Snipe Junior, Women's and Under 30 Nationals 2026 at Bough Beech Sailing Club
by Matthew Wolstenholme 10 Apr 11:54 BST
5-6 April 2026
Race start during the Snipe Junior, Women's and Under 30 Nationals 2026 at Bough Beech © Amy Barrett
Gusts in the mid 20's (knots) greeted the fleet on Sunday morning as we arrived at Bough Beech. Half the fleet ventured out to test the conditions, for many of them their first time sailing Snipes, while the race team debated on shore about abandoning the day.
After seeing even the smallest amongst the fleet coping well in the conditions, the decision was made to sail after a postponement for lunch and the first race started around 2pm in low teens gusting high teens knots, with six 20 minute races scheduled.
Adam & Zach Aziz (Junior) got their regatta of to the best start, It was Adam's first time helming the Snipe and Zach's first time sailing one, leading from Mark 1 to build a commanding lead by the finish as the fleet was battling behind. Edie Carter & Joe Warwicker (Junior) held onto second, Edie's second time sailing a Snipe, with Lloyd Roberts & Alex Lett (Under 30) completing the podium.
Race 2 saw Lloyd/Alex take a turn at building a commanding lead by the finish, with Edie/Joe leading the rest of the pack to second, and Jenna & Carol Gibson (Women) completing the podium. Also a shoutout to Tessa & Matilda Hellsten (Junior/Women), first time in a Snipe and only been sailing for about a year, for coming back out after a long capsize before the start of the first race.
Race 3 saw Edie/Joe take the win, ahead of Lloyd/Alex, and the Aziz's. Race 4 had the Aziz's back on top with Matt Wolstenholme & Thomas Pike (Under 30) 2nd ahead of Edie/Joe. Harry & George Burgess (Junior) and the Aziz's were in a tight tussle for the lead of Race 5 before discovering they were OCS leaving Matt/Thomas to lead Lloyd/Alex and Edie/Joe home.
Race 6 saw the Aziz's take the win, finishing the day with 3 bullets, with James Alexander and Patrick Whitton (Junior) second and the Burgess's completing the podium in 3rd. Well done to all the teams for completing the days racing in tough conditions, especially to Jess Welch & Bonnie Marshall (Junior/Women) and Scarlett Burgess & Sophie Wantling (Junior/Women), first time sailing Snipes in strong winds without much weight in the boats.
This left Adam & Zach ahead of Edie & Joe on countback as the overnight leaders with Jess & Bonnie leading the Women's. The day concluded with a Chili, huge thanks to Emma & Jonny Preen for this, followed by some chaotic games, including, appropriately, an easter egg hunt.
Waking up at the club Monday morning, the conditions did not look promising with the surface of the lake rather glassy but the forecast suggested the wind would come around 12 which it promptly did and thanks to the race team being organised and getting the course set and the fleet on the water ahead of this we had minimal delays and managed to get all 6 races in.
Race 7 saw Edie/Joe pass Matt/Thomas to take the win ahead of James/Patrick. They also managed to win the next 3 races (although not always easily) with the Aziz's and Patrick Sarsfield & Will Clemson (Under 30) completing the podium in Race 8, James/Patrick and the Aziz's in Race 9, and Matt/Thomas & Jess/Bonnie in Race 10.
James/Patrick finally broke Edie/Joe's streak in race 11 after they had to complete a 720 at the start although they sailed back through very well to second, helped by it being the first race of the day with 3 laps. The Race team were unable to split Matt/Thomas and Jess/Bonnie on the line for third. Edie/Joe were back to winning in the final race of the regatta with the Aziz's and Matt/Thomas completing the podium.
This left Edie Carter & Joe Warwicker as overall event winners and Junior National Champions with Jess Welch and Bonnie Marshall crowned Women's National Champions. Adam and Zach Aziz, and James Alexander & Patrick Whitton completing the Junior podium, and Scarlet Burgess & Sophie Wantling, and Jenna & Carol Gibson completing the Women's.
Huge thank you to all the team who helped us organise and make the event a great success including the race, safety and galley teams, and for Bough Beech for hosting. Hopefully we will see you all next year.
Juniors (or anyone else) please reach out to me at if you are interested in trying or finding out more about the Snipes.
Overall Results:
| Pos | Sail No | Helm | Crew | Fleet | Club | R1 | R2 | R3 | R4 | R5 | R6 | R7 | R8 | R9 | R10 | R11 | R12 | Pts |
|---|
| 1st | 3172 | Edie Carter | Joe Warwicker | Jnr | Bough Beech | 2 | 2 | 1 | ‑3 | ‑3 | ‑5 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 12 |
| 2nd | 286411 | Adam Aziz | Zach Aziz | Jnr | Draycote Water | 1 | 5 | 3 | 1 | (OCS) | 1 | (DNS) | 2 | 3 | 4 | ‑7 | 2 | 22 |
| 3rd | 28541 | Matthew Wolstenholme | Thomas Pike | U30 | Bough Beech | ‑5 | ‑6 | (RET) | 2 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 3.5 | 3 | 25.5 |
| 4th | 12000 | James Alexander | Patrick Whitton | Jnr | Budworth | ‑6 | 4 | 5 | (OCS) | 4 | 2 | 3 | 6 | 2 | ‑7 | 1 | 5 | 32 |
| 5th | 24704 | Patrick Sarsfield | Will Clemson | U30 | Budworth | 4 | (DNC) | ‑6 | 5 | 5 | ‑7 | 6 | 3 | 6 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 46 |
| 6th | 29970 | Jess Welch | Bonnie Marshall | Jnr / Womens | Blackwater | ‑9 | ‑8 | 7 | (DNC) | 7 | 6 | 4 | 7 | 5 | 3 | 3.5 | 4 | 46.5 |
| 7th | 30809 | Harry Burgess | George Burgess | Jnr | Bough Beech | ‑8 | 7 | 4 | 4 | (OCS) | 3 | 5 | ‑8 | 8 | 6 | 5 | 7 | 49 |
| 8th | 29437 | Scarlet Burgess | Sophie Wantling | Jnr / Womens | Bough Beech | ‑10 | ‑10 | 8 | 6 | 6 | 8 | 8 | ‑9 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 68 |
| 9th | 31016 | Lloyd Roberts | Alex Lett | U30 | Bough Beech | 3 | 1 | 2 | (OCS) | 2 | (DNS) | (DNS) | DNS | DNS | DNS | DNS | DNS | 73 |
| 10th | 28451 | Jenna Gibson | Carol Gibson | Womens | Hythe & Saltwood | 7 | 3 | (DNC) | (DNC) | (DNC) | DNC | 7 | 5 | DNS | DNS | DNS | DNS | 87 |
| 11th | TSA | Tessa Hellsten | Matilda Hellsten | Jnr / Womens | Bough Beech | (DNC) | 9 | 9 | (DNC) | (DNC) | DNC | 9 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 87 |
| 12th | 28034 | Henry Duncan | George | Jnr | Bough Beech | (DNC) | (DNC) | (DNC) | DNC | DNC | DNC | 10 | 11 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 8 | 98 |