Images by: Norbert Petraucsh.

The 2010 OK Dinghy European Championships started Monday at Medemblik, Netherlands with two great races in a solid 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). Deaves took the lead on the second reach and then Pawlaczyk picked up a yellow flag just at the leeward mark and capsized while doing turns. Pawlowski took the lead up the second beat as the wind increased with Bartosz Rakocy (POL) in second and Deaves in third. There were not many changes on the run except that Terry Curtis (GBR) and Greg Wilcox (NZL) caught up and they all rounded very close. 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 newcomer Tim Goodbody leading from start to finish. At the top mark he had a narrow lead over Christian Hedlund (DEN) and Robert Deaves (GBR). Jorgen Lindhardtsen (DEN) rounded in fourth and was soon moved up to second place chasing Goodbody, getting close to him at the leeward mark. However Goodbody extended on the second beat and was never threatened again to take his first win in the class - after just five days sailing the boat.

Goodbody has good pedigree though, having sailing the Finn in the 2008 Olympics in Qingdao. He said of the class, "This is a great class to join. I really liked the boat first time I saw it and I am really enjoying the class. They are a great bunch of people. The competition is really good and everyone underestimates how good it is, especially for amateur sailors. It is far harder than any other non-Olympic class I have sailed. So it was great to win today."

Overall leader Curtis commented "It was surprisingly windy today, but nice to see the breeze come in and stay. I am pleased with my results, but I was quite lucky as I didn't have great starts and managed to pick my way through the fleet. They did a great job on the water today with two fantastic races and we're all looking forward to the rest of the week."

Racing continues until Friday 30 July.

Results after 2 races (full results attached)

1 GBR 2118 Terry Curtis 6
2 IRL 10 Tim Goodbody 7
3 POL 31 Antoni Pawlowski 8
4 POL 14 Pawel Pawlaczyk 9
5 POL 19 Bartosz Rakocy 12
6 DEN 1364 Jørgen Lindhardtsen 12
7 NZL 522 Greg Wilcox 13
8 DEN 1361 Rene Joahnnsen 26
9 GBR 2138 Robert Deaves 26
10 DEN 1369 Bo Teglers 27