Mirror Class Association Championships

Western Area Championship - Plym YC 10th & 11th July 2004

37 Mirrors gathered at the Mountbatten Centre in Plymouth to contest the Western Area Championship hosted by Plym YC. This event was a National Youth Squad indicator as well as a selector for the 2005 Worlds team. The wind was mainly moderate force 2-3 with some stronger gusts, but very shifty west to south-westerly with occasional rain showers. Race Officer Mike Pearson set some good long lines in the tricky conditions and used his black flag to curb any over enthusiastic starting. During the racing there was Air Display (part of Sport Relief) on the Barbican. From our boat we spotted a Tornado, a Hawk, a Harrier and a Nimrod jet plus a Chinook helicopter. You had to be on sailing on Plymouth Sound to appreciate just how loud the aircraft noise was. My crew was unable to hear me, even if I was shouting, the boat felt like it was shaking with the noise and it was almost impossible to concentrate.

Race 1 The wind shifted to the left shortly after start of 1st beat favouring boats that had gone that side of the beat. Martin Egan & James Wilkinson in "Bold Forester" led at the first mark with Emma & Martina Barry in "Pthreetle" and Robert Struckett & Tom Hodkinson in "Magic" in hot pursuit. The windward mark was moved for the 2nd beat which meant a couple of small ships at anchor now had to be negotiated. Robert moved up to 2nd on the 2nd lap and took the lead on the 3rd lap with Juliet & Richard Long in "Whatever!" in second place and Martin 3rd.

Race 2 Once again starting towards the pin end seemed to pay and Martin led at the first mark narrowly ahead of James Ellis and Carla Sheldon in "We Take Plastic" with Josh Rumbol & Tom Davidson in "Ace of Clubs" 3rd. James took the lead on the reach to the gybe mark. There followed a close battle between these two but James held his lead to win from Martin with Josh 3rd

Race 3 This time it was the Committee boat end of the line that seemed to pay. Robert led at the first mark and sailed into a massive lead ahead of Juliet and James. William and Rebecca Kalderon in "Illiswilgig" were 4th

Race 4 Conditions on Sunday were similar to Saturday with perhaps a bit more wind at times and a few less jets. At first the line appeared to be slightly bias towards the committee boat end, then there was a big wind shift to the left about a minute before the start. This left most of the fleet stranded down the Committee boat end and Tom Robinson & Shaun Mason in "Encore une Fois" perfectly placed at the pin end. They sailed into a big lead with Dan Jacobs & Harrison Reece in "Whitewash" 2nd. On the 2nd lap Dan took the lead but Tom held on to 2nd place with Juliet 3rd.

Race 5 The Championship was still open going into the last race. Juliet, on 7 points, was the more consistent with her worse score a 4th while Robert, on 8 points, had two 6th places and only one discard available. Robert led the race at first narrowly ahead of Juliet, Anna Mackenzie & Holly Scott in "'ave it" and Martin. Going up the 3rd beat the wind went light and Juliet broke though to lead Robert at the mark. She still held a lead of about 5 boat lengths at the leeward mark and it looked like her championship with just a short beat to the finish line. Somehow Robert managed to catch her on the beat to take 1st place on the line and win the Championship on count back.

Time/Date 14:41:30/07-11-2004

PROVISIONAL RESULT

PLYM YACHT CLUB

MIRROR SW Area Championships

Points Table. Low Points System
Number of Races Sailed 5
Number of Races to Count 4
The Declared Entry is 37