World No 1 Bo Petersen takes OK Europeans after eventful final day in Medemblik

Bo Petersen (DEN) has won the 2016 OK Dinghy European Championship and Spring Cup in Medemblik after an eventful final day sailed in the most extreme conditions of the week. The only race sailed went to Richard Burton (GBR), who took the silver, while Charlie Cumbley (GBR) pulled out with a broken rudder and had to settle for the bronze.

There was a lot of onshore debate about the virtue of sailing today with the temperature falling further to just three degrees, winds up to 30 knots, and hail heavy enough to make small snowballs before the fleet launched. But the clouds cleared and a much reduced fleet set out for the final races.

Race 7 started in 18-25 knots between a series of hail storms passing down the IJsselmeer. A big left shift made the pin end very favoured. Burton was first out from the pin and rounded the top mark just behind Jon Fish (GBR). Burton took the lead on the reaches and controlled the race until the finish. Fish got wet and a bit battered, but was also sailing well to maintain second until the finish. Dave Bourne (GBR) occupied third for most of the race but lost out to Oliver Gronholtz (GER) and Greg Wilcox (NZL) on the line.

The regatta favourites were deep having started at the committee boat and had a lot to do to catch up. Cumbley was ahead of both Petersen and Thomas Hansson-Mild (SWE), but a broken rudder on the first reach caused him to pull out of the race. His boatbuilder Alex Scoles (GBR), showing great sportsmanship, also pulled out of the race to exchange rudders so that Cumbley could complete the final race.

However with the weather worsening and more storms coming downwind, the race officer sent the fleet ashore to wait, and shortly after abandoned for the day.

So the World No 1 Bo Petersen picks up his second European title after first winning in 2013. Richard Burton has sailed the best regatta of his life in the first of the newly shaped IdolOne boats from Idol Composites to take the silver, while Charlie Cumbley will be ordering a new rudder before the World Championship in July in France and contemplating his missed chances to take his first International OK Dinghy title.

Petersen commented, “I was a bit lucky. But I have lost so many championships on luck, that I'll take it.”

“When I heard the forecast I thought it will be tough to win because the competitors are so strong. Of course I am happy because the series of seven races were so fair, but I am sorry for Charlie that he broke his rudder in the last race.”

“I am looking forward for the Europeans in Faarborg in 2017, and hopefully everyone will be there because that's my home town.”

Results after seven races

1 DEN 21 Bo Petersen 20
2 GBR 2183 Richard Burton 21
3 GBR 1 Charlie Cumbley 22
4 NZL 544 Greg Wilcox 29
5 SWE 100 Thomas Hansson-Mild 31
6 GER 772 Oliver Gronholz 34
7 GBR 1393 Rene Sarabia Johannsen 42
8 GBR 2151 Jon Fish 51
9 GBR 17 Dave Bourne 55
10 DEN 142 Jørgen Lindhardtsen 57

Results here.