OK Dinghy European Championship at Faaborg Sailing Club

OK Dinghy European Championship at Faaborg Sailing Club - Day 3

by Robert Deaves, OKDIA 28 Jul 2017 23:15 BST 26-29 July 2017

There is almost nothing to separate Lars Johan Brodtkorb and Charlie Cumbley at the 2017 OK Dinghy European Championship in Faaborg, Denmark. Another win each leaves them just two points apart and 11 points clear of third placed Bo Petersen, the defending champion.

Only two races out of the scheduled three were sailed on the third day in Faaborg. Brodtkorb and Cumbley took a win each in their group, while in the other group, Johan Bjorling and Jonas Borjesson won one apiece.

With the wind at 10-14 knots and promising more, the first group for Race 6 contained the top three overall and could provide a preview of Saturday's gold fleet races. Cumbley led at the top but Petersen edged ahead at the gybe mark and led most of the way until Brodtkorb took the lead on the final upwind to win, with Cumbley slipping back to third in a close finish. Luke Gower was the early leader in the second group, but Jan Kurfeld took the lead round the second top mark but then lost it to Bjorling in another close finish.

The wind dropped with an approaching cloud but when that passed to the east the wind came back in at 10-14 knots for Race 7. The first group looked like being a runaway win for Borjesson, and he extended until the final upwind, when Kurfeld ground him down and the two crossed the line overlapped, while a third for Thomas Hansson-Mild moved him up to fourth overall. Brodtkorb had rounded the top mark about 20th, but had worked his way through the fleet to finally cross in fourth. The second group was a fight between Mats Caap, Oliver Gronholz and Cumbley. Cumbley trailed them down the reaches but was back in charge on the second upwind to record his third win of the week.

An attempt was made at getting the third race away but a huge shift on the first beat caused the race to be abandoned with Jan-Dietmar Dellas in the lead, and after a further attempt was stopped before the start, further racing was abandoned for the day as the weather won.

Brodtkorb is an unknown in the OK Dinghy class and it showing a remarkable skill in the boat at his first event after just a few days training before this event. He is normally a Europe and Finn sailor, having won two Europe Worlds in recent years.

"I came here because Jesper Strandberg lent me a boat and Jorgen Holm lent me a mast and sail. It was very convenient, because I just sailed the Europe Worlds in Spain and this was on the way home so I just came right here and trained for a few days. I think it's a good boat and is enjoyable, but in the light winds is a bit hard on the downwind."

Jonas Borjesson on day 3 of the OK Dinghy European Championship - photo © Robert Deaves

"I think I have been sailing really well, and some of the sailors here are really good, but in the really shifty conditions I think I made a lot of good decisions, and you will be ahead no matter who you are sailing against. Today I made one bad decision in the second race and that cost me a lot of boats. But a lot of the other boats are doing a lot of good stuff, but different, but on the downwind in light winds I seem to have some issues, but that may just be time in the boat. I can't learn everything in a few days."

On today's races, "In the first race I was near the top, but still I was third at some point. I think the second one was the hard race, and I was fighting all the round to finish fourth. I don't think I could have passed any more boats."

He says he will maybe sail the OK Dinghy in the future given the chance, but his immediate focus is on his studies and the Finn U23 and Gold Cup next month.

On his first OK Dinghy experience, "I am really enjoying it. When you compete with 130 sailors it's great training and a great experience. The sailors are also very nice. I have met many people who shared their ideas and help me as well, and finding out how to sail with a new boat."

The championship is a major triumph for the Danish OK Dinghy association, which has grown at a faster rate than any other national class worldwide in the last few years. Jesper Strandberg has been a large part of that, building some beautiful boats and explained that Faaborg was an easy choice as the venue for the Europeans.

Jesper Strandberg on day 3 of the OK Dinghy European Championship - photo © Robert Deaves

"Faaborg was from the beginning really keen on doing this and they set a new bar for making this kind of event, so they were in the lead over all the other clubs who were interested."

"We expected about 150 boats, but it's been a really nice turn out, but it's nice to see all of our sailing friends from all over Europe."

On sailing in Faaborg, "It's a small area. We always knew it was going to be tricky out there, and it has been shifty, but we have seven races in now out of eight planned, so I think that's really good."

"There are a lot of Danish boats here, about 50. The fleet is really growing in Denmark and so many people want to take a week's vacation to do some OK sailing."

Racing concludes on Saturday with the fleet now split in gold and silver fleets based on their results so far. The forecast is for strong winds, and even though the top two have a nice gap, in the OK fleet take nothing for granted.

Event website with live tracking: 2017.okeuropeans.org

Thomas Hansson-Mild on day 3 of the OK Dinghy European Championship - photo © Robert Deaves

Results after day 3:

Pos	Nat	Sail No	Helm	Q1	Q2	Q3	Q4	Q5	Q6	Q7	Pts
1st	NOR	428	Lars Johan Brodtkorb	1	1	2	2	1	1	‑4	8
2nd	GBR	1	Charlie Cumbley	2	‑3	1	1	2	3	1	10
3rd	DEN	1471	Bo Petersen	‑10	2	3	8	2	2	4	21
4th	SWE	100	Thomas Hanson‑Mild	1	‑9	8	4	3	5	3	24
5th	NZL	573	Luke Gower	‑11	7	2	6	1	3	6	25
6th	SWE	797	Mats Caap	4	7	5	4	‑16	6	2	28
7th	GER	772	Oliver Gronholz	9	4	4	5	‑14	5	3	30
8th	POL	1	Tomasz Gaj	‑27	2	7	3	6	4	10	32
9th	GER	71	Andre Budzien	2	4	8	3	‑10	8	8	33
10th	NZL	566	Greg Wilcox	‑19	3	3	10	4	6	12	38
11th	DEN	1485	Johan Bjorling	8	‑22	11	5	7	1	9	41
12th	GER	3	Wolfgang Hofener	‑16	5	9	7	4	11	5	41
13th	DEN	1450	Anders Andersen	12	1	10	‑19	7	13	6	49
14th	GER	803	Martin von Zimmermann	7	17	9	‑23	11	4	5	53
15th	DEN	10	Jens Lauge	‑34	11	6	1	5	12	20	55
16th	DEN	1495	Jesper Højer	11	12	7	12	10	‑17	11	63
17th	DEN	1397	Henrik Kofoed Larsen	‑28	14	15	2	3	7	25	66
18th	GBR	2179	Tony Woods	13	5	4	23	15	14	‑37	74
19th	POL	14	Pawel Pawlaczyk	‑30	12	16	8	5	20	14	75
20th	GBR	2188	Ian Hopwood	‑59	6	16	10	19	16	10	77
21st	GER	806	Jan Kurfeld	5	(BFD)	1	RET	9	2	2	86
22nd	GBR	21	Christopher Arnell	20	9	22	12	‑23	8	15	86
23rd	DEN	1492	Jesper Bendix	16	11	12	‑29	9	10	28	86
24th	GER	7	Andreas Pich	10	28	13	‑34	21	9	7	88
25th	DEN	1477	Jorgen Holm	17	‑31	10	20	18	15	12	92
26th	DEN	1	Bo Reker Andersen	23	29	18	9	(BFD)	7	8	94
27th	SWE	2803	Marten Bernesand	3	16	27	26	‑31	10	18	100
28th	SWE	59	Lars Edwall	21	10	29	19	8	13	‑43	100
29th	SWE	2830	Jonas Borjesson	‑39	8	14	7	32	39	1	101
30th	GER	775	Jorg Rademacher	32	21	11	13	‑40	12	13	102
31st	GER	5	Ralf Tietje	28	10	17	11	‑35	17	29	112
32nd	DEN	3	Jorgen Svendsen	13	6	5	14	8	(DNC)	DNC	113
33rd	SWE	2788	Jan‑Erik Engholm	6	18	25	‑27	26	20	20	115
34th	SWE	6	Hakan Tornqvist	14	‑34	20	11	12	29	29	115
35th	GBR	2185	Ed Bradburn	22	‑28	18	15	17	18	27	117
36th	GER	789	Ingo Ballerstein	7	24	28	25	12	22	‑36	118
37th	DEN	1433	Henrik Kimmer Petersen	6	25	‑36	16	27	22	23	119
38th	POL	19	Grzegorz Salamon	15	21	28	‑47	15	26	14	119
39th	DEN	140	Jan Hempel Sparsø	25	15	30	‑37	14	18	17	119
40th	GBR	67	Andrew Rushworth	5	40	‑41	16	26	21	13	121
41st	GER	791	Frank Strelow	26	24	14	9	25	‑27	26	124
42nd	GER	731	Thomas Glas	27	20	24	(DNC)	13	23	18	125
43rd	SWE	2812	Stefan Fagerlund	12	29	32	18	‑48	26	9	126
44th	DEN	1442	Peter Heide	22	‑32	19	17	24	30	17	129
45th	SWE	8	Bengt Larsson	15	30	6	‑60	40	19	21	131
46th	POL	7	Marek Bernat	9	13	25	34	36	(DNC)	15	132
47th	DEN	22	Ask Askholm	‑52	18	23	17	24	24	26	132
48th	GBR	2145	Douglas Powell	37	‑47	23	14	20	15	25	134
49th	DEN	1463	Lars Andresen	‑44	13	31	31	27	14	19	135
50th	DEN	703	Christian Thomsen	4	34	38	‑41	19	36	7	138
51st	DEN	1303	John Skjoldby Petersen	17	‑38	22	30	29	30	11	139
52nd	DEN	1304	Christian Midtgaard	29	14	13	41	‑45	9	34	140
53rd	DEN	77	Jesper Strandberg	33	26	26	32	11	23	‑35	151
54th	GER	721	Jørn Wille	20	38	27	15	17	35	‑47	152
55th	POL	44	Przemyslaw Drozdzik	‑40	26	37	33	25	25	16	162
56th	BEL	230	Jacques Pirenne	32	23	20	36	28	‑50	23	162
57th	DEN	1457	Christian Teller	31	27	21	26	‑53	31	27	163
58th	GER	11	Rainer Pospiech	36	17	30	‑38	36	24	21	164
59th	POL	9	Przemysnaw Kryszczynski	(BFD)	20	21	31	51	21	24	168
60th	SWE	3	Jonny Billstrom	26	46	29	20	‑55	25	22	168
61st	DEN	1395	Anders Buhl	19	35	31	39	‑43	11	34	169
62nd	DEN	1454	Fritz Banner Pedersen	‑58	23	41	13	34	46	16	173
63rd	GER	4	Lutz Boguhn	21	19	36	30	39	31	(DNC)	176
64th	SWE	2809	Thomas Skeppmark	30	16	40	18	38	‑45	38	180
65th	DEN	1465	Niels Bjørling	(BFD)	36	15	21	33	28	48	181
66th	DEN	1481	Nils Trolland	38	(BFD)	12	43	34	27	28	182
67th	GER	8	Ronald Foest	42	33	39	22	13	‑52	33	182
68th	DEN	8	Frederik Svendsen	3	8	(DNC)	32	6	DNC	DNC	183
69th	GER	12	Stefan Rassau	18	46	33	22	22	48	(DNC)	189
70th	DEN	1382	Stig Lassen	18	31	44	36	29	‑45	35	193
71st	GER	767	Maja Hansson‑Mild	‑43	32	33	43	18	37	31	194
72nd	GBR	4	Simon Cox	38	‑61	35	35	46	19	22	195
73rd	DEN	1483	Henri Skou	14	30	‑58	28	49	43	33	197
74th	SWE	2804	Ingmar Janson	34	36	26	33	37	33	‑42	199
75th	DEN	1316	Jesper Sommer	‑43	35	42	35	16	37	41	206
76th	DEN	1424	Henrik Hamann	39	39	‑56	38	38	35	19	208
77th	DEN	7	Malte Pedersen	‑45	DP	32	25	41	29	37	208
78th	SWE	20	Stefan Pavia	24	27	19	6	(DNC)	DNC	DNC	210
79th	GBR	2124	Will Croxford	48	‑53	34	27	49	16	36	210
80th	DEN	1396	Stig Frandsen	60	22	40	21	(DNC)	41	30	214
81st	SWE	2749	Jan‑Eric Nystedt	50	19	(BFD)	40	39	32	38	218
82nd	NED	667	Hessel Hoekstra	‑47	15	34	39	42	43	46	219
83rd	SWE	80	Arne Malm	31	41	‑46	24	41	42	40	219
84th	DEN	1430	Rene Brunn	(DSQ)	45	35	29	50	28	32	219
85th	DEN	66	Frank Berg	25	33	37	40	20	(DNC)	DNC	222
86th	DEN	1473	BrianTerp	37	39	43	‑45	28	33	42	222
87th	DEN	1415	Thomas Christensen	44	37	45	‑48	30	41	31	228
88th	DEN	1484	Olof Stenstrom	29	‑55	49	50	35	36	32	231
89th	GER	22	Dirk Gericke	35	25	42	‑56	42	51	40	235
90th	DEN	1441	Peter Korsbjerg	41	42	‑54	51	47	34	24	239
91st	DEN	1482	Tim Normann	36	‑60	38	55	23	39	49	240
92nd	GER	678	Heinz Ridder	49	‑54	43	28	45	34	41	240
93rd	DEN	107	Joe Schubert	33	(BFD)	24	42	22	DNC	54	242
94th	GER	777	Jorg Sylvester	23	‑52	46	44	47	38	45	243
95th	DEN	1392	Poul Vincents	35	‑51	39	49	31	44	51	249
96th	DEN	70	Bo Jensen	41	43	‑52	46	33	50	45	258
97th	DEN	1336	Thomas Kvist	48	45	49	52	‑53	38	30	262
98th	DEN	1333	Mads Bjorndal Robl	‑57	47	53	24	48	47	46	265
99th	DEN	1377	Jonathan Prom Scharff	8	42	17	(DNC)	DNC	DNC	DNC	268
100th	SWE	55	Ulf Sahle	46	43	48	42	50	40	‑54	269
101st	GER	607	Gerd Breitbart	24	40	54	50	‑60	54	52	274
102nd	DEN	1461	Soren Nielsen	(BFD)	52	45	44	54	40	39	274
103rd	GER	680	Jan‑Dietmar Dellas	‑55	44	47	47	51	44	44	277
104th	DEN	126	Lars Moller	52	56	44	‑57	30	49	49	280
105th	NED	669	Sybren Hornstra	51	49	51	‑53	52	32	47	282
106th	DEN	1489	Morten Jensen	53	49	‑57	37	56	47	44	286
107th	SWE	2802	Claes Heyman	‑56	50	48	54	43	42	53	290
108th	SWE	111	Bertil Eliasson	45	41	50	45	44	(DNC)	DNC	292
109th	DEN	1499	Anders Gerhardt‑Hansen	(DNF)	56	59	49	37	55	39	295
110th	SWE	2792	Anders Widding	51	(DNC)	52	53	52	46	43	297
111th	SWE	2816	Claes Avellan	40	58	‑62	56	32	54	58	298
112th	NED	638	Sipke Heokstra	47	44	59	46	‑61	53	51	300
113th	GBR	2163	Gavin Waldron	54	50	47	51	‑57	49	50	301
114th	DEN	666	Peter Zeiler	55	59	53	48	21	(DNC)	DNC	303
115th	DEN	1437	Per Sorensen	54	48	(DNC)	55	46	52	52	307
116th	DEN	1305	Flemming Hostgaard	46	57	50	‑58	58	51	48	310
117th	DEN	1458	Soren Sigurdsson	62	59	(DNC)	52	44	48	50	315
118th	BEL	203	Joost Rommelaere	53	48	51	59	‑64	53	56	320
119th	GER	539	Uli Borchers	49	‑62	55	57	59	56	55	331
120th	GBR	2080	Paul Pike	50	58	60	60	‑62	56	55	339
121st	DEN	1262	Dirch Zibrandtsen	56	62	‑63	58	55	55	53	339
122nd	GER	788	Jessica Finke	‑61	61	56	61	54	57	56	345
123rd	DEN	14	Peter Thybo	57	57	55	54	(DNC)	DNC	DNC	357
124th	BEL	214	Paul Verrijdt	42	53	(DNC)	DNC	DNC	DNC	DNC	363
125th	DEN	1417	Ingo Griem	(DNF)	54	57	DNC	DNC	DNC	57	369
126th	DEN	1212	Klaus Jørgensen	64	55	61	59	63	(DNC)	DNC	369
127th	GER	651	Frederik Rontgen	58	60	58	62	(DNC)	DNC	DNC	372
128th	DEN	112	Svend Jacobsen	63	51	(DNS)	DNS	DNC	DNC	DNC	382
129th	GBR	2183	Richard Burton	(DNC)	DNC	DNC	DNC	DNC	DNC	DNC	402
130th	POL	40	Robert Swiecki	(DNC)	DNC	DNC	DNC	DNC	DNC	DNC	402