History made in Port Elizabeth

Anna Mackenzie and Holl Scott have becme the first ever females to win the Mirror World Championship

This December in Port Elizabeth, South Africa history was made by two teenage girls from the UK, Anna Mackenzie and Holly Scott, who took victory at the Mirror World Championship. The win represents the first time Britain has won the event in ten years and, more importantly still, is the first time two females have EVER won the regatta in the history of the class.

Freshly returned from South Africa, Mackenzie and Scott speak of their success in a very down to earth fashion. Far from both being blown away, they seem to take it in their stride, not eager to blow their own horn.

Designed in 1963 by Barry Bucknell and Jack Holt, the Mirror is the epitome of the 1960s DIY boat. However, recent years have seen the class change significantly: First came the introduction of decent fibreglass boats and this was followed in the summer of 2006 by the class officially abandoning their old style wooden gaff rigs in favour of a much more modern aluminium Bermudan rig (below). This winter saw the first test of the new style rig at the World Championships in South Africa. Interestingly the new style of rig coupled with the boat’s status as an RYA recognised Junior may be responsible for a glut of young sailors into the class, particularly females. Scott, the crew, seems to think the amount of girls sailing in the class is almost self perpetuating, “I think because there are a lot of girls sailing the boat it is easy for more girls to start,” she says. “I also think girls can sail the boat and handle it because it is not too much hard work.”

But the very fact there are a significant number of female teams sailing the boat seems to make the recent victory for Mackenzie and Scott all the more relevant, although as Mackenzie reveals the victory of a female pairing is possibly not a great surprise: “The girls are stronger in the Mirror fleet than the boys I would say now. I don’t know why it is, perhaps to some extent girls are more keyed on and they can concentrate for longer,” she muses. This may well be true but what is particularly important here is any class that can boast a high rate of female participation and success seems to be in a strong position, perhaps even more so at a time when the number of female sailors is down globally and a hard push is being made to include more women in the Olympics and at the top end of our sport.



Sometimes in the more traditional classes change is not looked on favourably and keen to know their opinion we asked Mackenzie and Scott what they thought of the class’ recent developments. “We are really keen on the new rig design,” comments Mackenzie. “Firstly it is a lot easier to rig and de-rig in the morning and when you get off the water. It also seems a lot more powerful.” From their perspective she says the only real issue with the new design was one of time. Since the new rig was only formally accepted in August they had a further two months to the start of November to experiment before their boat was put into a container for shipping. “I think it has made quite a lot of difference to the boat,” adds Scott. “The actual boat speed with the new rig on flat water is greater and you can point a good five degrees higher.”

Development work the girls carried out before the World Championship was partly on their own but also in partnership with their sponsor, speedsails. “When the new rig came in we did quite a bit of development with [speedsails],” said Mackenzie. "Originally we felt the main was a bit too full and we felt it needed to be flatter as we were struggling to control it.” The pairing say they have a good relationship with their sailmaker and are often in dialogue about small refinements or changes they feel would help improve the rig. Their sponsorship deal with the company means they are able to get new suits of sails for free making for one less expense to bear.

Interestingly although Mackenzie and Scott are in favour of the modern update to the rig they are not necessarily so keen on the newer boats. “We have a new wooden boat. We like the wooden ones because we think they are prettier and we also think at the moment they are quicker.” This seems to be the case for many of the top Mirror sailors meaning there are only a few fibreglass boats appearing at the top of the results sheets.


Evidently the two girls were unsure as to how they would get on this year at the World Championship. Although Mackenzie has seen previous international success in the class, winning the 2004 women’s world title in Tasmania with sister Katie, that was a planned and to some extent expected result. Following a poor showing at the European Championship in Sweden in 2005 Mackenzie and Scott seemed unsure of their potential before the Worlds began. “We thought we had a good chance of doing well at the event, but not that well. We didn’t really even expect to be first girls,” explains Mackenzie, citing a number of other female teams they were concerned about.

Their pre-event concerns come from a number of different areas; firstly with Mackenzie now 18 and Scott 17 they have been too old to qualify for RYA coaching this year. In addition to this the event was supposed to be, and was, very windy, conditions they are not too comfortable in. “Before we went out we were not particularly confident in the stronger winds and were hoping for a light wind event really as that is where we felt stronger,” Mackenzie states. She adds that upon their victory and subsequent return the UK they have “reassessed the situation” and would probably “change our minds now.”

Their uncertainty of winning went even further than many might imagine, as the girls were so focussed on sailing race by race they were unaware of their victory when it happened, with one day to spare. “We had no idea we had won when we went across the finish line. We were in shock it did not sink in for ages, although it has sunk in now,” explains Scott. “Everyone was shouting and cheering and we were like ‘what’s going on?’” Mackenzie adds.

Much of the success they have achieved is put down to being close friends both on and off the water. Originally the girls met through sailing Mirrors, though they were sailing with different people. After a brief spell of Scott crewing for Katie, Anna Mackenzie’s sister, in a 420 they teamed up and have not looked back ever since. “We get on really well and are very similar so that is good. Holly used to sail with someone else and she was at the Worlds in Tasmania sailing with him. We got on really well when we were out there and have been good friends ever since really,” confirms Mackenzie.

Although they may be close friends their partnership is due to finish on a high as Mackenzie prepares to head off to university this year. However, both girls do plan on continuing racing even if not with each other. During the late teens and the transition from school to university or work life is often where many female sailors are lost to the racing scene and though both are planning on continuing sailing, they are both equally as determined to achieve academic success too. “I am not sure exactly what I will do next,” says Mackenzie “At the moment I will take any opportunities that arrive. I hope to go to university next year and study medicine if I get in and when I do that I would like to sail for the university team racing team.” Scott, still in her first year of A-Levels, is planning on leaving the youth racing scene. “I think I want to keep crewing mainly, I am really not sure though what I will sail next. Maybe I will crew a Merlin [Rocket] or something. The problem is I am a bit too small to crew a 420 or a 29er so that leaves me out of youth sailing,” she says.

Whatever Mackenzie and Scott go on to do in later life they will forever remain the first females to take victory at a Mirror World Championship. At a time when female sailing is being firmly pushed by most sailing organisations it would be surprising if they do not find a lot more doors suddenly open following this historic win.