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Abersoch Mirror Week at South Caernarvonshire Yacht Club
Author: Jonathan Sharp
South Caernarvonshire YC hosted their annual Mirror Week at Abersoch from August 13th to 17th sponsored by West Coast Surf and Abersoch Boat Yard. In its fifth year the informal but well organised event attracted sixty-five boats again making this almost the UK's largest Mirror event.
Instigator Mike Crompton designed the series to encourage family racers of all abilities to take part. The large fleet normally have races each day run on triangular, in-shore courses from the committee yacht Kristoria. Some races were lost to high winds and no wind, safety and an enjoyable week being key issues but nine races were completed.
This year the overall winners, youth sailors Tom Crompton and Ben Cooke (SCYC), only came through to take the series lead on the final day after a pair of very assured wins in a fresh force three. Their time together in the boat and 'eyes out of the boat' approach gave them dominant wins both in
boat handling and windward tactics.
Series stalwart Dave Hughes (Hollngworth) lead a good portion of the week and seemed on course to recapture the Series but had to give best to the younger Crompton/Cooke duo on the final day by only two points. He pipped Ned McNulty and Gary Jackson (Hill Head) into third after they sailed a
consistently front running week.
National Squad girls Katie and Anna Mackenzie (Royal Windermere) showed the benefits of their RYA training programme with a single race win en route to an impressive fourth overall in such a large fleet. They also took over the mantle of first all girl team from previous incumbents, the Nikki/Sarah Sharp duo with Nikki now on Topper Squad duty elsewhere.
The Mackenzie girls also beat former Laser Champion Richard Robinson (SCYC) into fifth, Richard being one of many talented but nearing middle age sailors enjoying the relaxed week by sailing with their young children, nonetheless racing as keenly as ever. Richard beat another Laser sailing
father and daughter combination, Tony and Hannah Wilcock (Budworh) into sixth. They were only one point ahead of Ben Crompton/Sarah Sharp (SCYC), the newly put together team going faster as the week progressed, mistakes denying them a couple of race wins.
James Budd/Ryan Seaton (SCYC) won the Silver Fleet. There were prizes for every competitor and special prizes for numerous deserving teams. Another competing luminary, Russell Peters summed up the lesson to SCYC and other organising clubs that this week puts a lot of the fun back into family
racing, hence the entry making it the Mirror Class' second biggest annual event.
More Information:
- YachtsandYachting.com Mirror Page
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