International Mirror Class World Championships countdown

by Yachting WA on 15 Dec 2010 With only the decks to be cleared, quite literally for varnishing in the next days, Princess Royal Sailing Club in Albany is ready to host the World Mirror Sailing Championship!

These events don’t just ‘happen’ and a few groups of people have diligently beavered away for several years to ensure the success of this event. Credit to Anthony Galante who, at the Welsh Worlds two years ago, commenced the WA Mirror campaign, battling the fall-out of the global financial crisis, in an endeavor to lure the European sailing contingent ‘down under’ for this event.

'With WA currently a focus for world sailing competition, we are enthusiastic about the success of the event. The Mirror Association and the Princess Royal Sailing Club contingent have worked extremely hard and the response from Mirror sailors has been tremendous with nearly 160 sailors entered from Australia, Asia, Europe and South Africa' said Mirror Class Association Vice President Mark Pitt.

Boxing Day will see the crews congregating, not only for boat measurement but for measuring each other. Peter Watson MLA for Albany will officially open the Championships - the Pre-Worlds and Australian Championships will be sailed from 28th to 30th with the Opening Ceremony for the 14th World Championship taking place on the 31st.
Lonely Planet’s listing Australia's South West in the top ten regions in the world to visit in the Lonely Planet's Best in Travel 2010 was the wind in the sails to get the organising committee to this point. The support has been fantastic – Mining Companies, Fitness Centres, Development Companies, Local Council, Government Authorities, Retailers, Hoteliers, Food & Beverage suppliers, Tradespersons, you name it – they have all come together to provide support to the Princess Royal Sailing Club and the Mirror Class Association for their big event.

Events Director Anthony Galante with PRSC Club Administrator Lauren Batten have in tandem, driven a stalwart group to ensure the club is ship-shape. Terry Castlehow has been the project director of infrastructure with particular emphasis on the electrics and communications (phone and IT) – sailors, friends and family ‘back home’ will be eagerly awaiting daily results.

The first guests to arrive were from the UK and, despite the distance from Perth, were absolutely ‘blown away’ with their first glimpses of Albany – the beauty not the windsJ The were generous in their praise of the fantastic Club facilities – the laws and grounds are in top conditions thanks to Brian Smith who has battled the drought. Graham Monck has attended to every niggle (major and minor) around the clubhouse, repairing, plastering and re-shelving – all the irritating jobs that no one wants to do but that are necessary.

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