The final day of the OK Dinghy European championships will be a fight between youth and experience. After two more races on Thursday, the gap at the top has narrowed though the young Bartosz Rakocy (POL) still maintains a 13 point advantage over Greg Wilcox (NZL). Both races on Thursday 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 to mark from Tim Goodbody and Jorgen Svendson (DEN). Svendson took the lead on the first second 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 offwind 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 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 and reports are HERE.

Irish sailor Tim Goodbody was one of six sailors to suffer under the black flag at the OK Dinghy Europeans in Medemblik yesterday. The result in race five, followed up with a second place in race six, puts Goodbody in fourth overall, just five points off the top three.

After a second shifty offshore breeze day, Batozs Madrcoy continues to lead the OK Europeans in Medemblik, Netherlands. Jorgen Lindhardtsen moves up to second with race six race winner Greg Wilcox (NZL) in third after six races.

The forecast of stronger winds were not accurate and day three was sailed in 8-12 knots of shifty offshore winds with 20-30 degree shifts upsetting at least half of the fleet,
The left hand side was generally favoured in race five and was led from start to finish by the overnight leader Rakocy to cement his lead at the top of the scoresheet. Jorgen Lindhardtsen (DEN) finished second and day one leader Terry Curtis (GBR) refound his earlier form to finish third. The race was perhaps defined by the number of black flags including front runners Tim Goodbody (IRL), Pawel Pawlaczyk (POL) and Antoni Pawlowski (POL), which has significantly changed the overall ordering.

Race six was characterised by a large right shift on the first beat and a large left shift on the second beat which left the leaders laughing and the tail enders hoping.
Racer winner, Greg Wilcox (NZL) said, "It was another tricky day. There was quite a big left hand shift at the start so I was pretty sure it was going to come back so I started at the boat end and went right and when it came back I flipped and worked up the shifts up middle right hand side with Tim Goodbody (IRL)." At the top mark Goodbody led from Wilcox and Rakocy.

"Tim and Bartosz dragged each other a bit high in the second reach and I got through to leeward of them. I extended a little bit up the second beat and the three of us left the fleet behind. They then shortened the run which made it a bit easier with Bartosz sitting on Tim down the run." Goodbody finally finished second to Bartosz in third.

"It was the kind of the day when a lot of people made one mistake too many and paid a big price for it, especially with the black flags. It was the 'moving day' - you either consolidate what you have done or move backwards. Today was that day."

After six races one discard has now kicked in. Rakocy had a very good day with a 1-3 to move into a ten point lead and Lindhardtsen, the 1978 World Champion and 1998 European Champion, also had a good day with a 2-5 to move into second overall and. After a 5-1, Greg Wilcox, the 2002 World Champion, moves into third overall.

Racing continues to Friday with four more races scheduled. On Wednesday night the sailors enjoyed free beer night at the Brakeboer pub by the quayside. With the sailing causing enough sore heads, a few more will not make any difference.

Former Olympic Finn sailor Tim Goodbody lies in second place after day one of the OK Dinghy Europeans in Medemblik. 67 sailors from 11 nations are taking part in the event. Two races were held in a solid force 3-4 with a few rain storms passing over providing some interesting wind shifts. With two third places, Terry Curtis (GBR) leads from Tim Goodbody (IRL) and Antoni Pawloski (POL)

In the first race, Pawel Pawlaczyk (POL) led round the top mark from Antoni Pawlowski (POL) and Alistair Deaves (NZL). On the final beat Pawlowski maintained his lead with Rakocy in second and Curtis climbing to third, with another Pole Marek Jarocki (POL) finding a big shift to place fourth just ahead of Deaves in fifth.

The wind increased for the second race with Dublin Bay newcomer Tim Goodbody leading from start to finish.

Racing continues until Friday 30 July.

Results after 2 races

1. Terry Curtis, GBR, 6
2. Tim Goodbody, IRL, 7
3. Antoni Pawlowski, POL, 8
4. Pawel Pawlaczyk, POL, 9
5. Bartosz Rakocy, POL, 12
6. Jorgen Lindhardtsen, DEN, 12
7. Greg Wilcox, NZL, 13
8. Rene Joahnnsen, DEN, 26
9. Robert Deaves, POL, 26
10. Bo Teglers, DEN, 27