Mirror worlds preview from Justin Chisholm:
On the eve of the 2009 Mirror World Championship at Pwllheli, North Wales, competitors were able to make their final preparations before the scheduled start of racing tomorrow. The forecast weather front, which hit the North Wales coast in the early hours of this morning, made for a damp and blustery start to the day but conditions began to improve around lunchtime. The strong winds are not expected to die down before late tonight, however hopes are still high that the low pressure will have passed through before morning.
UK Mirror Class Chief Measurer Martin Egan and his twelve-strong team of volunteers made short work of the World Championship scrutineering process, despite having to weigh and measure over one hundred boats. 'For the main Championship fleet we are checking all the boats’ he explained. ‘We look at a variety of things, such as the weight of the boats and the depth that the centreboard projects beneath the hull. We are also making sure that all sails have been officially measured and stamped and that key dimensions on the masts like the spinnaker halliard exit point are in the correct place.’
Newly crowned UK Mirror National Champions Ross Kearney and Katy Jones are looking forward to the World’s racing, but neither are in any doubt about the size of the challenge ahead. Yesterday Ross and Katy clinched their first UK National title together after a final race showdown with Tom Lovesey and Milly Pugh. ‘The Worlds fleet will be tougher even than the Nationals’ commented Kearney. ‘With more boats on the startline it will be hard for anyone to guarantee a consistent set off results.’ The new National Champions are clearly taking no chances with their equipment for the Worlds. After inspecting their boat earlier today and discovering a worrying bend in their mast, they have sensibly decided to replace it with a new one. ‘Even though it clearly wasn’t slowing us down at the Nationals, I would kick myself it broke during the Worlds’ commented Kearney.
The 2009 World Championship fleet is one of the strongest ever and picking a winner at this stage is pretty much impossible. UK Nationals runner up Tom Lovesey and his crew Millie Pugh will be looking to repeat the form of the last few days, which saw them win two National Championship races. Third placed Charlotte Fitzgerald and Annie Sibthorp are also full of confidence having sailed a consistent Nationals series, which must position them to mount a strong challenge for the World title. Ex Fireball World Champion Andy Smith, crewed by son Tom, finished the Nationals strongly with a first and second in the lighter conditions on the final day to take fourth overall. Having already won a major championship, Smith’s experience will surely stand him in good stead during the Championship series this week.
Aside from the top British crews there are several other countries with squads capable of producing a winner. The Irish have brought over a twenty boat contingent which includes several pairings with the potential to take home the title. The Australian challenge appears to be led by Paul & Austin Taylor, who counted three podium positions in their UK Nationals score to finish in eighth place overall. Best at the Nationals, from the eight South African teams who have made the long trek to Pwllheli, were Jeremy Holdcroft and Emmanuel Morake who finished in thirtieth place. Canada meanwhile has a lone entry in the form of Mateusz Bienczyk and Michael Pagacz.
This evening, resplendent in their country team uniforms, the entire hundred and seven World Championship crews took part in a noisy and colourful parade from the town to the official opening ceremony at Pwllheli Sailing Club. With Mayor Evan John Hughes and Lord Dafydd Elis Thomas from the National Office for Wales looking on, Reverand Meirion Lloyd Davies blessed the regatta before Mirror Class Chairman Jeremey Pudney wished the competitors a week of fair sailing.
