UK Snipe National Championships at Plymouth Youth Sailing Club - Preview
by Sue Roberts 22 Jun 18:27 BST
12-14 August 2022
Snipes at Shoreham © Warwick Baker /
www.warwickpics.com
The Snipe class association (SCIRA) is celebrating its 90th year of competition with fleets in more than 30 countries and over 31,000 boats built. The Snipe can be sailed by a range of ages and abilities. Racing is always competitive and the onshore parties are never dull.
The UK fleet is once again returning to Plymouth for our Nationals and were last in Plymouth for the Snipe Europeans back in 1958. We will have entrants from France, Belgium, Brazil and the UK.
The event will be hosted by Plymouth Youth Sailing, with their Commodore Adrian Kemp MBE and Professional Race Officer Keith Kendall ensuring the racing goes to plan over the three days. The shoreside events will take place at The Mountbatten Water Sport's Centre (as some of them did back in 1958!) where our main sponsor, Belgium based Marlin Spike Rum, will ensure everyone has a good time.
Ian and Liz Nicholls from Plymouth Glass Gallery Ltd on Southside Street are providing us with beautiful sail sculptures for prizes. We have also been donated a suit of sails by Portuguese sail maker PL Sails and a boom from Hampshire-based Super Spars.
Each boat racing will have a SailRacer GPS tracker on board which will allow people all over the world to tune in and watch the racing live.
The motto for the Snipe sailing class is "Serious Sailing and Serious Fun!" and I am sure Plymouth will be able to deliver on all fronts!
Sponsor Alex Darwazeh said, "Marlin Spike Rum is delighted to be the main sponsor of the UK Snipe Nationals, especially with Plymouth's long-standing tradition with rum. We are looking forward to showcasing our fantastic rum at the welcome drinks cocktail party. It is rum - but not as you know it!"
Peter Wolstenholme (UK Snipe National Secretary) added, "We are all very excited to be coming to Plymouth for our Nationals in August. Our event was meant to take place in 2020 but Covid thought otherwise! Racing Snipes in Plymouth Sound has been on the wish list for many of us. I'm sure we won't be leaving it another 64 years before we return!".
www.snipe.org.uk