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Simon Barwood proves Bulletproof in Mirror State Championships hosted by Princess Royal Sailing Club

Des Beeck Albany Advertiser
A victory wave from the champ, Simon Barwood in Bulletproof.
Camera IconA victory wave from the champ, Simon Barwood in Bulletproof. Credit: Des Beeck

Royal Freshwater Bay Yacht Club member Simon Barwood delivered a masterful display to win the 2022 Mirror State Championships hosted by the Princess Royal Sailing Club last week.

The titles were held in Albany waters over three days and Barwood was nearly flawless in his campaign.

A fast spinnaker run down the harbour.
Camera IconA fast spinnaker run down the harbour. Credit: Des Beeck

Barwood’s Mirror is aptly named Bulletproof and nothing could stop it in the championships.

Eighteen Mirrors from various clubs in WA competed in eight heats over a harbour course in mainly strong easterly winds that ranged from 22 knots on Wednesday to 15 knots by Friday.

Doug Pianta, third overall with 2 Pudd.
Camera IconDoug Pianta, third overall with 2 Pudd. Credit: Des Beeck

Naturally, with winds like that there were bound to be mishaps, so it was no surprise to see dozens of capsizes and broken rigging especially in Wednesday’s early heats.

Apart from Barwood the other most consistent skippers were Doug Pianta, who took third place overall in the 2021 titles with 2 Pudd, and Ella Maesepp in Take a Bite, who was second overall last year.

Some of the fleet doing 17 knots under spinnaker.
Camera IconSome of the fleet doing 17 knots under spinnaker. Credit: Des Beeck

So dominant were Barwood and his crew in Tyson Barwood with Bulletproof that of the eight heats sailed, they won seven and finished second in the other.

Each competitor drops their worst two heats to calculate the final results and Barwood was a comfortable winner overall.

The start of heat seven.
Camera IconThe start of heat seven. Credit: Des Beeck

David Ponton skippering Vilgilante 5 claimed second place and was the only boat to take a race win off Bulletproof.

Pianta in 2 Pudd was third while the top five was rounded out by Maesepp in Take a Bite and David Pilbeam in Steppenwolf.

2 Pudd gets in front of Bulletproof.
Camera Icon2 Pudd gets in front of Bulletproof. Credit: Des Beeck

The three-day championships were hailed a great success by the visiting sailors and the local organisers of the event.

A capsize in the Mirror State Championships.
Camera IconA capsize in the Mirror State Championships. Credit: Des Beeck

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