The 52nd International Mirror Class Australian Championship was held at Kingston Beach Sailing Club in Tasmania from 27-31 December 2017 when two dozen boats from all states except Queensland competed for the title.
Ten races were sailed over five days and racing was extremely close throughout. The battle for outright honours went down to the final race which was won by reigning National Mirror Class champions, Damian Carey and Lauren Armstrong from Henley Sailing Club (SA) sailing ‘Bob’, who took the title.
The pair won on countback from ‘Waterborne at Last’, sailed by Douglas Raftesath and Spencer McKay from Balmoral Sailing Club (NSW) – the two crews finished on 13 points after 10 races.
Carey/Armstrong won five races, while Raftesath/McKay won four. It does not get much closer. Stan Bland from Woollahra Sailing Club (NSW) sailing ‘Eeezy Life’ with Hugo Jones from Kingston Beach Sailing Club (TAS) took third place.
The Junior trophy was won by ‘Storefresh’, sailed by Ella Konings/Emily Carey from Goolwa, (SA), while the Youth trophy went to Charlotte Raftesath/Benedict McKay from Balmoral Sailing Club, sailing ‘Yenda Lee’. The Ladies trophy was won by Jenny Graney/Zoe Cowles from Kingston Beach Sailing Club, sailing ‘Carpe Diem’.
Raftesath/McKay also won the Veterans prize, while the ‘Eeezy Life’ crew won the Norm Deane Masters trophy. The Buxton Parent and Child Trophy was taken out by Campbell and Stirling McKay from Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron (NSW) sailing ‘Wavecatcher’; the Cruiserweight trophy went to Gavin and Oliver Cooke from Balmoral SC sailing ‘Firefly’ and the Handicap trophy was won by Tony and Atlas Miller (Flying Flathead’) from Kingston Beach SC sailing ‘.
The best performing Gunter rigged Mirror was ‘Cicada V’, sailed by Preston and Phil Cowles from Kingston Beach SC, which placed ninth overall and was one of three timber boats in the top 10.
Many thanks to PRO David Graney and his team of volunteers who ran the Mirror Nationals in a very efficient manner in some challenging weather conditions on the last two days.
Judging by the Mirror sailing talent on display throughout the fleet during the Nationals, we can look forward to a strong performance from the Australian team at the 18th Mirror Dinghy World Championship to be held at Woollahra Sailing Club in Sydney from 31 December 2018 to 6 January 2019.
Jenny Graney/Andrew Clippingdale
