Solo class ONK Open Dutch National Championship 2024 at Royal Netherlands Yacht Club

Plenty of action on Day 1 - Solo class ONK Open Dutch National Championship © Will Loy

The UK Solo Special Forces arrived in Muiden with a mission to try and retrieve some pride and hopefully the Open Dutch Championship title, possibly a canal bridge too far but any of the four UK competitors would happily take a top ten finish.

The journey from the UK to the Hook of Holland had been seamless, Border Control not even bothering to check if there were any OAP's hidden in the triple stacker and the ferry, filled with war vets who were heading for the Commemoration of the Battle of Arnhem were given full respect.

We retired to our on-board accommodation at lights out, Chris Brown and Nigel Davies have a long time relationship so I was paired with NSCA Vice President Paul Davis whose snoring was a worthy adversary to my ear plugs. Fortunately I always discard the older ones when they start moving around the bedside cabinet on their own, the smooth soft wax quickly dulled Davis's goat like snorts and before we knew, it was time for roll call.

Nigel Davies had elected to, or been coerced into driving and he had no problem adapting to the European highway laws, one lady even giving him the victory sign as she whizzed past.

We arrived at the Royal Netherlands Yacht Club by mid morning, disembarkation from the ferry had been slow, Nigel's decision not to neck his duty-free 6 hours earlier, vindicated as security staff randomly picked off tourists for breathalyser tests. He was not chosen and was visibly disappointed.

Chris Bunn, the fourth member of our team of athletes arrived shortly after us and together, like a crack battalion of Armoured Engineers, we unloaded the cargo of Solos with only my own ear a casualty of the operation.

The Dutch Solo Class have been working very hard over the years with publicity and slick organisation, the 52 Dutch pre-entries is a true indication of how popular the Solo is here. It does not end there though, the pedigree of the fleet is high, Pim van Vugt the reigning UK National and Nation's Cup Champion attended, along with a strong field of tall, sporty and irritatingly healthy looking team members including the Kuiper brothers, the Bakker family and Menno Huisman.

Class Chairman Paul de Geus was racing the newest Solo in the fleet, a GOAT Marine hull while at the other extreme, Marten Niessink raced Solo 485, a Johan Vels build from 1977, for some context, it's UK hull number would have been 2919, my absolute respect to anyone who keeps alive these vintage examples, and races them.

Incidentally, Mark Tigchelaar raced a Lovett 492 and won the World Championship at Medemblik in 1990, the last time a Dutchman did, so van Vugt's win in Brightlingsea had ended 34 years of hurt and maybe indicated a swing of dominance to across the Channel.

The forecast looked light and warm for the weekend while day 1 promised a breeze of 12-14 knots and this proved accurate.

Saskia Arnold blasting to the spreader mark on Day 1 - Solo class ONK Open Dutch National Championship - photo © Will Loy

Day 1

The race briefing took place in the very sumptuous Royal Netherlands Yacht Club with a backdrop of a Castle straight out of Disneyland and with the Royal Dutch barge moored directly behind us, they certainly have some style.

PRO Niels de Vries delivered the necessary information as we sipped Cappuccinos, the warm September sunshine a surprise bonus for an Autumn event.

Launching was from just inside the mouth of the IJsselmeer, the short wooden platforms giving way to surprisingly deep water as I would find out when attempting to mount my Media rib. Fortunately my misfortune was only witnessed by the Harbourmaster who may well have been slightly disturbed by my infirmity but gave me the keys to the safety rib anyway.

I had coerced one of the UK sailors friends to drive and she turned up just as I was emptying the last few litres of IJsellmeer from my leggings, a great way to to start the day.

We motored out of the canal, admiring the flotilla of Dutch barges and day cruisers, Muiden is, I would suggest, not dissimilar to Lymington in the UK, plenty of money, a racing pedigree and a nice place to show off your wealth.

The IJsselmeer is shallow and the short chop and muddy looking water not much different from Brightlingsea, no wonder the Dutch felt quite at home when they visited us back in August. Moving forward, if we are to unsettle the Dutch I reckon the UK Association need to cherry-pick future Championship locations with crystal clear water and huge swells, Felpham, Mumbles and Pevensey Bay come to mind.

GPS co-ordinates were fed into the MarkBots and they split off like a group of UFO's trying to avoid detection before resuming their flight pattern in the race arena. I had considered hacking into the inflatable robots software, manipulating the mark positions closer to my boys would have been advantageous but morally wrong on day one.

Race 1

Breeze holding at around 8-12 knots, pin end favoured and at the top mark after 15 minutes of hiking, Pim van Vugt led in from the left with Jelmer Kuipers, Jan Pieter Bramm, Paul Davis and the distinctive blue hull of Martijn Kuitert rounding out the top five. The fleet enjoyed the short 15 metre reach to the spreader mark before going into the bare-away for the leeward leg. Other notables with work to do were Menno Huisman (8th) and Ted Bakker (10th) while Eddy Boon in the Miles built 'Bungler' (same paint job but not the Lovett) was right in the mix in 11th, just ahead of the UK's Chris Bunn, Nigel Davies was 15th and Chris Brown 21st.

We prepared to motor down to the leeward gate so I could continue to update the WhatsApp group followers, the NSCA are trialing this method of on-water media and it's simplicity and almost live updates seem to be gaining traction amongst family members and sailors unable to attend. I am sure there are also a few bitter and twisted followers, keen to see their mates do badly too. Anyway, just as my driver prepared to 'power on' we were hailed by a nearby safety rib who had identified that we were a buoyancy aid short and after apologising profusely we managed to borrow one from the Committee boat. This was a big relief as neither of us knew the way back.

Having missed the gate positions after lap one we decided to hold position at the bottom of the course, this way we would also stay away from the guys who had told us off, it was also not long before the leaders joined us. Pim looked imperious, balancing his Solo rig above the chop while steering aggressively in and out of the bigger waves. Jelmer likewise, looked strong and these two had a huge lead on the pack, led by Chris Bunn from Menno and Koen van Esch. Silver triangles glinted in the Autumn sunshine and with a temperature of 22 degrees, sailing on the IJsselmeer had never been so good. Paul Davis and Hans Duetz were next and also enjoying the conditions, the UK sailor's stocky stance a stark contrast to the lanky frame of the Dutch helmsman but they both do the same job, keeping their Solos flat and driving.

We blasted up to the finish which, refreshingly and harping back to the 1980's would be at the end of the long beat and it was no surprise that Vugt and Kuipers held with Davis picking Huisman's pocket on the line for third and Bunn rounding out the top five. The finish line was pretty intense as Solos converged at different angles, the language is unprintable as I cannot spell it.

Race 2

The breeze seemed to drop down to around 8 knots for the start sequence but increased to 12 knots by the gun with Vugt, Bakker and Duetz liking the pin end, unfortunately it was recalled. The second attempt was also recalled, this time, Bramm, Rien Hoogeveen and Gilles de Combe nailed the pin, unlucky guys!

Third time lucky with Roel Bakker nailing the Committee boat end with Roeloff den Herder and Chris Brown all holding nice clear lanes, Vugt and Duetz were further down the line but punching forward, the bow profiles, so iconically Jack Holt could only be Solos, just a shame he didn't make them pointy. The Ijsselmeer chopping machine was on maximum, hulls see-sawing through the waves like bucking broncos with their riders hanging on for their lives and once again Vugt was first to the top mark with a good lead over Huisman and he was well ahead of den Herder and a swath of starboard lay liners. My driver had positioned me perfectly behind the spreader mark and I clicked away on my brother-in-laws Nikon D3200 like the SD card was loaded with a limitless supply of gigabytes. Only after midnight when I was editing the images did I regret my propensity to hit the shutter button.

Top mark second time and Vugt and Huisman are gone with van Esch, Simon van Rees and Duetz rounding out the top five with the UK's Brown, Bunn and Davis just outside the top ten.

The final run was a balance of centreboard position versus instability, some got it wrong and although the water was a lovely temperature, swimming is never quick.

The final beat to the line saw some questionable tactical choices and had me questioning my own basic knowledge of port and starboard, Bunn would later win a protest against him which would result in Ted Bakker and van Rees disqualified and give him fourth.

56 competitors spread down the line - Solo class ONK Open Dutch National Championship - photo © Maarten van de Broek

Race 3

The fleet are spread down the line like Marmalade down the length of a knife, a few golden threads standing out against the silver shards of black dyed technora and Bas de Regt nails the Committee end with the 55 kg Saskia Arnold to leeward, hiking harder than everyone to maximise the lift off her centreboard. Bas tacks off early, hooking into a nice right hander further up the beat and he would lead into the top mark with van Esch, Jelmer Kuipers, Paul Davis and Brown completing the top five but with Huisman and van Vugt breathing down their necks. Breeze is up to 14-16 knots and the fleet blast along the short reach to the spreader with little time to release kicking straps, never mind taking a breath of oxygen.

The run saw more capsize practice but with only a few casualties, testament to the high level of skill displayed by nearly all of the fleet. Davis is in eleventh with Bunn back in the low twenties and work to do.

Kuipers led into the gate from van Vugt who was once again displaying the downwind speed which saw him claim the UK National and Nation's Cup titles only a few weeks earlier with de Regt holding onto third.

Solo mast rake was on full throttle, centreboards raised slightly to balance the centre of effort, cunningham controls flattening the entry of the sail and mainsheet tension manipulating the leach profile to maximise VMG.

Kuipers is still leading at the top mark second lap but Vugt is within three boat lengths and after one more downwind he would take the lead and hold for his third bullet of the day. Kuipers was a comfortable second with Huisman judging his starboard tack into the line perfectly to pip van Esch with Bas de Regt doing likewise to Chris Brown.

Close racing throughout the fleet is standard practice in the Solo Class and no quarter was taken or given as sailors blasted into the short finish line, crash tacking and ducking in the last second scramble to gain even a single place.

Once ashore I was able to procure some interviews with the main players, only distracted from my task by the sound of a bang and a splash, Browny misjudging the short distance from his Solo to the platform, Canal 2, Brits 0.

Friday would be 'Happy Hour' and we were all treated to cold beers and the Dutch delicacy, 'Bitterballen', deep fried meatballs with a core temperature equal to the centre of the Earth itself. If only we had not ordered 24 of them just 15 minutes earlier.

The forecast for the weekend was not promising for the heavier boned amongst the fleet but would present opportunities for the lighter helms and those with the patience of a driving instructor.

Day 1 photos are at www.flickr.com/photos/194924056@N05/albums/72177720320469216

Day 2

I was joined on the media rib by driver Barbara Schappers and photographer Maarten van den Broek, and after exchanging kisses and handshakes we set off from the dock with Maarten vigorously wiping his face with the back of his shirt sleeve. The journey out to the race area was far smoother than the day before, the wind was around 4 knots, wind turbine propellers rotating gently in the morning sunshine.

The competitors lined up evenly along the start line but with just 10 seconds to go the start was aborted, I don't think the fleet were premature so a wind shift could have been to blame.

After sometime we were back into sequence and for some variety and against the wishes of our photographer, we motored down to the pin end so to look directly into the sunlight. Huisman, Ted Bakker and Jelmer Kuipers were closest to the pin and with a large gap back to the majority of the fleet, could obviously see a left shift that they could not. No matter because this start was recalled.

Finally, after some reconfiguration of the course marks we were away, under a black flack and with no casualties. I would normally now go into further details but with the breeze fluctuating between 5 knots and 2 knots, and after a painful 45 minutes, the PRO abandoned the race. Safe to say, Jan Pieter Braam, who had picked up a huge left shift to round first was disappointed but took the decision in the same manner that epitomises the Dutch attitude to life.

I decided to avoid Davis who was fifth at the time.

Race 4

Saskia timed her run to the Committee end perfectly with Simon van Rees just below, the breeze was soft and those that struggled to match height with speed would find the race almost as challenging as it is for me to make it sound exciting.

Brown and Davis found nice lanes out of the melee, no wonder they looked good, both BFD but at the top after a tense beat, Saskia Arnold rounded the big yellow robotic mark in first place with Leo Meijaard on her transom. Kuipers, Brown and yellow rash vest event leader Vugt were next around from Bas de Regt and van Rees who were displaying good speed and with the run awaiting, speed and clear air were going to be the priorities.

Try as he liked, Vugt could not break through the Arnold defence, even at times sitting right against the bulkhead to minimise his wetted surface area and only moving back to roll into a tack. I moved around the rib with the grace of a Hippo in a bouncy castle, the inflatable tubes distorting alarmingly under my weight and my crew members choosing to look away in embarrassment.

The last beat saw Pim throw in tack after tack but Saskia Arnold was unflappable, almost fully hiked at times and with hardly any of the hull in the water, unbeatable in sub 6 knots. The breeze was building in streaks across the course with a slight right hand wind bend, courtesy of the nearby Pampus Island and those hooking into that would benefit. Jelmer Kuipers, Roel den Herder and Roelof Kuipers completed the top five with the UK's Bunn and Davies, 11th and 14th.

Menno Huisman powering into the IJsselmeer chop - Solo class ONK Open Dutch National Championship - photo © Will Loy

Race 5

The fleet lined up for what would be the last race of the day, my voice though, had decided to fail during Race 4 and while I continued to provide audio commentary to my Whatsapp posts, the tone my vocal cords produced, lurched from Barry White to Sid James with no warning.

Pin end favoured and Ted Bakker nails it with Kuipers, Huisman, Duetz and de Regt all with the same idea. Former Class Chairman Norbert Zonnerveld found a slot between these guys, always nice to show the young guns we are not too old. Pim has popped out a third of the way back and Saskia is mid line and already looking strong but team UK must be at the Committee end?

Top mark and it's Saskia from Pim and these two are already safe for the podium with current Class Chairman Paul de Geus, Braam, Bunn and Duetz completing the top six. Nigel Davies is second best Brit with Brown and Davis struggling in the fickle breeze.

The race was a battle across the course and in the mind and with the breeze increasing slightly, 2 laps and a final beat saw Pim van Vugt power through to his fourth bullet from Saskia Arnold with Chris Bunn, who had hooked into that Pampus Island lift third from Paul de Geus and Jelmer Kuipers.

The Dutch Solo Class dinner is always a 'not to be missed' social event, mainly because the cost is included in the entry fee but also because no one does it with such panache.

Paul de Geus's delivery was as smooth as the rich gravy that accompanied the large meatball and pork loin, the boiled potatoes and apple sauce standard Captain's Diner sides, I anticipate KFC bargain buckets and Happy Meals if Browny ever makes President of the UK Class.

Our Vice President Paul Davis kindly delivered a short speech from myself as outgoing media officer and he also presented the Dutch Class with a memento congratulating them on their recent success at Brightlingsea.

As with the UK, a prize draw took place and suspiciously the UK participants all won! Thanks to the Dutch team for this splendid evening.

Photos from Day 2 are at photos.app.goo.gl/YBU7qT3fiBZtYMiy9

Day 3

With a forecast lighter than day 2, we all wondered if there would be any racing but after an hours postponement the PRO dropped the AP and the fleet launched into the teeth of a force 1. Sadly, self preservation prevented me from joining the media rib, with no voice and a cough that brought back memories of Covid, I think the team on-board would have abandoned me on the Island.

Fortunately, the Dutch had brought in the professionals and I don't mean Bodie and Doyle. Watersport-TV.nl have been producing videos since 2017 and their drone whizzed around above our heads before heading off for the race arena. While the footage is not riveting, watching the fleet line up and seeing the congestion at mark rounding is always intriguing, just a shame they were not there Friday.

So, to summarise Day 3, the PRO miraculously managed to complete 2 races, the first, Race 6, was won by Saskia Arnold from Pim van Vugt and with Nigel Davies third which moved him ahead of Brown and Davis overall. Braam Chris Bunn was 13th but this would be a keeper in the overall standings.

Pim van Vugt is the new champion - Solo class ONK Open Dutch National Championship - photo © Will Loy

Race 7 was held in similar conditions to the previous one, I would have thrown my toys out but respect to the competitors for their skill and patience. This race was won by Roelof Kuipers with Braam second, brother Jelmer third and with Pim and Saskia completed the top five.

The UK team frantically loaded the three Solos and we quickly exited the club, unfortunately our schedule had not factored in the prize-giving, maybe a reflection on how they thought they would do.

To celebrate their Champion, the winner is thrown into the murky green waters of the IJsselmeer and as Chris Brown had already sampled that twice in two days, there was not much point in hanging around anyway.

Pim van Vugt, now well practiced in speeches, thanked the club and organisers, also heaping praise to the Nederlandse Solo Class for the continued development of the Association there, with the Nation's Cup on Lake Como next year, anticipation is already high. Kuipers, Huisman and Braam filled the top five with the UK's Chris Bunn, exceptional in fourth overall.

Thanks to the Dutch for making the event so special.

Overall Results: