The World Championships and International Mirror Week 1976 Monnickendam Holland

Editors Note: I've not found a report of this event in an edition of Reflections (yet). However, the story was recorded in the Daily Mirror. Some of the International Fleet activity & socials are described in "The return of Chil-y-nik"

Here is a video of some amateur 8mm footage from the event kindly posted on Facebook by Willem Holle. (source was WHOriginal Fotografie)

A report from Peter Rusell's book 'Mirror Sailing in AUS' , Part 4, page 307 gives an idea of conditions: "The course ........ was excellent though some skippers had problems with weed brought about by the excellent European summer. Good 15 knot breezes on the first few days brought about a small, foot high chop, which should have suited Swan River skippers. But by Friday the wind had dropped to a faint breeze giving lighter crews a chance to get through."

Results (first 3 places) of race 2 appeared in the Daily Mirror, Wednesday 4th August 1976, page 26

The following appeared in the Daily Mirror, Thursday 5th August 1976, page 26, Daily Mirror report text is © Daily Mirror. Also thanks to the www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk .

Roy's on course for a glory win

BRITISH helmsmen are sweeping the board in the first World Mirror Dinghy championships. The week's sailing at Monnickendam, near Amsterdam, has attracted 144 boats from twelve countries. Overall leader after three world championship races is veteran Roy Partridge, a retired Soho grocer. He is closely followed by British teenagers Chris Owen, Mark Rushall and lan McDowell.

Results (first 3 places) of race 4 appeared in the Daily Mirror, Friday 6th August 1976, page 26

The following appeared in the Daily Mirror, Saturday 7th August 1976, page 22, with final results (first 3 places) on page 27

Britons lead In Mirror races

BRITISH helmsmen have led all the way in the first Mirror Class World Championships boat races in Holland this week. Red-sailed Mirror Class boats from all over the world are competing here near Amsterdam. Entries have come as far as Zaire, Hongkong, Canada and the USA. Over 55,000 Mirror dinghies have been built round the world since this newspaper first launched the little boat 14 years ago.

Wily

In a World Championship fleet of 50 boats Britons have dominated the leading positions each day. The top award of World Mirror Champion has gone to wily vetran Roy Partridge, 54, a retired Soho grocer.

And Britain's team of youngsters are battling for the remaining prizes.

Sailing with his son, Graham, 13 (Editors note: Graeme says he was just a few days shy of his 15th birthday) , as crew, he set up a lead which can't be challenged. After four races Roy. who was 1970 Mirror European Champion, gained two first places, a second and a third. Fighting for the other winning positions are his young British team mates.

Chris Owen. 18, from Warrington, Cheshire, has a first a second. a. third and a fifth. Mark Rushall, 18, from Rugby, sailing with his 13-year-old sister Ruth, has a second, two fourth places and a fifth. lan McDowell, 19, from Belfast, sailing with his sister Deirdre, 17, has a first, a third and a fourth.

Said the President of the Mirror Class International Association, Mr. Beecher Moore: " There could be a future Olympic helmsman among ou r competitors here this week. The standard of sailing is very high indeed."

Calm

The races were conducted under every type of weather ranging from rainstorms and gusting wind to near calm. Parallel with the world championships are a series of international races which are for reserve crews, their families and other boat owners. A total of 144 boats are taking part in the two series of races. If you want to know more about Mirror boats send me a stamped self-addressed envelope: Paul Hughes, Daily Mirror, 33, Holborn, London, EC1P 1DQ. Please mark your envelope "Mirror Dinghy".

FINAL RESULTS OF THE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP 6th AUGUST 1976 (using 1976 'Olympic' scoring I think - 1st = 0, 2nd = 3, 3rd = 5.7,.... )

 International Mirror Week Regatta Results

The Mirror World Championship Trophies

The Mirror World Championship Prizegiving

Editors Note: This article is from Reflections No. 26 October 1976, page 10. It has been captured by OCR, so typos & errors are possible.