1997 Budworth Snipe Open

Snipes at Budworth
     
     50th Anniversary Budworth Snipe Open Meeting
     
     The Budworth Snipe Open Meeting has, over the past 50 years, seen all 
     forms of weather from storms to doldrums, but for this special year it

     was blessed with excellent competitive sailing conditions. Over the 
     weekend of the 20th-21st September the winds ranged from force one to
     three with a steady direction, no rain fell and the sun shone throughout Sunday.
     
     A clash with the World Championships in San Diego caused the absence 
     of a number of competitors, however the strong local fleet was swelled

     by five visiting crews from four different clubs, to produce a twenty 
     six boat entry.
     
     Neil and Randi Martin opened their defence of the Howarth Trophy/North

     Western Championships by winning the first race on Saturday, but Mike 
     Crompton was not far behind signalling his intention not to let the 
     Martins have things all their own way.  In the second race Mike
     Crompton turned the tables fighting through to win from Phil and Stan Hackney
     who eventually took second from Duncan Fraser in third.
     
     There were fears that the energetic celebrations of Saturday night, 
     including a much enjoyed Barn Dance, would take their toll but almost 
     all competitors were present on the start line on Sunday morning. This

     proved to be the Martin's day with three firsts in three races, but 
     the victory was in no way as easy as these results suggest. Mike 
     Crompton harried at their heels claiming second place overall with 
     seconds in the first two races of the day and ended the event only
     three points adrift. 
     
     That best placed visitors Sue Antonelli and Vanda Young of Littleton S.C., 
     had to come second in the final race to top a group of 
     seven boats with only nine points between them, is a sign of just how 
     close fought the meeting was. Even then they were only separated 
     from Duncan Fraser by a tie break. Brian Gregory of Erith Y.C's
     seventh place overall was sufficient for him to carry off the Snipe Travellers' 
     Trophy for 1997.
     
     Pos.       Number  Helm/Crew               Club            Points
     
     1st        27106   Neil Martin             Budworth YC     4 
                        Randi Martin            
     2nd        26996   Mike Crompton           Budworth YC     7
                        Gareth Plunkett, Ben, Tom
     3rd        27098   Sue Antonelli           Littleton S.C.  17
                        Vanda Young
     4th        22779   Duncan Fraser           Budworth YC     17
                        William Ashley & Paul Fraser
     5th        26734   Phil Hackney            Budworth YC     20
                        Stan Hackney