International Snipe Class | UK

Tag: Results

  • 2025 Budworth Open & SCIRA UK NW Championship

    2025 Budworth Open & SCIRA UK NW Championship

    For the final Snipe Class UK Open meeting this year the travelling boats made their annual visit to Budworth Sailing Club. Home of one of the UKs most active Snipe fleets.

    With 28 entries, expectations were high for another weekend of competitive, fun and close racing throughout the fleet that have been enjoyed during all the well supported previous events this year.

    Weather forecasts were mixed but almost all agreed that Saturday would be light winds with a high chance of rain and that Sunday would be bright sunshine with a slight increase in expected wind.

    This forecast proved to be correct with one race completed on the Saturday and four on Sunday.

    Ultimate overall event winner was Matthew Wolstenholm crewed this time by Aylish MacKenzie. This result confirmed Mathews near total domination of the UK Snipe events this year but, in this event, as in all his other victories this year, he was pushed all the way with the final race being the decider!

    Special mention and appreciation from the racing fleet must go to the race committee and support boat crew. With the light and shifting wind on both days it would have been easy to compromise the quality or number of races. However, with brilliant judgement on timing, hard work shifting marks and start lines all five completed races maximised the opportunities the light and variable winds offered.

    Individual race winners were Tim Tavinor crewed by John Greenwood (race one and five). Matthew and Aylish (races two and four) and Guy Marks with Sam Boniface taking race three.

    However, none of the race wins or any final race positions throughout the fleet during every race were guaranteed until crossing the finish line. With the excellent courses, opportunities were there for everyone to make gains or losses in every race, so it was a great way to finish the open meeting circuit for this year.

    Overall:

    1. Matthew Wolstenholme/Aylish MacKenzie (Bough Beech SC)
    2. Fin Waterhouse/George Holbrook (Budworth SC)
    3. Tim Tavinor/John Greenwood (Stone SC)

    The hospitality and great facilities at Budworth were much appreciated.

    UK Snipe class AGM on Saturday evening was followed by an fantastic dinner and then a presentation from long time Snipe racer Richard Marshall detailing his amazing achievement earlier this year of swimming the English Channel. (Link to donate: https://www.justgiving.com/page/richardchannelswim2025)

    Everyone finished the weekend in good mood, packing in the sunshine and looking forward to another active year of racing within the increasingly competitive domestic events and internationally with four boats qualified and competing in next years Snipe World Championship at Mahon (Menorca) later in 2026. Also more UK boats are planning travels to compete and enjoy  some of the many European events in 2026 the Snipe Class has to offer.

    Report by Tim Tavinor

    Results:

  • 2025 Snipe Junior & Under 25 National Championships

    2025 Snipe Junior & Under 25 National Championships

    Congratulations to Fin Waterhouse and Ben Smallwood for winning the 2025 Snipe Junior & Under 25 National Championships

    Thank you to Aylish, Greg and Mark for organising and running the racing and to everyone else at Budworth SC who helped make the event happen.

  • UK Snipe Nationals 2025 – Report

    UK Snipe Nationals 2025 – Report

    The class motto – Serious Sailing, Serious Fun…. Ullswater Yacht Club did not disappoint – it is a glorious setting, surrounded by stunning mountainous scenery, friendly and well organised plus we were blessed with sunshine and wind (but not much).

    The Snipe designed in 1931, has a massive international following and a huge variety of sailors. It is an easy boat to sail but is difficult to sail well due to its technicality and fierce competition.

    Friday morning, the fleet were met with a glassy looking lake but Sean – the local race officer was confident there would be racing. After a postponement the wind filled in, so we hit the water for some fun and interesting races. Large mountains around made sure the light wind was shifty, and puffy with plenty of opportunity for gains and losses throughout the day.

    Two windward/leeward races were completed, and a third race was started but abandoned as the wind became more unstable late in the afternoon.

    It was Joe Warwicker and Andy Service who got to grips with the conditions and started the series with a dominant two first places, Yohei Koso and Katia Royer followed closely behind with two second places. The tricky conditions and individual recall on the second race start meant some possible contenders had already added some high points to the score sheet which they were hoping they would be able to discard.

    On Friday evening the Serious Fun, after the Commodores BBQ, mayhem of a class games night ensued, won (by fair means or foul) by the All-Star team with a special award to Chris Surridge for his enthusiasm and ingenuity!

    Three races on Saturday were again held in “snakes and ladders” conditions. There were plenty of opportunities to be had, with patches of wind funnelling down the lake.

    During Race 3 Tim and Kay Tavinor built a good lead but were chased hard by Yohei and Katia who finally finished within a few boat lengths. Guy Marks and Sam Boniface finished third.

    Race 4 saw Joe and Andy leading again with the Wolstenholmes and Neil Martin chasing hard. Concentration was vital with small dark patches of wind visible across the course but not always easy to get to!

    Race 5, at the end of a long and mentally challenging day, proved things are “never over until the fat lady sings.” The leading bunch lost count of the number of laps (four) they had sailed and started heading back upwind instead of going to the finish, this reshuffled the leaders with Yohei and Katia taking first place. Lloyd Roberts and Emma Preen second, and Matthew Wolstenholme and Eichi Higuchi 3rd.

    The Race Officer assured us they had recorded a 20.6 knot gust during the racing, but I think most of the sailors blinked and missed it.

    A splendid dinner and celebration of the long-standing Snipe Class chairman Brian Gregory’s birthday filled Sunday evening. Our event sponsors P&B and Allen Brothers received plenty of mentions by the master of ceremonies and received great cheers of support from the participants.

    Sunday morning – mirror conditions on Ullswater again. After a postponement, a start was attempted but abandoned as the wind failed to sufficiently stabilise, so we all headed ashore.

    Despite the challenging and tricky conditions everyone enjoyed the venue and racing. With five races completed a discard kicked in and Yohei and Katia who sailed remarkably consistently took the UK Snipe National Championship 2025.

    Report by Kay Tavinor

    Results:

  • UK Snipe Nationals 2025 – Day 3

    UK Snipe Nationals 2025 – Day 3

    Unfortunately we had no races sailed today on Day 3 of the 2025 UK Snipe Nationals. The fleet attempted a start however the race was abandoned due to lack of breeze and an inconsistent wind direction.

    Photo from Day 2

    After a further 30 minute wait the Race Committee sent the fleet home to pack up for the journey home.

    Congratulations to Yohei Kosu & Katia Royer who are the 2025 UK Snipe National Champions.

    Joe Warwicker & Andy Service – 2nd Overall

    Tim Tavinor & Kay Tavinor – 3rd Overall & 1st Master Helm

    Freya Antonelli & Nayth Twiggs – 1st Female Helm

    Mark Taylor & Anna Taylor – 1st Orkney Boat

    James Alexander & Finn Waterhouse – 1st Junior Helm and Crew

    Thank you to Allen Brothers and P&B for their sponsorship of the event. Thank you to Ullwater Yacht Club and the galley for the fantastic catering and a massive thank you to the organising committee for putting on a great event.

    The next event on the UK Snipe calendar is Budworth on 20-21 September.

  • UK Snipe Nationals 2025 – Day 2

    UK Snipe Nationals 2025 – Day 2

    Today the fleet woke up to a forecast that left many concerned we wouldn’t be racing with a prediction of a South Easterly between 3 and 5 knots. Luckily the fleet were blessed with 3 good races for Day 2 of the 2025 Snipe National Championships sponsored by Allen Brothers and Pinnel & Bax.

    Race 1 was sailed in a light Easterly Force 2 breeze with the fleet eager to get racing, there was a single general recall after which the fleet went racing. The race was won by Tim & Kay Tavinor.

    Race 2 was sailed in a building Force 2 breeze with Joe Warwicker and Andy Service taking the win.

    Following a small wind shift and the course being moved slightly, Race 3 was sailed in a shifty Force 3 under the lee of Bonscale Pike. Race 3 was won by Yohei Koso and Katia Royer.

  • UK Snipe Nationals 2025 – Day 1

    UK Snipe Nationals 2025 – Day 1

    Today we were given a very warm welcome by Ullswater Yacht Club for the first day of the 2025 Snipe National Championships sponsored by Allen Brothers and Pinnel & Bax.

    Race 1 & 2 were sailed in shifty conditions with the fleet having to play a tricky Force 2 breeze.

    Race 3 was abandoned after the wind disappeared, leaving the fleet sailing home to enjoy the Commodore’s BBQ.

  • 2025 Bough Beech Open

    2025 Bough Beech Open

    23 Snipes met at Bough Beech SC for the 2025 Open Meeting on the 14th and 15th of June. We have had fantastic positive momentum in the fleet over the last few years with Nationals and Open attendance constantly growing so it was great to see such a strong fleet on the water with similar numbers or even more expected for our next event at Stone on the 12th and 13th July.

    Day 1 was windy conditions, Force 5 and gusty from the south-west. The race officer (Nick Marden) set a triangular course resulting in some great reaches across the lake when the big gusts came in. Peter Wolstenholme & Will Maguire won two of the 5 races to lead overall on Day 1. Also winning races on the first day were Lloyd Roberts & Emma Preen, Mark Antonelli & Sarah Seddon, and Tim & Kay Tavinor. The results were still very close overall with the top 8 all with some poorer results meaning the event was still open for any to win with a good day on Sunday.

    Andy the club’s caterer put on a fantastic evening meal while Sue Roberts hosted a great fun evening quiz and, as usual for the snipe fleet, the party continued will into the early hours.

    Day 2 saw much lighter conditions, averaging a force 2, but the wind had swung westerly and off the trees making it shifty, gusty and patchy for some tricky but exciting racing conditions. Matt Wolstenholme & Bonnie Marshall won the first two of Sundays Races before Joe & Mike Warwicker took the third.

    This left Peter & Will to claim the overall title, Joe & Mike second, and Yohei Koso & Uko Tiidermann third after being the 3 most consistent boats over the weekend. Also a special mention must go to Freya Antonelli & Nath Twiggs as a junior pair for a fantastically sailed event! Huge thank you to the club, the race team and everyone involved in hosting such a great event. See you all at Stone!

    Race report by Matthew Wolstenholme