The OK Dinghy 2024 European Championship opens at the Real Club Nàutico de Palma, Wednesday 30 October.
The event will mark the first ever international OK Dinghy championship to be held in Spain, and nearly 80 sailors from 14 countries are expected in Mallorca.
The defending champion is Britain’s Charlie Cumbley, who won a close series last year at Arco on Lake Garda. He comes to Palma on the back of a decisive victory at the Autumn Trophy in Bandol last week.
The Spanish fleet in Palma is a relatively new addition to the OK Dinghy family.
Out of the need for something to do during the pandemic, two boats were built in living rooms, and once on the water these attracted great interest, with gradually more and more sailors, from many nationalities, buying and building boats, and having fun on the Bay of Palma.
The Spanish fleet now numbers almost 25 sailors, so it seemed a natural progression to hold a championship there to support this growth.
While Cumbley, also a former world champion, is arguably the one to beat, he will have some tough opposition. As well as Blasse and Hanson-Mild, former champions include three times European Champion Bo Petersen, from Denmark and New Zealand’s Greg Wilcox.
In addition, there is Matt Howard and world championship runner up Andy Davis from Britain, and twice world championship runner up and winner of Kieler Woche this year, Niklas Edler from Sweden. The event has attracted a very deep field of talent.
Racing gets underway Wednesday 30 October with a 10-race series until Sunday 3 November.
