Albany to host 2011 International Mirror Worlds

by Paul Terry on 21 Apr 2008 In a great boost for sailing in Western Australia and the City of Albany in particular, the Princess Royal Sailing Club announced that the Club would host the 2011 International Mirror Class World Championships.

Princess Royal Sailing Club Commodore Jack Spaanderman said, 'The Princess Royal Sailing Club has been working hard to secure these Championships and we are just so excited that some of the best young sailors from around the world will be coming to Albany to compete in this event.'

The World Championships will be the first World Championship in any sport to be held in Albany. The bid for the event was a collaborative effort between the Princess Royal Sailing Club, the Albany Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the City of Albany.

Rik Thornton, Chair of the Host Club Selection Panel stated, 'We were impressed with the bid and the fact that it wasn't just the Sailing Club seeking to host the regatta but there was strong support from the whole community. We think this and the world class tourism and sailing attributes that Albany offers will make this a really successful regatta.'

The Mirror Dinghy has bred many Australian Olympians and World Champions in a wide range of classes, including 1987 Mirror World Champion - WA sailor Paul Eldrid, so the event will draw the cream of talent from England, Ireland, Sweden, Holland, South Africa, Canada and emerging sailing nations in Asia.

City of Albany Mayor Milton Evans said the City was 100 per cent behind the event.

'The Mirror World Championships will coincide with the completion of significant parts of the Albany Waterfront project, including the new Albany Entertainment Centre,' Mr Evans said. 'The championships will provide the City with a tremendous opportunity to showcase Albany and our waterways as a premier sailing destination.'

Showing its strong support too, the Albany Chamber of Commerce and Industry's Graham Harvey said, 'This is a real coup for Albany to host this event. Sailing events like this inject significant funding into host communities and I urge all businesses, big and small, to provide your support to the Princess Royal Sailing Club to enable this event to be a success.'

Mirror is the classic family sailing dinghy. Many renowned sailors have started their sailing careers in the Mirror, first sailing with their parents then with other juniors. Some have gone on to be champions and even won Olympic medals.

Denmark father and son duo Paul and Lawson Taylor won the State Championship in 2004/05 and both are looking forward to setting their sights on competing in the Worlds in their home waters.