The National Mirror Inland Championships were held at Bassenthwaite Lake over the three-day bank holiday weekend. Fifty-three boats entered from as far afield as Plymouth and Shetland.
Saturday saw two races held in perfect weather – sunshine and a force 2-3 wind. Local boys Tim and Rob Smith took an early lead and stayed in front for half the race. Some tricky shifts on the final beat saw them slip to fourth behind Dave and Joric Gebhard (Derwent Reservoir) who won, with Anna MacKenzie and Holly Scott (Royal Windermere and Shustoke) second and Eloise and Kayleigh Hansen who were third. Gareth Hughes from Hollingworth won the single handed fleet.
Dave and Joric kept their form and won the second race, followed by Dan and James Ellis from Plymouth in second and Craig and Mitchell Bond form Brightlingsea in third.
Sunday morning started very wet, but did dry up now and then. The OD stayed in his tent until the rain eased off and the sun made an appearance, but got the fleet away on time. However, the wind was stronger than on Saturday and caused a few capsizes. In the first race, Eloise and Kayleigh had a superb first beat and streaked away from the rest of the fleet. By the finish line, however, Dave and Joric had pulled back and were within a few feet but could not quite take the winning gun. Tom Robinson and Shaun Mason (Hillhead and Warsash) were third.
After lunch the boats went out for the windiest of the weekend’s races. A force 4 wind, gusting force 5 caused a few capsizes and kept the excellent rescue crews busy. Racing at the front of the fleet was much closer than on earlier races, with positions changing on each leg. Dan and James eventually finished first, with Eloise and Kayleigh in second.
Thankfully for the tired crews, the wind eased a bit for the third race on Sunday. Dan and James kept up their winning form and were followed home by Anna and Holly. After two days, Dave and Joric were leading the fleet by three points, but with another four boats within striking distance.
By Monday morning, the rain had eased off and the westerly wind was a force 3. However, the OD had a difficult job setting the course as the wind was shifting. This allowed significant leads to be opened up. William and Rebecca Kalderton (Itchenor) were out in front with Elouise and Kayleigh also way ahead of the rest of the fleet. These two boats held their positions for the rest of the race and were followed home by Juliet and Richard Long (Plymouth).
The sailors were all keen to start the final race – so much so that two general recalls were required plus the first showing of the black flag (and several sailors headed for the shore earlier than anticipated as a result). Eloise and Kayleigh were first to the windward mark, followed closely be Dave and Joric Gebhard and then Craig and Mitchell Bond. Dave managed to hitch a ride on a gust down the reach and was first to the next mark. The boats then all played ‘follow-my-leader’ on the next leg and took in a couple of gybes, except for Tom Robinson with Shaun Mason (Warsash/Hillhead) who headed straight for the mark and picked up a good few places in the process. Dave and Joric continued to stretch their lead and take the final race with Anna and Holly second and Eloise and Kayleigh third.
Prizes were awarded by Commodore Jose Hodgkins, and she thanked all the hard work of everyone involved in arranging the weekend such a success. Dave Gebhard echoed those thanks and noted the continued involvement of the Smith family with the Mirror Association over the weekend, from mum Pat in the kitchen (where else!), to dad Alan in a rescue boat, Andy in the lead boat (or was it a late night jaunt in the Bates?), twins Tim and Rob sailing and former Mirror national champion Phil as OD for the weekend
Overall results (double handed)
| Rank | Sail No | Helm | Crew | Club | R1 | R2 | R3 | R4 | R5 | R6 | R7 | Nett | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Double Handed Fleet – Sailed: 7 Discards: 1 | |||||||||||||
| 1 | 70332 | David Gebhard | Joric Gebhard | Derwent | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 1 | 11 | Gold, Master |
| 2 | 70176 | Eloise Hansen | Kayleigh Hansen | Covenham | 3 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 9 | 2 | 3 | 16 | Gold, U17 |
| 3 | 70132 | Dan Ellis | James Ellis | Royal Plymouth Corinthian | 7 | 2 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 7 | 21 | Gold, U17 |
| 4 | 70172 | Anna MacKenszie | Holly Scott | Royal Windermere and Shustoke | 2 | 4 | 8 | 6 | 2 | 9 | 2 | 24 | Gold, U17 |
| 5 | 70281 | Craig Bond | Mitchell Bond | Brightlingsea | 6 | 3 | 9 | 4 | 4 | 12 | 4 | 30 | Gold, |
| 6 | 70222 | Juliet Long | Richard Long | Plymouth | 9 | 7 | 10 | 7 | 5 | 3 | 8 | 39 | Gold, U15 |
| 7 | 70003 | Tom Robinson | Shaun Mason | Hill Head & Warshash | 10 | 6 | 3 | 11 | 6 | 8 | 6 | 39 | Gold, U17 |
| 8 | 70274 | William Kalderon | Rebecca Kalderon | Itchenor | 11 | 15 | 7 | 5 | 10 | 1 | 11 | 45 | Gold, U15 |
| 9 | 69667 | Martin Egan | James Wilkinson | Restronguet | 5 | 21 | 11 | 12 | 17 | 5 | BFD | 71 | Gold, Master |
| 10 | 70154 | Simon Lovesey | Tom Lovesey | Warsash | 15 | 12 | 4 | 21 | 7 | 19 | 19 | 76 | Gold, Master |
| 11 | 70162 | Jackie Gebhard | Louise Gebhard | Derwent | 16 | 17 | 5 | 16 | 12 | 17 | 14 | 80 | Gold, Master |
| 12 | 70142 | Tim Smith | Rob Smith | Bassenthwaite | 4 | 11 | 13 | 20 | DNF | 23 | 10 | 81 | Gold, U19 |
| 13 | 70223 | Liam Arrowsmith | Natalie Roach | Plymouth | 19 | 23 | 16 | 14 | 23 | 7 | 5 | 84 | Silver, U17 |
| 14 | 70167 | Gavin Tullet | Henry Westropp | Royal Windermere | 24 | 8 | 14 | 13 | 15 | 15 | BFD | 89 | Silver, U15 |
| 15 | 70055 | Emma Houlihan | Emily Mackensie | Royal Windermere | 18 | 22 | 21 | 9 | 20 | 11 | 12 | 91 | Silver, U15 |
| 16 | 70010 | Gerry McGill | Luke McGill | Sunderland | 22 | 16 | 18 | 17 | 8 | 13 | 20 | 92 | Gold, Master |
| 17 | 63224 | Andrew Greenhalgh | Sam Rogerson | Annandale | 13 | 9 | 24 | 10 | DNC | 25 | 13 | 94 | Gold |
| 18 | 70024 | Silvania Booth | Kate MacGregor | Poole | 14 | 14 | 17 | 18 | 14 | 22 | 24 | 99 | Silver, U15 |
| 19 | 70253 | George Yeoman | Jack Yeoman | Itchenor | DNC | 13 | DSQ | 8 | 11 | 21 | 9 | 113 | Gold, U15 |
| 20 | 70171 | Nicola Brook | Hannah Mitchell | Hollingworth | 8 | 20 | 12 | DNF | 18 | 14 | BFD | 123 | Silver, U17 |
| 21 | 70085 | Abi Stodel | Michael Conlon | Brightlingsea | 26 | 28 | 20 | DNF | 13 | 24 | 17 | 128 | Silver, U15 |
| 22 | 69891 | David Conlon | Chris Rust | Brightlingsea | 28 | DSQ | 15 | 27 | 25 | 18 | 15 | 128 | Silver, U15 |
| 23 | 70228 | Edward Fitzgerald | Charlotte Fitzgerald | Itchenor | 12 | 18 | 22 | 15 | 21 | DNC | DNC | 139 | Silver, U17 |
| 24 | 70330 | Judi Gebhard | James Lovesey | Derwent | DNF | 10 | 23 | 28 | DNF | 10 | 18 | 140 | Silver, U17 |
| 25 | 70258 | Jamie Knill | Sarah Burge | Poole | 25 | 25 | 26 | 23 | 16 | 27 | 27 | 142 | Silver, U17 |
| 26 | 69776 | Emma Barry | Martina Barry | Brightlingsea | DNF | 19 | DNF | 25 | 19 | 16 | 16 | 146 | Silver, U15 |
| 27 | 69334 | Shaun Hampton-Matthews | Ed Hampton-Matthews | Warsash | 27 | 26 | 25 | 24 | 27 | 31 | 28 | 157 | Gold, Master |
| 28 | 70166 | Chris Swinchatt | Christopher Swinchatt | Chipstead | 21 | 24 | 19 | 19 | 26 | DNC | DNC | 160 | Gold, Master |
| 29 | 69366 | Duncan Greenhalgh | Douglas Frost | Annandale Bass | 20 | 36 | 29 | DNF | 29 | 29 | 23 | 166 | Gold, Master |
| 30 | 70000 | Paddy Adams | Dan Coates | Chew Valley Lake | 35 | 34 | DNF | 33 | 24 | 28 | 21 | 175 | Silver, U17 |
| 31 | 70153 | Philip Benn | T Tindall | Ripon | 30 | 31 | 32 | 22 | 32 | 30 | 30 | 175 | Silver, U15 |
| 32 | 70216 | Jillian Darling | Stephanie Tagg | Itchenor | 32 | 29 | 27 | 29 | 33 | 34 | 26 | 176 | Silver, U15 |
| 33 | 47566 | Inge-Lisa Hansen | Matthew Kiddle | Covenham | 29 | 33 | 28 | 31 | 34 | 35 | 22 | 177 | Silver, U15 |
| 34 | 56566 | Andrew Benn | Kieran Claiden-Yardley | Ripon | 23 | 27 | 30 | DNF | 28 | 20 | BFD | 179 | Silver, U17 |
| 35 | 69524 | Darren Forrest | Emma Inkster | Shetland Sailing Centre | 34 | 30 | 33 | 32 | 30 | 37 | 31 | 190 | Bronze, U15 |
| 36 | 30792 | Lilly Carlisle | Becky Wallbank | Ripon | 31 | 39 | 34 | 26 | 31 | 36 | 33 | 191 | Silver, U15 |
| 37 | 1 | Roger Haigh | Nicky Haigh | Royal Windermere | 39 | 35 | 31 | 34 | DNC | 38 | 29 | 206 | Gold, Master |
| 38 | 70100 | Julian Haigh | Sam Gore | Royal Windermere | 36 | 37 | DNF | 35 | DNC | 33 | 25 | 217 | Bronze, U17 |
| 39 | 70159 | Jake Gebhard | Jack Gebhard | Derwent | DNF | 38 | DNF | 30 | 22 | 26 | DNF | 218 | Silver, U15 |
| 40 | 68325 | Martin Wishart | Craig Forrest | Shetland Sailing Centre | 38 | 40 | 37 | DNF | 37 | 39 | 34 | 225 | Bronze, U15 |
| 41 | 58227 | Jon Bonsor | Jake Bonsor | Warsash | 40 | 42 | 35 | DNF | 35 | 42 | 32 | 226 | Silver |
| 42 | 68171 | Timm Hughes | David O’Callaghan | Hollingworth | 42 | 41 | 38 | DNC | 36 | 40 | 35 | 232 | Bronze, U17 |
| 43 | 29767 | Allan Hoyle | Mark Johnson | Annandale | 45 | 45 | 36 | DNC | DNC | 41 | 36 | 254 | Bronze |
| 44 | 69515 | Ross Manson | Paul Forrest | Shetland Sailing Centre | 46 | 46 | 39 | DNF | DNC | 43 | 38 | 263 | Bronze, U15 |
| 45 | 907 | Ernie Turpie | Rhiannon Inkster | Annandale and Shetland | 41 | 44 | DNF | DNF | DNC | 44 | 37 | 268 | Gold, Master |
| 46 | 58625 | Robbie Cwik | Rhiannon McKeown | Hollingworth | 33 | 32 | DNC | DNC | DNC | DNC | DNC | 269 | Gold, Master |
| 47 | 69960 | Robin Dawson | Ethan Dawson | Bassenthwaite | 17 | DNC | DNC | DNC | DNC | DNC | DNC | 272 | Gold |
| 48 | 40984 | Tim Gatti | Seb Gatti | Yeadon | 37 | DNC | DNC | DNC | DNC | 32 | DNC | 273 | Gold, Master |
| 49 | 19636 | Bruce Leask | Carole Forrest | Shetland Sailing Centre | 43 | 43 | DNC | DNC | DNC | DNC | DNC | 290 | Gold |
| 50 | 69417 | Thomas Partington | William Partington | Hollingworth | 44 | DNC | DNC | DNC | DNC | DNC | DNC | 299 | Bronze, U15 |
| Sailwave Scoring Software 1.57 www.sailwave.com |
Overall results (Single Handed)
| Rank | Sail No | Helm | Crew | Club | R1 | R2 | R3 | R4 | R5 | R6 | R7 | Nett | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| single handed Fleet – Sailed: 7 Discards: 1 | |||||||||||||
| 1 | 66433 | Gareth Hughes | Hollingworth | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 6 | ||
| 2 | 940984 | Tim Gatti | Yeadon | DNC | 2 | 1 | 2 | 3 | DNC | BFD | 20 | ||
| 3 | 70013 | Tom Kiddle | Covenham | 2 | 3 | 3 | DNC | DNC | 4 | 4 | 22 | ||
| 4 | 70112 | Lindsay Haig | Shustoke | 3 | DNF | DNF | DNC | 2 | 3 | 3 | 23 | ||
| 5 | 958625 | Robbie Cwik | Hollingworth Lake | DNC | DNC | 4 | DNC | DNC | 2 | 2 | 26 | ||
| Sailwave Scoring Software 1.57 www.sailwave.com |