Nick Craig Interviews Ben Flower on his experience at the PRO-SET Epoxy OK class UK Nationals
by Nick Craig 6 Aug 2024 17:40 BST
18-21 July 2024
Ben Flower - PRO-SET Epoxy OK class UK National Championships at Brixham © Tom Wild
Ben Flower is one of the hottest young sailing talents in the UK who loves sailing a variety of boats. Whilst he isn't Olympic campaigning a Laser, he has this year alone won the D-Zero and RS Aero 9 Europeans, and recently borrowed an OK and came fourth at the Nationals on his first outing in a fleet of 38 boats.
Nick Craig caught up with Ben on his thoughts on the OK after the Nationals to get his thoughts on the class and the boat.
Nick: What had you heard about the OK before the Nationals?
Ben: Fortunately I have had the privilege of knowing several OK sailors for many years now with Charlie Cumbley competing in the class at the highest standard when I was just starting to sail at his home club of Teign Corinthian. I was tempted into the class by Nick Craig and Henry Wetherell mostly with them both being former World Champions in the OK I wanted to take on the challenge so when the nationals were to be hosted in the beautiful waters on the English Riviera I knew I had to try and get my hands on a boat.
Nick: Having sailed an OK, what are you impressions?
Ben: It's amazing how different classes of boat that look similar to sail can be so different to sail. I've been luckily enough in the past year to compete in the Aero, D-Zero, ILCA, OK & Solo all of which are single handed, single sailed hiking boats but the OK is certainly the most technical and tweaky boat out of those 5 which is certainly an area in which I want to improve in my sailing career currently. It means that knowledge can overcome fitness which made me have to really think specifically about the rig set up which is something I have overlooked in the past.
Nick: You won the newcomer trophy with an impressive 4th place, the best result by a newcomer for many years. The OK is notoriously difficult to jump in as it has a narrow and nebulous groove upwind and downwind needs smooth, in rhythm steering rather than aggressive kinetics. How did you get up to speed so quickly?
Ben: I was fortunate enough to have a Nick Craig to advise me on shore for getting up to speed, but I made sure I launched early each day to get out and sail in the conditions and try and also look at what the fast guys were doing and trying to replicate this before races commenced to see how it felt.
Nick: How was the quality of racing?
Ben: The depth in the fleet in all conditions is impressive, especially in a venue like Torbay with frequent shifts it meant there was always one of the top five boats rounding the windward mark outside the top ten. I believe I rounded the windward mark inside the top ten on only two occasions throughout the regatta. The fleet is friendly but they race hard but at the same time the majority of the sailors look at the big picture and not individual battles.
Nick: Having attending the class dinner, what do you think of the socials and fleet?
Ben: Apart from being called Bender all night it was an enjoyable evening! The banter and friendliness was very welcoming especially from those I had never met before. It was fantastic to hear about stories from previous events in the OK where some of the socials sounded like really good fun. Brixham YC always hosts a fantastic meal and that was on display again with some fantastic food.
Nick: Will you do more OK sailing?
Ben: The plan is to yes, like I previously stated it's a class of boat that requires a different approach to what I am used to in the ILCA. Purchasing a competitive boat might be out the question at the moment with my main focus on Olympic campaigning for 2028 but once I finish Olympic campaigning it's certainly a boat I would like to own. However my plan is to attend the OK Europeans later this year and hopefully the World Championships in Garda in 2025.
Nick: What's next for you on the sailing front Ben?
Ben: I've taken a few months out the ILCA to give my body and mind a rest from focusing on the ILCA but also keeping my head in the sailing world by racing several other boats such as the OK. My plan is to finish these few months off with the Aero World Championships at the end of August proceeded by getting back in the ILCA in early September.
Nick: What are your long-term sailing dreams?
Ben: Since as early as I can remember I've wanted to win an Olympic gold medal before I even stepped foot in a boat and since I started sailing about 10 years ago that has been my number 1 goal in life. As long as I'm getting fitter and getting wiser that will be my aim until my body starts to fall apart!
Nick: Having borrowed one of my boats, just how impressed are you with my boat maintenance skills?
Ben: It's certainly not the worst I've seen but far from the best. However that is made up by the tool box and knowledge at hand.