The Ovington Boats and Pro-Set Resins 2023 OK Dinghy World Championship was opened Sunday in Lyme Regis, UK, with 143 boats from 13 countries ready to start racing on Monday.
On Sunday the practice race was held in spectacular conditions on Lyme Bay with 15-18 knots and wall to wall sunshine. In the evening the opening ceremony was held at the club
The fleet set out for the practice race in light winds, but after a short wait a strong sea breeze quickly built to provide fantastic sailing conditions. Around 130 boats took part. The early leaders in the two groups were Paul Childs and Andrew Mills, but as normal many dropped out through the race and at the finish former world champions, Greg Wilcox, from New Zealand, took the first gun while Jim Hunt, from Britain, eventually won the second group. Only around 30 boats completed the course.
The conditions were exactly sublime, with long rolling waves, blue skies, high temperatures and a lot of happy sailors. After weeks of very light winds and calm seas, finally the sailors could stretch their legs and let the boats fly on the waves. The forecast for the rest of the week is quite encouraging, with a few lighter days and a few windier days.
The opening ceremony began with a call from the town crier to the assembled crowd with a welcome to Lyme Regis with fierce competition and strong friendships. A buffet reception followed with many local dignitaries and sponsors present.
