Please select your home edition
Edition
Hyde Sails One Design Sale 2025

48th Mirror Australian Championships - 'Ladies Day' on Sydney Harbour

by Rob Cruse on 6 Jan 2014
National Champions Anita Scott-Murphy and Ben Cruse in "Bob" Rob Cruse
The 48th Mirror National Championships has wrapped up with a spectacular days racing in the heart of Sydney Harbour. You might call it 'Ladies Day' with three very tight races conducted and female skippers and crews featuring prominently, in racing that was conducted with the Opera House and Harbour Bridge as backdrops.


After a total of ten races with eight to count, it was Victorian mother and son team Anita Scott-Murphy and Ben Cruse sailing 'Bob' who were the National Champions with a race to space, carrying all first and second places. Second and third overall wasn't decided until the final race, with Douglas Raftesath and daughter Charlotte in 'Waterborne at Last' edging out Mark and Maddison Nash in 'Mad Cat', both from NSW. Rounding out fourth and fifth overall were Tasmanian teams Marcus McKay and Ruby Smillie in 'Sky III' and Jenny Graney and Ishka McKay in 'Carpe Diem'.

Of the ten competitors that made up the top five boats, two skippers and four crew were female, outnumbering the 'blokes' six to four. Add to this that we have now had three consecutive female national champions (Anita and Ben two years ago and Jessie Atherton sailing with Kath Maher last year), it's pretty clear that the Mirror class is doing its part to support the future of female sailing in Australia...


The thirty seven boat fleet featured one of the most competitive junior and sub-junior competitions in recent years, with Jai McKay and Ruby Smillie taking out the Junior Championship and Galen Rowell and Max Herscovics the Sub-Junior.

The Classic Mirror Division was created several years ago around the time that fibreglass mirrors with one piece (bermuda) masts were introduced. The classic fleet caters for wooden hulled gaff rigged boats. Competition this year was fierce, with 'Team McKay' from NSW (Campbell, Benedict and Spencer) taking out the trophy, and placing a very creditable ninth overall.

The growth in the classic fleet and in NSW Mirror sailing is largely the result of a sustained commitment by Stan Bland to get disused wooden Mirrors out of garages and onto the water. This has been centred around the Woollahra Sailing Club, the venue for this years nationals. In recognition of his efforts Stan Bland was awarded the Bill Jaffray Trophy for outstanding service to the Mirror class.

The full list of trophy winners is as follows:

National Champions - Anita Scott Murphy & Ben Cruse 'Bob'
Junior - Jai McKay & Ruby Smillie 'HHSC3'
Sub-Junior - Galen Rowell & Max Herscovics 'HHSC1'
Classic - Campbell, Benedict and Spencer McKay 'McMissile'
Ladies - Jenny Graney & Ishka McKay 'Carpe Diem'
Masters - Ken Barnes & Alex Kingsley 'Storefresh'
Veterans - Douglas and Charlotte Raftesaft 'Waterborne at Last'
Cruiser - Steve Foster & Tish Mooney 'Bad Wolf'
Frank Buxton (Family Crew) - Mark and Madison Nash 'Mad Cat'
Handicap/Encouragement - Francis Brown & William Brown 'Red Belly'
Cliff Scott (Invitation Race) - Anita Scott Murphy & Ben Cruse 'Bob'
Bill Jaffray (For outstanding service to the Mirror Class) - Stan Bland
Full Results

The Mirror Class has a busy year ahead, with the 49th National Championships scheduled for Somers in Victoria in late December 2014. This is being conducted at the same time as the Mirror World Championships to be held in South Aftrica on the Theewateskloof Dam, just east of Cape Town.


Sydney Harbour provided a spectacular backdrop for the 48th Mirror Australian Championships © Rob Cruse
Sydney Harbour provided a spectacular backdrop for the 48th Mirror Australian Championships © Rob
Mirror Class Association website
PredictWind - GPS 728x90 BOTTOMMaritimo M75Armstrong 728x90 - HA Foil Range - BOTTOM

Related Articles

The Winner-Takes-All Race
Event format at the 49er, 49erFX & Nacra 17 Worlds could be the best option for the Olympics The 49er, 49erFX and Nacra 17 World Championships just held in Cagliari, Italy, could well be the most important held in the class. Not just that, it may influence how sailing happens at the Olympics.
Posted today at 7:00 pm
Vaikobi's top-rated polarized shades
VIZE+ Polarized Ocean Eyewear - lenses made for the ocean environment With lenses made for the ocean environment, Vaikobi's VIZE+ Polarized Ocean Eyewear is too good to look away. But don't just take their word for it... all their polarized sunglasses have been tested and reviewed by ocean frothers all over the world!
Posted today at 5:30 pm
Thomas Ruyant aims for a three-peat in IMOCA Class
There will be 18 two-handed IMOCAs on the Transat Café L'OR startline The Transat Café L'OR from Le Havre to Martinique, which forms the finale of the 2025 IMOCA season, is now just 12 days away and it's a classic course that has attracted a stellar field.
Posted today at 3:10 pm
A Q&A with Chris Alexander on the 2025 VX One NAs
Chris Alexander on the 2025 VX One North American Championship This year's VX One North American Championship will be hosted by the Gulfport Yacht Club, in Gulfport, Mississippi from October 16-18, and will feature eleven scheduled races on the waters of the Mississippi Sound, near the GYC.
Posted today at 3:00 pm
All change in the Endeavour Trophy
A dramatic twist in the results after a request for redress was reopened by the Protest Committee The 64th Endeavour Trophy has seen a dramatic twist in the results after a request for redress was reopened by the Protest Committee when they realised that a significant error may have been made at the initial hearing.
Posted today at 2:37 pm
Manly 16s Club Championship Heat 3
Crazy doesn't begin to explain the finish Crazy doesn't begin to explain the finish to third heat of Manly's club championship on Saturday.
Posted today at 1:45 pm
Macif renews its commitment to ocean racing
A new IMOCA program 2027-2030 with Sam Goodchild as skipper Macif announces the continuation of its commitment to ocean racing with an ambitious project that will begin in 2027 and end in 2030. The IMOCA MACIF will be on the starting line of the Vendée Globe 2028-2029.
Posted today at 11:01 am
Belgium Ocean Racing breaks Class40 24hr record
452.22 nautical miles at an average speed of 18.84 knots At an average speed of 18.84 knots, a superb performance by the Jonas Gerckens Belgian team competing in the 2nd edition of the GLOBE40 with Benoit Hantzperg and Renaud Dehareng on board for this leg 2, covering 452.22 nautical miles in 24 hours.
Posted today at 5:37 am
America's Cupdate: October 10, 2025
Sailing Illustrated's Tom Ehman and Sail-World's Richard Gladwell dissect the America's Cup. Sailing Illustrated's Tom Ehman and Sail-World's NZ Editor, Richard Gladwell discussed the latest developments in the America's Cup, last Friday/Saturday (depending on your time zone) on sailing's only regular live video podcast.
Posted today at 5:23 am
Sydney - Auckland Ocean Race: Lucky wins
The USA registered pocket maxi Lucky, formerly Rambler 88, has taken line honours in the Sydney Auck The USA registered pocket maxi Lucky, formerly Rambler 88, has taken line honours in the Sydney Auckland Ocean Race - crossing the Tasman in in just 68hrs. Four yachts are still racing.
Posted today at 2:12 am