	28	(dnc)	29	201
30	GBR 999	Simon Davis	21	22	(dnf)	23	19	dnc	dnc	dnc	217
31	GER 773	Ralf Mackmann	(dnc)	dnc	dnc	21	16	11	dnc	dnc	224
32	GER 11	Rainer Pospiech	12	27	22	33	(dnc)	dnc	dnc	dnc	226
33	NED 609	Willem Dijkstra	‑35	34	31	34	30	33	33	33	228
34	GBR 2178	Rodney Tidd	28	30	(dns)	27	dnc	dnc	26	32	231
35	GBR 99	Andrew Martin	(dnc)	dnc	dnc	29	29	27	30	28	231
36	BEL 207	Francois Podevyn	34	35	30	32	33	32	(dnc)	dnc	240
37	GBR 2131	Sam Woods.	(dns)	dnc	dnc	36	27	30	31	30	242
38	SWE 2786	Sipke Hoekstra	(dnc)	dnc	dnc	31	24	dnc	dnc	dnc	275
39	GER 783	Pich Andreas	27	31	(dnc)	dnc	dnc	dnc	dnc	dnc	278
40	BEL 221	Philp Cowes	(dnc)	dnc	dnc	39	32	34	dnc	dnc	281
41	GER 651	Frederik Roentgen	(dnc)	dnc	dnc	dnf	dnc	dnc	32	dnc	296
42	NED 668	H Rijnink	(dnc)	dnc	dnc	38	dnc	dnc	dnc	dnc	302
43	GBR 46	Ken Carroll	(dnc)	dnc	dnc	dnc	dnc	dnc	dnc	dnc	308