Palma Bay hosts the European Championship of the OK Dinghy class

The competition, which will last until Sunday, brings together 84 boats from 13 countries. The current continental champion, Charlie Cumbley, seeks to defend his title. The Spanish fleet is composed of nine participants.

Yesterday, October 28th, the Real Club Náutico de Palma officially kicked off the European Championship of the OK Dinghy class, with the opening of the race office and the process of measurement and confirmation of registrations. This competition, which will continue until Sunday, November 3rd, follows directly after the ClubSwan World Championship, which ended on October 27th, and is part of a record year of international activity, in which the Balearic entity will host nine European and world championships, the highest number in its 76-year history.

The OK Dinghy fleet includes 84 participants from 13 countries, with the British sailor Charlie Cumbley, the 2023 European champion, as the main favorite for the title. Spain will be represented by nine units, all from the Real Club Náutico de Palma.

Today, October 29th, a training day is scheduled for the morning, while at 6:30 p.m. the opening ceremony will be held at the club's facilities, marking the official start of the competition.

The sailing instructions set a maximum of 10 races with a single discard, applicable after the fourth race. The starts will be at 12:00 PM, except on the first day, which is scheduled for 1:00 PM.

Throughout the week, variable weather conditions are expected, both in the intensity and the direction of the wind.

The OK Dinghy class has a short but intense history in the Balearic Islands. Although it is a boat with a long history in Northern Europe, its first unit on the islands dates back to 2020, when sailor Luis Portella built his own boat during lockdown. Later, naval builder Javier Estarellas manufactured a second model in fiberglass and encouraged other local owners to join the class.

Estarellas highlights the OK Dinghy as an ideal boat for adult sailors who wish to continue in single-handed dinghy sailing, because, although it is fast and fun in fresh wind, it does not require the physical demands of other classes such as the Laser or the Finn.