Mirror Southern Championships 2025 at Itchenor Sailing Club

A fantastic mixed set of sailors showcased just why the Mirror class is one of the best investments you can make. With sailors from 5 to 75, single handers, junior teams and Haribo-dispensing parents there is no excuse not to get involved.

Whilst the strong winds on the Sunday challenged and tested the whole fleet, the experience and learning was demonstrated by all as the wind moderated on the Monday.

With winds peaking in the high 20s, the first day was dominated by capsizing across the fleet. The exception, with a special mention, being Edward and Fergus Goble who demonstrated some quality sailing and perseverance to maintain both smiles and dry feet.

At the sharp end a capsize from James and Meris Date and Matt and Pippa Burge, allowed Ian and Ted Dobson to slip away and take the race win. In race 2 a capsize from the Dobsons allowed the Dates and Toby and Molly Wincer to stretch out in front. A strong performance by the junior team of Felix and Rupert Garlick gained them a 4th in the first unfortunately followed by a broken mast in race 2.

Mirror Southern Championships at Itchenor - photo © Andrew Burge

An afternoon après party with sunshine, Ibiza house beats and kids in sumo suits whacking each other with puggle sticks provided a surprising yet very welcome atmosphere at the club and an enjoyable venue to while away the afternoon.

Monday wind was 15 knots which slowly built. With tide going downwind, crews had plenty of practise at tacking (and hitting the mud) up shoreline. In race number 3 the question was left shore or right shore. Meris Date, unable to correct Jame's poor decision making was the victim of a substantial loss up the first beat. Some close tussles between the Wincers, Burges and Dobsons kept the race alive until the end.

Going into race 4, all was tied between the Dates, Dobsons and Wincers. A capsize from Burges, and a penalty for Wincers allowed the Dobsons to pursue the Dates. Despite pressure all the way to the final mark, the Dates secured the win in race 4 and ultimately the championship.

Mirror Southern Championships at Itchenor - photo © Hermione Patterson

The fleet gently encouraged the race officer to quit whilst smiles were still showing across the fleet in the building breeze and call the event to a close.

In the junior division Felix and Rupert Garlick took the well-deserved win sailing an exceptional series battling at the front of a genuinely world-class fleet.

Its not all about the winning, or even finishing but just doing a little bit more than you did last time.

Mirror Southern Championships at Itchenor - photo © Hermione Patterson

Overall Results:

Mirror Southern Championships at Itchenor - photo © Andrew Burge

Another view of the event

It was one of those classic forecasts designed to frustrate the heck out of any attempt to make a decision on whether to attend an event. From the distant north we were going to be knocking in a healthy 600 miles plus round trip to attend. A 20 gusting 25+ knot forecast was one just on the edge of a go-no go decision and not far enough either side to ensure a confident decision either way. So, conscious of the truism that "many a good days sailing ruined by looking at an online forecast" I asked the 6 year old if he wanted to go whilst warning him of the forecast and he said yes anyway. Of course I know he had no idea what I was on about but at least he felt like it was his choice. When someone told me the met office forecast had over 30 knots on the board later that night I got a tad more concerned but by then we had done over 5 of the 6 hour journey so no going back.

We turned up to a healthy 18-20 knots with some strong gusts but most pleasingly plenty of other mirrors rigging up, quite a few of whom had gotten there on Saturday for a bit of sail. Then the BIG NEWS came out during the boat park conversations: a MIRROR WORLDS WILL BE IN POOLE IN 2027. That's right, the ultimate parent and child boat will be holding a genuine world championships in the UK in 2 years time. Whilst the class has been going from strength to strength in the past 5 years this is excellent news and should ensure another huge boost in numbers. I messaged all my ultra competitive sailing friends with children under 10 who definitely do not need another sailing event in their calendar and got a great response. Their wives will no doubt kill me later.

The next problem was a quick survey of the boat park showed that the standard of the fleet continues to rise as there were enough world and national championships amongst the adults in the fleet to sink a mirror and more "squad badges" on the buoyancy aids of the children to make a few sets of sails. Not least the Itchenor mirror fleet seems to be going from strength to strength with a strong youth contingent growing at speed and ably helped by the organisation of Hemione Pattinson, the class captain. It's great to see some clubs still leveraging the strength of volunteers to drive participation.

Still, 30 of us launched into a typical flooding Chichester Harbour tide and punched our way out to the start line where the gusts seem to be getting stronger and stronger. We didn't make it 50 yards before the mutiny started in the front of the boat and I was told to "go back", standard. At least the wind over tide made it pretty flat and after a short delay we got the first race under way. At this point I was reminded that taking 9 months off sailing, apart from 20 minutes sailing on a shifty gusty lake last weekend, isn't the best preparation to go out in howling gale into the tide with a frightened and rapidly freezing 6 yr old. It comes back though! We remembered to crack the jib sheets as the gusts started to get crazy and eased the kicker a little too. Just in time to watch a couple of others suffer the consequences if you don't and get knocked straight over by gusts. I had that nagging thought in the back of my mind that we'd never actually done a capsize drill in any fashion. Great parenting.

We managed to get to the first mark in once piece which was more than could be said for the majority. The gusts were getting so strong some boats had taken refuge on the shore and several others had turned for home. However, the action at the front of the race was in full flow. Parent and child teams like the Dobsons, the Dates, the Wincers and the Pattinsons were duking it out, kites up, storming downwind with the tide. Mirrors are cracking fun in 25 knots and it was great to see some of the youth crews like Rupert and Felix Garlick with Arthur Pattinson and Felix Gladman right on the heels of the old guns. Team Burge came around next, after a brief swim on the first beat (it happens to the best of us, even world champions), rapidly climbing back through the fleet. I had a great view stood in waist deep water watching him, having sailed far too close to the bank on the run and popped the rudder down haul, end of the day for us. TBH the mutiny was getting pretty strong by this point anyway. Turns out having waves hit you in the face for 20 minutes isn't every child's best day out.

The first race ended up with team Dobson getting the better of team Date and team Pattinson rounding out the podium closely followed by the Garlick brothers doing a great job in the strong winds.

Mirror Southern Championships at Itchenor - photo © Andrew Burge

The second race started with a lot less boats, many took a turn for home as the gusts started approaching 30 knots and the tide turned to kick up a wicked chop. Still, 11 boats started and had a wild ride around the track. This time without any tide to worry about the boats spread across the upwind leg but the usual suspects converged for another tight race, again storming off wind over the waves this time. The standard of the front of the fleet being shown as, despite 32 knot gusts being seen on the committee boat 7 boats finished the triangle sausage course, despite a few swims along the way. "We weren't really getting any deeper than a broad reach on that last run, it was full on" said Toby Wincer after the race. He'd also decided against trying to sail back to HISC into the 30 knot wind against tide. And no one would blame him! James and Meris Date sailed a great race to take the win and the overnight lead with Toby with Molly Wincer in second and Matt and Pippa Burge rounding out the podium. Euan and Zoey Bradshaw sailed a great race to take 4th in very tough conditions.

With the committee boat hanging around and considering another race the fleet made its own decision and turned straight for a sleigh ride back to the club where they dished out some quick hot chocolates to try and warm up the cold little hands. The club put on some great food and even better entertainment for the late afternoon and evening with sumo suits, jousting and music for the kids and plenty of beers for the adults.

Sunday dawned with a strong but sailable south westerly so we all got back out for 3 planned races before the forecast increase in winds kicked in. Naturally I was told to go back before we even made it the standard 50 yards but the magic of a constant stream of sugar wrapped in food colourings kept the mutiny at bay once more. I'd also borrowed a woolly hat and put on extra clothing all round in an attempt to keep the little guy warm. I had to laugh at the realisation that he was wearing more clothes on a warm May day than I used to wear at winter training in the depths of January but then I used freeze my tatties off back then.

The first race started in 18- 20 knots and rising. The 17 boat fleet split either side of the river sticking to the banks to stay out the incoming tide. The left side came out first with the Wincers, Dobsons and Burges leading the fleet round. The Pattisons Dates, having picked the wrong side, chasing hard to try and catch up. After some tight racing up the shore again for the second beat the Wincers hung on to take an excellent win with Team Dobson in second. The back, no spinnaker half of the fleet still had some tight racing as well with places changing constantly until a few of us strayed too far inshore on the second beat, again trying to sneak out the tide.

The results meant 3 boats had a 1-2, after a discard, going into the fourth and almost certainly final race as the breeze continued to build, staying consistently above 20 knots with big gusts coming through. Despite this the final race was the tightest of them all as 13 boats lined up gunning for the left hand shore. Team Date got a cracking start, leveraging those old experienced laser legs to out hike us middle earth types and get to the shore first, leading a tightly bunched fleet to the first mark. The front 6 dashed away with their spinnakers. We (Team Baker) lead the none spinnaker half of the race as we all stayed close off wind.

I'll be honest I don't entirely know what happened at the front in the last race. We could see the top 6 staying tight to the finish with the 5 parent and child teams and the Garlick brothers mixing it up well but the results show the Dates stayed ahead to take the win and the event holding off the Dobsons followed by the Burges delivering a super consistent 3rd once again. Our half of the race was also tight with a great tacking duel up the last beat and places changing all the way once again. We almost felt like we were sailing the boat properly by the end only to get caught in a bunch of standing waves to miss the last mark and lose two places. What a plank. The management department at the font of the boat gave some strong feedback. He was done for the day anyway so after the finish we headed straight for the club with a couple of other boats and the rest quickly followed as the outgoing tide built a big chop against the increasing wind.

Well done to James and Meris Date for taking the Southern Area championships. Ian and Ted Dobson did a great job to take second and Toby and Molly Wincer in third. Then Matt and Pippa Burge took 4th and first wooden wonder ahead of Doug Alice Pattinson in 5th. Felix and Rupert Garlick took first youth boat having sailed brilliantly all weekend and it was great to see a lot of young sailors sticking in some great racing in really tough conditions. Ron Vass took first single hander on count back. And, of course, a big thanks to Itchenor, especially Hermione, for putting on a great event with a ton of extras to entertain everyone.

As the fleet continues to build we expect there could be well over 100 boats for the worlds in 2027. There are a few good second hand boats around if you're interested and don't be afraid to ask on the facebook page. Check out the Mirror class website for any info you need or yachts and yachting for Ben McGranes new tuning guide. We look forward to a strong turn out for the Northerns at Derwent this weekend, contact the club for a camping pitch.

Mirror Southern Championships at Itchenor - photo © Andrew Burge