The UK Snipe Association joined a select group of Snipe nations on 8th August 1998 with the staging of the first UK Ladies National Championship, held at Blue Circle SC. The UK now has a trophy for Seniors, Masters, Juniors and Ladies. The idea was suggested only three weeks before at the AGM of the UK Snipe Class and so the eventual entry of eight competitors was not unexpected, given such short notice. Now established, however, the UK Snipe Association confidently predicts that the event will grow in stature and attract more all Lady teams next year. The event was held in conjunction with the UK Junior Nationals and starts were combined to offer better racing. In all, sixteen Snipe crews competed each of the five races, held over Olympic type courses.
The fickle wind created havoc for race officers Derrick Crouch and Jon Simpson, but in the end, each race began with a true windward leg. Sue Antonelli and Sarah Mees dominated the day with five straight wins. Liz Crouch and Nicky Lambert were constantly snapping at their transom but never quite managed to overhaul the Littleton SC/Erith YC team. The third race offered Crouch her best chance as Antonelli lost concentration and proceeded to do a second consecutive triangle. Crouch took the lead but by the start of the final beat they were neck and neck. Antonelli just managed to overtake with yards to go by expertly lee-bowing Crouch giving her sufficiently dirty wind to pip her on the line.
Janet Hoy and Dawn Stevens of Maldon YC improved as the day progressed with their best performance coming in the fourth race. Diana Gregory didn't even know she was sailing until the morning of the event having just returned from the Europeans in Oporto, Portugal. She sailed creditably with her best performance corning early on. Boat speed throughout the fleet was incredibly similar due mainly to the generosity of boat owners with new or well-tuned Snipes, who loaned their craft for the day. Each result came down to superior boat handling, concentration and tactical awareness in what were often very trying conditions.
The Junior event was similarly close but reigning champion Philip Marshall, crewed by Anne Gregory always sailed within themselves to record five straight bullets. The battle for second between Luke and Jamie Tharp of the home club, and Sonny Sporne and Duncan Read of Milton Keynes SC went to the wire, but the Tharps triumphed in the end to take the second qualification spot for next year's Junior Europeans in Norway. Jacub Sadzik and Graham Hoy sailed admirably since both are relatively new to sailing and race Toppers most of the time. Their best performance came in the second race as they scored a well-deserved second. Competitors and organisers are confident that by holding the Ladies and Junior events together, both championships will flourish in years to come. Our survival probably depends on it!
--Richard Lambert
Overall Results-Ladies Nationals Position Number Helm/ Crew Race 1 Race 2 Race 3 Race 4 Race 5 Points 1 28385 S Antonelli S Mees .75 .75 .75 .75 .75 3 2 23980 E. Crouch N Lambert 2 2 2 2 2 8 3 29408 J Hoy D Stevens 4 3 3 3 3 12 4 28451 D Gregory B Gregory 3 4 4 4 4 15 Overall Results-Junior Nationals Position Number Helm/ Crew Race 1 Race 2 Race 3 Race 4 Race 5 Points 1 29501 P Marshall A Gregory .75 .75 .75 .75 .75 3 2 27871 L Tharp J Tharp 3 3 2 2 2 9 3 23626 S Sporne D Read 2 4 3 3 3 11 4 24152 J Sadzik G Hoy 4 2 4 4 4 14