Team GBR success at the Mirror World Championships
by Dave Woodhead 4 Aug 2013 14:33 BST
28 July - 2 August 2013
Team GBR sailors came away from the Mirror Worlds at Loch Derg in Ireland with a huge amount to celebrate. Despite strong international competition, with 3 boats in the top 5 and 13 in the top 20 they understandably were awarded the team prize. Katie Davies and Gemma Kears became the Junior World Champions, with Katie's sister Isabel and crew Milly Moss runners up.(all from Itchenor Sailing Club) The girls were 3rd and 4th overall. But for a capsize during a squall in the last race whilst leading, Joanne Kalderon and Imogen Belfield could well have made it an all female hat trick of Itchenor sailors at the head of World Junior Category. As it was they had to settle for 4th juniors.
Further successes followed with Sarah and George Richards (2nd overall) taking the First Lady and Family prizes. Another double prize winner was class stalwart Martin Egan who proved you do not need an FRP bermudan rigged boat to get top ten race results. He claimed the masters and veteran boat prize with his immaculate wooden gaff rigged boat.
RYA Head Mirror coach Catherine Maguire was exceptionally pleased with the performance of the junior squad sailors. "They have worked very hard for the last two weeks and put into practice all their training from last winter. On a very challenging race course they have shown resilience and maturity beyond their years, keeping their heads up and bouncing back from the inevitable snakes and ladders effect of a venue with unpredictable wind shifts and varying pressure."
The GBR junior sailors dominated the junior and youth categories except for the top youth and overall winners Ryan and Michaela Robinson from South Africa who sailed an exceptionally consistent regatta. Plans are now already being made to return the trophy to the UK from the next Worlds in South Africa in January 2015. Meanwhile there is only a week to go to the Mirror Nationals at Pembroke!
Full results can be found at mirrorworlds2013.com/site/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/Mirror-Worlds-13-Results-F.pdf