The Mirror family learned this morning of the death of Norm Deane. The notice in the Hobart Mercury records a loving family man, just shy of 95 years old, a Member of the Order of Australia. But we need to record publicly the debt we as Mirror sailors owe him. At the 4th World Mirror Championships in Sligo in 1987 a committee with Norm as President set about the task of making the Mirror a truly one design boat with International status, with a constitution and Rules of Measurement acceptable to the IYRU. International status was formally granted in November 1987. Norm remained active in the International executive until 2008.
Following a meeting between the International Mirror Class Association executive and the wonderful organising committee at Sligo YC it was decided that with the uncertainty caused by COVID it was necessary to postpone the next World Tiles due to be held this year. In the hope of providing some certainty with the new proposed dates, the executive and Sligo have agreed on July 22-30 2023. South Africa have agreed to defer the following World title until 2025.
World Sailing has been asked for approval.
The executive would again like to thank Sligo YC for their gracious assistance and co-operation in this difficult decision. The hope is that member nations will be able to use the extra time to rebuild fleets and expertise that have been severely impacted by the pandemic.
I look forward to seeing you all at Sligo in 2023.
Dave & Imogen Wade on the final reach to win race 12, Photo by Lee Whitehead of Photolounge.co.uk
Day 5 of the Gul Mirror Worlds, only one more race and the Cornish weather was a bit more like it with a moderate, but shifty wind and sunny intervals. The first attempt at getting Race 12 away failed when, with about 2 minutes to go, a large hole developed near the Committee Boat, and the wind picked up & shifted hard left at the pin end.
'Platypus' sailed by Simon & Tyson Barwood on Day 2, Photo by Lee Whitehead of Photolounge.co.uk
The cornish weather served up sunshine and, early on, showers with a strong, gusty westerly wind for Day 4. With only 3 races remaining, the Race Committee decided on two today, leaving one for tomorrow.
Race 10 got away cleanly under a 'P' flag and using a triangle-sausage-triangle course (harrah!). The strong gusty wind and a bit of a chop made for conditions that were less than comfortable for some in the fleet. The spinnaker reaches were very exciting and even some of the heavier crews who chose to fly spinnakers dropped places when they lost control in a mega-gust.
