Navigators & General Mirror Europeans at Brixham Yacht Club - Day 1
by Rob Bellfield 19 Aug 2014 13:48 BST
17-22 August 2014
The Irish Mirror fleet have arrived in Brixham in force to take on the UK boats to compete in the Navigators & General Mirror European Championships. While there is great rivalry, there are also great friendships forged during the World Championships at Lough Derg last year, but these will be put to one side on the water. Let battle commence!
Day One kicked off in solid 3-4 from the North west. Race 1 got away promptly under a Blue Peter flag with a bias to the Committee boat end and an individual recall.
At the first mark Tiarnan Dickson & Luke Groarke-Donagh led from Shane McLoughlin & Oscar Langan followed by Robert Richardson & Megan Thornley. A left shift turned this reach into a run and the next reach was very tight. On the it paid to play the shifts on the left of the beat and at the top mark Gemma Keers & Imogen Bellfield were 1st then Reg & Gemma with Shane & Oscar 3rd and positions remained to the finish.
In the second race got away at the first attempt under a Blue Peter flag. Tiarnan & Luke led at the top mark then Henry Heath & James Dickinson then Gemma & Imogen. Reg & Gemma got past Gemma & Imogen on the reach and then Gemma's pole broke approaching the gybe. On the 2nd reach the two leaders went high, fighting each other allowing the following boats to catch up. On the second beat positions stayed the same among the leaders. On final run Henry & James went right and lost out slightly but it was very close down the run and around the leeward mark with the three leaders almost in a line crossing the finish with Tiarnan & Luke 1st, Reg & Gemma 2nd, Henry & James third.
The forecast for the rest of the week has the wind remaining in the westerly quadrant but of varying strengths - it will be challenging. The fleet is high quality - racing will be tight!
Results at: www.brixhamyachtclub.com/racing/2014/results/mirroreuroos.html