Please select your home edition
Edition
Allen Dynamic 40 Leaderboard
Product Feature
Harken 22mm Double Micro - 226
Harken 22mm Double Micro - 226

OK Scottish Inland Championship 2024 at Loch Earn Sailing Club

by Karen Robertson 1 Oct 2024 17:36 BST 28-29 September 2024
OK Scottish Inland Championship at Loch Earn © Craig Pagett
Karen Robertson - OK Scottish Inland Championship at Loch Earn ©Craig Pagett
Nicol Halcrow - OK Scottish Inland Championship at Loch Earn ©Craig Pagett
OK Scottish Inland Championship at Loch Earn ©Craig Pagett
previous next
  1. 1
  2. 2
  3. 3
  4. 4
  5. 5
  6. 6
  7. 7
  8. 8
  9. 9
  10. 10
  11. 11

While the OK Southern Championships were under way at Stokes Bay SC, the Loch Earn OK fleet hosted a Scottish Inland Champs as part of the recent Loch Earn Final Fling Regatta, building on the successful re-establishment of the OK Scottish Championships at North Berwick in June, and the increased level of interest and growth in the class in Scotland and the North of England.

Racing started on the Saturday in a warm westerly with the OKs taking the second start after the Tasar fleet. First to the top mark was Karen Robertson who held off a challenge from newcomer Calum Tait to take the first race.

The second race saw Mike McMillan create a substantial lead over the fleet until the wind dropped to near zero. as the fleet crawled around the last mark, Mike took the safe route up the middle of the beat only to have Tait and Robertson sail around him on opposite sides to take first and second respectively.

Race three saw the breeze return strongly and with the first mark heavily biased to the right hand side of the course and it was Robertson who judged the lay line best and tacked off first to lead around the mark followed by Tait and Nicol Halcrow. While the first beat was in a robust mood, the wind dropped again and started oscillating randomly which made the beat challenging in the extreme. It was Robertson who led home at the end with Tait in second.

The Sunday saw an easterly breeze establish with the forecast to swing to south east. Tait, who had clearly been absorbing the experience on the Saturday and was on a charge. The first race saw Nicol Halcrow port tack the fleet off the start line with a huge smile before Tait missing out on an unlucky shift and dropping back. Robertson tried to get past Tait on the first reach by using a couple of passing flying Fifteens, but failed to take advantage following Tait home in second with Mike McMillan in third.

Further down the fleet Alex Orr had a 'moment' and capsized in not a lot of wind on the run to the amusement of all.

Race five of the series saw a change of course with the first mark set close to the southern mountainous shore of Loch Earn. Sarah Truswell skilfully found her way up the beat and was just pipped to the first mark by Mike McMillan. Close behind them on the run a gaggle of boats set up a full near full wind shadow over Tait, but he skilfully managed to keep ahead and rounded the bottom mark in third, before finding a clear lane and speed to eventually take the win from a photo finish between McMillan and Robertson.

The final race saw Mike McMillan finally fix his lucky white heather problem and take a well deserved win from Tait.

At the final count it was Calum Tait who took the title from Karen Robertson in second and Mike McMillan in third, but everybody enjoyed the close tactical racing

Looking ahead to next season the Northern and Scottish OKs hope to return to Ullswater SC for their Daffodil Regatta and to East Lothian for the Scottish Championships again in the first half of the year and hope to return to Loch Earn again in September.

If you are interested in trying an OK, demo boats are available for loan. Contact charman@okdinghy.co.uk for more details.

Related Articles

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
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 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
2025 OK Australian Nationals at Black Rock YC
World Number 1 Roger Blassé wins unprecedented 12th title Roger Blassé has taken out the Discount Yachting 2025 Australian OK dinghy Championships hosted by Black Rock Yacht Club on Port Phillip Bay. Posted on 12 Jan
OK End of Year Newsletter
Featuring news about the coming 2025 season as well The British OK Class Association is delighted to be able to release the much anticipated End of Year Newsletter. Posted on 31 Dec 2024
P&B OK Dinghy End of Season Championships
20 boats gathered at Northampton SC, and avoided the rain somehow 20 boats gathered at Northampton Sailing Club over the weekend of 16th - 17th November to see off the season in style at the Pinnell and Bax OK Dinghy End of Season Championships. The fleet was blessed with some perfect Autumnal weather. Posted on 21 Nov 2024
A new OK Dinghy World No. 1
Former World Champion Roger Blasse from Australia For the first time ever the former two time OK Dinghy world champion, Roger Blasse, from Australia, is the OK Dinghy World No.1. He moves up seven places in the final World Ranking List of 2024 to take the top spot for the first time. Posted on 19 Nov 2024
New British OK Dinghy Ranking System
With a view to maximising attendance at key event for the 2025 season With the OK End of Season Championships (kindly sponsored by P&B) coming up, the British Class Association has been putting plans together with a view to maximising attendance at key event for the 2025 season. Posted on 12 Nov 2024
2024 OK Dinghy Europeans at Palma overall
Luke Deegan becomes first non-European OK Dinghy European Champion Luke Deegan, from New Zealand has won the 2024 OK Dinghy European Championship in Palma after a shortened week of challenging conditions with only four races completed. Posted on 4 Nov 2024