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Savvy Navvy 2024

2024 Mirror National Championship at Itchenor Sailing Club

by Chris Balding 16 Sep 15:35 BST 23-26 August 2024

Itchenor last hosted the Mirror nationals in 2016. Up one of the rivers leading to Chichester harbour, the club provides a great venue to test the skills of the national fleet.

With a long history in Mirrors, ISC currently has 43 Mirrors in the dinghy park with 40+ attending their highly popular Junior Fortnight.

The Mirror Nationals 2024 (23rd to 26th August) included 3 days of racing during which the Race team coordinated 7 races in different winds and different states of tide plus a day of coaching and practice.

The fleet seems to be attracting a growing number of hotshots from other classes who see the opportunity to do great racing while their offspring eat sweets in the front of the boat! This year, at least half of the top ten included national, world or endeavour champions from other classes. Only one parent/child team in the top ten had swapped places with Alex Balding (10th) taking the helm from his dad.

Ben and Evelyn McGrane gave another masterclass in Mirror sailing over the weekend only dropping one race to Matt and Pippa Burge.

This year saw two wooden boats in the top ten and a variety of sail makers. Please see the Yachts and Yachting Gear guide for details.

The single handed trophy was hotly contested between Ron and Jewels Vass. The blustery conditions meant it was not ideal for single handers. Ron was greatful for some super woman heroics from Natasha Armstrong who leapt from her boat to help him right his, after a crash gybe sailing through finishing boats.

The team trophy was closely fought between Hayling Island (Dobson, Wincer and Carveth) and Netley (McGrane, Stewart and King). While initially awarded to HISC, a closer inspection of the results suggests Netly won. There may be some debate about the outcome but Netly conveniently left it at home so that is where it stays for now!

Poppy and Natasha Armstrong (West Kirby) are the Women's National Champions. Felix and Rupert Garlick (Itchenor) are the Youth National Champions.

The highly coveted Super Crew trophy (youngest to complete every race) was won by Evelyn McGrane. The day before racing got going, the Mirror Class Association with support from the ISC Race team provided coaching and two coached practice races. Coaches included the current Southern, Eastern, Inland, National and World champion Ben McGrane plus ex World champion Chris Balding shouting at crews from RIBs. Coaching continued over the weekend with daily debriefs when possible.

The Mirror event calendar is growing each year. Still to come in 2024 is the Welsh then Scottish then Inland Championships. See Facebook or the Class Association website for further details.

Overall Results:
If you finished in the top ten at the Mirror nationals then enter your Gear Guide information here

PosFleetBoatNameSailNo.HelmCrewHomeClubR1R2R3R4R5R6R7Pts
1stGoldAnna71038Ben McGraneEvelyn McGraneNetley SC11111‑616
2ndGoldMarmalade71042Matthew McGovernLewis McGovernSouth Staffs Sailing Club4232‑72518
3rdGoldLightning71053Ian DobsonTed DobsonHISC278863(RET)34
4thGoldForget me knot70697Douglas PattisonJude CollierItchenor3104657‑1135
5thGoldShelly70182James DateMeris DateBurghfield Sailing Clib9‑1529124238
6thGoldRevenge of the Smurfs70832James StewartRhys Stewart ‑163511138343
7thGoldMolly70085Matthew BurgePippa BurgePoole YC6410(DNS)212346
8thGoldCarveth Mirror70556Geoff CarvethZac CarvethHISC12‑2167410746
9thGoldWave Catcher Too70922Toby WincerMolly WincerHISC514(RET)1095447
10thGoldYOLO70810Alex BaldingChris BaldingIsland Barn71215314‑22960
11thGoldZoomy70967Paul CullenWill LarkinWeirwood‑1591341591060
12thGoldHummingbird70587Leighton KingPenny KingNetley Sailing Club13‑22165320865
13thBronzeX70922Katie ArcherSummer GreenlandHISC111321(DNC)10111682
14thGoldPeer Pressure70714Felix GarlickRupert GarlickItchenor881221‑28181784
15thGoldHydrus48756Nick SimmonsFinn SimmonsLymington Town SC20‑239178132188
16thGoldSea Glass70499Poppy ArmstrongTasha ArmstrongWest Kirby Sailing Club1816‑201617141293
17thGoldSkittles70961Nicholas CharlesEdith CharlesPapercourt191111(DNC)20171896
18thGoldBaby Grey Boat70893Becky PriestElla SaundersStaunton Harold SC‑2962218242315108
19thGoldA squish and a squash try not to splosh70805Matthew LarkinOliver LarkinWeir Wood Sailing Club25‑33191522316118
20thGoldDonut70916Richard SearleRupert SearleItchenor172517(DNC)232119122
21stBronzeTyphoon70820Andrew Handasyde DickIzzy HDItchenor30‑352312161530126
22ndGoldOarsome70945Morgan CrossStephen CrossBrightlingsea Sailing Club23‑312720211920130
23rdGoldHammerhead70571Jo FieldTabitha FieldWeir Wood Sailing Club‑36303114181624133
24thGoldElsa70987Rozalyn McGraneKeira McGraneNetley Sailing club2424(DNC)DNC111214138
25thGoldRumble Fish70883Matthew BromleyGeorgina BromleyRedesmere SC212624(DNC)302613140
26thGoldYogi1016Felix GladmanArthur PattisonItchenor102841(RET)252828160
27thBronzeGone with The Wind70564James BaylissAnnabel BaylissISC2218713(DNC)DNCDNC166
28thGoldBluebell70354Euan BradshawZoey BradshawEmsworth Sailing Club33‑373222292525166
29thGoldAeolus70163Jenny FletcherIsabel FletcherChichester Yacht Club271928(DNC)274522168
30thGoldBold Forester69667Martin EganFelix HeffernanRestronguet SC312725(DNC)362427170
31stGoldPeanut70713Lucy SearleRosy SearleItchenor422026(DNC)313032181
32ndGoldMaverick70757Lily‑Rose NixonAlice PattisonItchenor283235243334‑43186
33rdGoldZarya69929Alan BennettEllie FletcherStaunton Harold323630(DNC)322729186
34thGoldYeti70743Willow CrossKatie BeesBrightlingsea Sailing Club(DNC)DNCDNC19192931204
35thGoldBlue70347Elsie Upton‑BrownBella PickupEmsworth384539(DNS)263726211
36thGoldScylla70503Peter DemingCatherine Demingn/a34514(DNC)DNCDNCDNC212
37thBronzeHappy Blue Whale70268Flynn GrantLoftus SkinnerChichester353836(DNC)353335212
38thGoldSugar and Spice70834Richard EvansPoppy EvansBlackwater Sailing Club142918(DNC)DNCDNCDNC220
39thBronzeLittle Miss Attitude70638Monty FrySeb TaylorItchenor373933(DNC)413634220
40thGoldCoz‑i‑Can70395EJ AytonCamilla GarlickItchenor SC403434(DNC)373838221
41stBronzeOlaf70737Juliet CharlesSebastian CharlesPapercourt261729(DNC)DNCDNCDNC231
42ndGoldCrimson Thunder70534Adriana BaldingPriti VermaIsland Barn434238(DNC)403544242
43rdGoldLady Dashalot70791Imogen FryNelly HewlettItchenor394137(DNC)394445245
44thGoldWhite Pointer70618Albert ScholesRoger ScholesItchenor(DNC)DNCDNC23433937248
45thBronzeSweet Pea70227Edward GobleFergus GobleItchenor444442(DNC)444340257
46thGoldGo Fish70706Joshua GestetnerDarcy CollierItchenor4140(DNC)DNC384642260
47thGoldTeFiti70790Huw Beverley‑JonesMatilda WardRestronguet(DNC)DNCDNCDNC344236271
48thGoldSurfs Up70972Jewels Vass Reading SC(DNC)DNCDNCDNCDNC3233277
49th  69464   (DNC)DNCDNCDNC424039280
50thBronzeBlibbering Humdinger70510Enfys HornerGeorge MasseyESC454340(DNC)DNCDNCDNC287
51stGoldSquirt7103Ronald Vass Reading SC(DNC)DNCDNCDNC464141287
52nd  70366   (DNC)DNCDNCDNC4547DNF304

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