Mirror Western Champs at Chew Valley Lake Sailing Club

by Errol Edwards 2 Sep 2002 13:56 BST

There was an excellent turnout of 59 Mirrors for the Western Area Championship held at Chew Valley Lake SC over the weekend 31st August & 1st September. Conditions were warm and sunny with a generally light, patchy and shifty breeze marking the blue water of the lake surface. The lush greens of the unspoilt Mendip hills formed a breathtaking backdrop to complete a picture postcard scene. Chew Valley SC's organisation of the event was very good both on and off the water and the clubhouse provided a great viewpoint for spectators.

Daniel & James Ellis led race 1 for the first lap, but they were eventually overhauled by Guy and Joe Wilkins in the light shifty conditions with Stuart Bithell and Holly Scott lying 3rd when the course was shortened after 2 laps plus a beat. Race 2 was subject to a general recall, but the fleet got away on the 1st black flag start. Vince and Thomas Horey, just back from the Fireball Nationals, dominated the race with Craig and Mitchell Bond 2nd and Tim and Jenny Gray 3rd. Elena Bremer and Tom Kirkbright from Hollingsworth Lake SC initally led race 3, but were caught by the chasing pack at the gybe mark. Stuart Bithell went on to win with Tim Gray 2nd and Guy Wilkins lying 3rd when the race was shortened at the gybe mark on the 3rd lap.

On Saturday evening, a tree swing being used by Stuart Bithell, who was leading overall, broke and he sustained two broken toes, bruising and a cut to the head. He appeared on Sunday morning with a crutch, his foot in plaster and stitches in his head wound (but alas, no parrot !). Sailing was out of the question so Holly Scott gamely took over helming.

After a general recall, race 4 started with Guy Wilkins leading at the first mark, but Jonny McGovern and Nicola Brook came through to win with Gareth Hughes and Cameron Sharp 2nd, Tim Gray 3rd, Guy 4th and Holly a long way back. With the one discard now used, desperate measures were required, so Stuart went afloat for the last race with his plaster cast protected by a bin liner. This race was won by Guy Wilkins with Niki and Christian Birrell 2nd and Stuart a very commendable 3rd which was enough to give him 2nd overall.

Event Photos: (© Errol Edwards, click thumbnail for full picture)

Overall Results: (5 races, 1 discard)

Pos	Sail No	Helm	Crew	Club	R1	R2	R3	R4	R5	Pts
1	39508	GUYWILKINS	JOE WILKINS	CHIPSTEAD	1	8	3	4	1	9
2	70172	STUART BITHELL	HOLLY SCOTT	HOLLINGWORTH LAKE	3	5	1	51	3	12
3	70101	TIM GRAY	JENNY GRAY	STAUNTON HAROLD	13	3	2	3	8	16
4	70163	VINCENT HOREY	THOMAS HOREY	KING GEORGE	DNS	1	7	7	4	19
5	70132	DANIEL ELLIS	JAMES ELLIS	PLYM Y C	2	7	21	6	7	22
6	69907	JONATHAN MCGOVERN	NICOLA BROOK	HOLLINGWORTH LAKE	22	4	8	1	12	25
7	70091	JOSH GEBHARD	JUDI GEBHARD	DRSC	7	10	4	14	5	26
8	70154	CRAIG BOND	MITCHELL BOND	BRIGHTLINGSEA	4	2	12	11	10	27
9	69164	NIKI BIRRELL	CHRISTIAN BIRRELL	WINSFORD FLASH	12	6	20	9	2	29
10	69943	BEN CROMPTON	JAMES BUDD	BUDWORTH	43	14	6	16	6	42
11	70182	ROSIE CHAPMAN	JOSY PRICHARD	MOUNTS BAY	6	12	9	22	23	49
12	70186	PETER GRAY	HELEN WILLIAMSON	STAUNTON HAROLD	16	13	33	10	13	52
13	69683	KATIE MACKENZIE	ANNA MACKENZIE	ROYAL WINDERMERE	17	11	22	17	11	56
14	70009	DARREN ROACH	EDD GREIG GRAN	RPCYC	10	15	14	18	20	57
15	70159	ANDREW CONN	JAKE GEBHARD	DRSC	14	16	18	13	16	59
16	23997	LEWIS CRAWFORD	KYLE RUFFELL	PENZANCE	26	9	24	12	15	60
17	69726	NED MCNULTY	TOM HODKINSON	HILL HEAD	9	17	16	27	21	63
18	70153	GARETH HUGHES	CAMERON SHARP	HLSC	21	41	29	2	18	70
19	69667	MARTIN EGAN	SARAH BURGE	POOLE	27	23	17	8	22	70
20	69648	MATT BURGE	CARLY BURGE	POOLE	8	19	31	15	60	73
21	69905	NICK WATSON	JOSH LAINE	RPCYC	11	37	5	45	25	78
22	70008	CHRIS DOE	ALISON MACGREGOR	POOLE	36	18	34	19	9	80
23	69972	BECKY PARTRIDGE	EMILY MCKENZIE	BUDWORTH	34	24	23	20	14	81
24	70002	ROBERT STRUCKETT	GEORGE YEOMAN	ITCHENOR	18	27	13	26	36	84
25	70003	TOM ROBINSON	SHAUN MASON	WARSASH	24	20	15	39	26	85
26	69731	TOM CROMPTON	WILL EDWARDS	BUDWORTH	20	22	19	29	37	90
27	69891	GARETH EVANS	JAMES SILCOCK	WARSASH	15	46	25	25	29	94
28	70133	DANIEL JACOBS	JAMES BEER	STARCROSS	48	31	11	21	33	96
29	70055	KATE MACGREGOR	LUCY MACGREGOR	POOLE	5	48	39	34	19	97
30	70151	OLIVER TURNER	CHARLOTTE JONES	STARCROSS	45	35	48	5	17	102
31	69724	NATALIE ROACH	CARLA SHELDON	RPCYC	23	25	37	31	24	103
32	69906	EDWARD REDFEARN	STEVEN MANN	BRIGHTLINGSEA	31	21	28	28	30	107
33	60005	ANNA ROW	LINDSEY COOK	PENZANCE	28	30	40	24	31	113
34	70024	NERISSA BOOTH	SILVANIA BOOTH	POOLE	29	28	27	30	DSQ	54
35	69417.78178	ELENA BREMER	TOM KIRKBRIGHT	HOLLINGWORTH LAKE	38	32	10	47	39	119
36	70166	BEN ARSCOTT	ANDREW HICKMAN	RWYC	25	33	41	36	34	128
37	69439	MEGAN BAKER	WILL MCGRATH	STARCROSS	42	26	36	40	27	129
38	1016	ANDREW SHAW	JILLIAN DARLING	ITCHENOR	41	29	30	43	32	132
39	69957	LAURA HALL	NATALIE ATTFIELD	PLYM Y C	50	44	26	48	28	146
40	70141	JULIET LONG	RICHARD LONG	PLYM YACHT CLUB	47	39	32	38	40	149
41	69969	SELENA KNIGHT	SOPHIE KNIGHT	?	35	34	45	37	44	150
42	64909	LEE NARKEOUS	MICHAEL STILLMAN		39	40	49	23	DSQ	91
43	47566	ELOISE HANSEN	KAYLEIGH HANSEN	COVENHAMS	37	42	43	41	35	155
44	69182	PATRICK HOULIHAN	EMMA HOULIHAN	ROYAL WINDERMERE	53	38	42	35	41	156
45	70125	VICTORIA COBB	HANNAH COBB	POOLE	32	36	44	52	45	157
46	70167	EWAN MARSHALL	DANIEL DICKENS	PLYM	33	49	38	44	43	158
47	67979	ALICE DARLING	JESS WIGMORE	?	19	47	50	56	50	166
48	70155	NICK WARD	TOM WRIGHT	HOLLOWELL	30	43	51	46	49	168
49	54331	JONATHAN RICKARD	JONATHAN HALL	PLYM Y C	55	52	46	33	38	169
50	44814	JENNY MACGREGOR	ANDY MACGREGOR	POOLE	40	45	53	32	60	170
51	67808	PADDY ADAMS	ANDREW ROSE	CHEW VALLEY	46	53	35	57	51	185
52	69671	SALLY GENTRY	ANNEKA STEPHENS	BRIGHTLINGSEA	51	51	52	42	47	191
53	67993	PETER HOOPER	LUKE MICHALE	SALTASH SAILING	49	54	56	49	42	194
54	69334	LEWIS TURNER	CARY TURNER	STARCROSS	44	OCS	47	50	53	134
55	54539	CHARLOTTE BRETT	SOPHIE BRETT	LOOE SAILING	52	50	54	53	46	201
56	26550	BRIAN KITCHING	GEORGE KITCHING	FRAMPTON ON SEVEN	54	56	58	54	48	212
57	68999	BENJAMIN WILLIAMS	JOSHUA WILLIAMS	PLYM	57	55	55	58	52	219
58	29871	MARK DINWOODIE	JENNY/OLIVER	CVLSC	56	57	57	55	60	225
59	99	REBECCA BROWN	HANNAH WILLIAMS	PLYM	58	58	59	RTD	RTD	235