Please select your home edition
Edition
Trofeo Princesa Sofía Mallorca 2025

Ovington Boats and PRO-SET Resins OK Dinghy World Championship at Lyme Regis - Day 4

by Robert Deaves 30 Jun 2023 05:06 BST 26-30 June 2023

After three days of great conditions, Lyme Regis threw a curve ball on Day 4 of the 2023 Ovington Boats and Pro-Set Resins OK Dinghy World Championship. Only one gold fleet race was held with no silver fleet races finished. Nick Craig is back on top with a three point margin over Sweden's Niklas Edler and Britain's Henry Wetherell. The race was won by Sweden's Daniel Björndahl.

With an offshore breeze for the first time this week, everyone expected a shifting unstable race but it turned into much more than that. The 143 boats from 13 nations were now split into gold and silver fleets.

Russ Clark, from Britain led New Zealand's Greg Wilcox around the top mark with the left side coming in strong. Wilcox took the lead downwind, rounding the opposite gate to Wetherell, who took the lead on the second beat in a big left hander leaving the right wide stranded.

Wetherell led to the gate when the wind started to die, and then Björndahl went wider and found enough pressure to sail into the lead and with the wind swinging further just managed to hold onto the lead into the finish, now a reach, to win the race in a light onshore sea breeze from Wetherell and Jim Hunt.

Meanwhile the silver fleet had not managed to get a start in after several recalls. The change in wind resulted in the course being reset and the silver fleet started first. However, by the top marks the wind had already started to die and both races were abandoned shortly after to be followed by a return of the offshore breeze for a long beat back to the club as further racing was abandoned for the day.

Wetherell said, "I am really enjoying the OK, it's a really good fleet. Conditions have really good up until today when we had a really changeable day. I got on the right side of it though we only had one race. So, looking forward to tomorrow. The final day will be hard."

On the boat, "It's bit different from the Finn. The downwind is a bit less physical and more technique based, and I am actually struggling a bit downwind and trying to watch a few people and learn a few things, but upwind speed is good. The boat is really tricky with really good racing so it's hard. But I am really enjoying it.

"The guys in the fleet are also great, really good social vibe and on the water really hard racing so you can't ask for more."

Daniel Björndahl is up to 20th said, "It was fantastic day. I managed to win the first race and it was very hard conditions. The wind was shifting round a lot. In the first upwind I was about tenth but then I managed to be really fast on the downwind which is I am not doing very often. It was good fun to be with all the professionals so a fantastic day.

"It ended up I light conditions and it was my lucky day I think, and actually when we started the second race I managed to be in front as well, but it was cancelled as the wind died, but I am happy."

There is one day left and two races possible on the final day and a plethora of possible world champions. The points are really close at the top and it really is still wide open. Racing is scheduled to start at 10.30 with a final warning signal by 14.55.

Results after Day 4: (top ten, 7 races)

1 GBR 2261 Nick Craig 18pts
2 SWE 71 Niklas Edler 21pts
3 GBR 2245 Henry Wetherell 22pts
4 FRA 11 Valerian Lebrun 26pts
5 DEN 12 Jens Eckardt 27pts
6 DEN 21 Bo Petersen 30pts
7 GBR 6 Charlie Cumbley 38pts
8 NOR 428 Lars Johan Brodtkorb 42pts
9 GBR 91 Russell Clark 44pts
10 GBR 94 Andrew Mills 45pts

Full results at 2023.okworlds.org/results

Full gallery at www.flickr.com/photos/okdia/albums/72177720309417930

Related Articles

2025 Thailand OK Dinghy Open Championship
The first OK class event to be held at Royal Varuna YC in 35 years A small but select group of sailors gathered for the first OK class event to be held at Royal Varuna YC in 35 years, including two visitors from India. Posted on 25 Mar
Entry open for all 2025 OK Dinghy Major Events
The Worlds on Lake Garda is expected to be biggest OK Dinghy event of all time The 2025 OK Dinghy season has all the hallmarks of being another epic year for the class with record turnouts forecast at some iconic venues across Europe. Posted on 20 Mar
Ovington Inland Championships at Grafham
110 sailors spread across 83 boats and 6 classes attended It was great to see over 110 sailors spread across 83 boats and six classes for the Ovington Inland championship. This regatta has become a season opener for our classes over the years and whilst the sun was out, the temperatures stayed down. Posted on 20 Mar
OK Inlands at Grafham
The Ovington Regatta has become a regular and popular fixture on the OK calendar With 30 competitors entered and a good, albeit cold forecast, it was looking like it was going to be a great first event of 2025. Posted on 19 Mar
Entry open for 2025 OK Dinghy Worlds on Lake Garda
The expression of interest survey attracted 259 sailors from 18 countries Entry has officially opened for the 2025 OK Dinghy World Championship, to be held on Lake Garda from 12-19 September, hosted by Circolo Vela Arco. Posted on 4 Mar
Nick Craig talks about the International OK Dinghy
The multiple World, European and UK dinghy champion chats about the enduring appeal of the class Mark Jardine, Managing Editor of Sail-World.com and YachtsandYachting.com chats with multiple World, European and UK dinghy champion Nick Craig about the enduring appeal of the International OK dinghy, with the class approaching 70 years old. Posted on 25 Feb
New Zealand OK Nationals at Queen Charlotte
Picton hosts the first nationals on the south island since 1984 The 2025 New Zealand OK Dinghy Nationals at Queen Charlotte Yacht Club was the best championship regatta I have been to since my own boat club hosted the 2019 Worlds. And that was not what I expected... Posted on 25 Feb
Sail Port Stephens 2025 preview
Full speed ahead for new-look event With Sail Port Stephens 2025 starting in just over five weeks away, change is in the air and all the signs are pointing to another record year of demand and growth for an event that has been on a continual trajectory for 18 straight years. Posted on 23 Feb
OK class at the RYA Dinghy & Watersports Show
Showing the ever popular Ovington OK which has had a new deck moulding With the first signs of spring starting to appear, the OK class is getting ready for what is often seen as the preparatory signal for the new season - the RYA Dinghy & Watersports Show. Posted on 19 Feb
P&B POSH preview
Paignton Open for Single Handers will also host the Fire Nationals Paignton Sailing Club are pleased to announce that entries are now open for their 2025 POSH regatta being held on the 10th and 11th May and this year is being sponsored by P&B. Posted on 17 Feb