OK Europeans: Double win for Goodbody - Rakocy still in front
Robert Deaves, IFA
Posted: 30 Jul. 2010
A busy mark rounding - Norbert Petraucsh pic
The final day of the OK Dinghy European Championship will be a fight between youth and experience and following two more races on Thursday local time, the gap at the top has narrowed a little, but young Bartosz Rakocy (POL) still maintains a 13 point advantage over Greg Wilcox (NZL).
Both of Thursday’s races in Medemblik, Holland, were won by Tim Goodbody (IRL).
Race seven was sailed in a very patchy 8-12 knots of breeze and was again characterised by large shifts across the course area with the majority of the front runners emerging from the left.
Greg Wilcox led at the top mark from Tim Goodbody and Jorgen Svendson (DEN). Svendson took the lead on the first reach and stayed in the lead until the last beat when Goodbody made his move to take his third race win of the week.
Wilcox moved up to second with Svenson in third. Second overnight Lindhardtsen was scored OCS.
Race eight was started in a bit more breeze which increased to 18-20 knots on the first beat when a large left hand shift came in, lifting the middle of the fleet to the top mark and leaving those on the right stranded and those on the left with a reach to the windward mark.
Emerging from the middle Goodbody led round followed by Lindhardtsen and Robert Deaves (GBR). Goodbody said 'bye' and was gone, building a large lead on the fast off the breeze legs. He led for the remainder of the race, loosely covering the fleet to win his second race of the day and his fourth of the regatta so far.
Behind him, Jorgen Svendson was continuing his good day moving past Lindhardtsen - who had broken his kicking strap - on the second reach to secure second place. Wilcox made big gains on the run and then moved up to fourth by the finish, just behind Lindhardtsen.
Goodbody said, "I had good speed today and it was good fun racing in the breeze, though still very shifty. I think the key was just to look for the pressure and drive into it. Any time I got a lift I was just trying to drive to the next lift to get the next shift as soon as possible. Low and fast worked better than pointing."
A black flag yesterday has cost him dearly as he now has to count the 23 from day one. "I have a lot to do. But I'll just go out and sail the race and hope that the others make the mistakes and try not to make any myself.
“Being new to the class it is easy to make mistakes when you are not used to the boat but I am here to stay and really enjoying it."
The championship concludes with two more races on Friday, and with a forecast of light winds, the result is by no means a foregone conclusion.
Rakocy has yet to make a major mistake this week, so he will be the one to beat. However, the final races will come down the youth and talent of Rakocy and Goodbody against the experience of Lindhardtsen and Wilcox.
Results after 8 races (full results attached)
1 POL 19 Bartosz Rakocy 21
2 NZL 522 Greg Wilcox 34
3 IRL 10 Tim Goodbody 35
4 DEN 1364 Jørgen Lindhardtsen 39
5 GBR 2118 Terry Curtis 55
6 GER 693 Martin von Zimmermann 63
7 DEN 3 Jørgen Svendsen 71
8 GER 717 Oliver Gronholz 74
9 POL 14 Pawel Pawlaczyk 76
10 POL 31 Antoni Pawlowski 83
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