Open or Closed Events?

The recent Spanish Snipe Nationals, held in Melilla, Spain (though geographically on the African continent), saw an impressive fleet of 98 boats participate. This sheer abundance of boats and competitors sparked an interesting discussion among some Spanish sailors. They find themselves reminiscing (whether rightly or wrongly… it depends on your point of view) about past times when the Spanish Nationals were a closed event. Not only was participation restricted for foreigners, but even Spanish sailors had to qualify through regional selections. Only the very best earned the right to compete in the highly coveted Campeonato de España de la Clase Snipe.

First off, perhaps gratitude is owed to Neptune, the Spanish Snipe Class, or the Spanish fleets themselves for the fortunate position Spain is in – being able to host a National Championship with nearly 100 boats!

Maybe only Japan, which also employs a selection system, can boast such high numbers at their nationals. Most other countries certainly cannot claim these figures.

Often, particularly smaller sailing nations, not only hold open national championships but actively encourage and invite competitors from other countries to boost participation.

Spain, however, faces the opposite “problem” (if one can even call it that): a potentially overwhelming number of boats at an open championship (with no selection process) that has, for some years now, also been open to foreign competitors (subject to approval by the Spanish Sailing Federation).

The debate between open and closed events is an age-old one in sailing. The pendulum swings between two poles: those who desire high-quality, potentially elite events, and those who champion maximum inclusivity, even if it might mean a lower average skill level across the fleet.

Perhaps the ideal solution lies somewhere in the middle. Events with large numbers could potentially be managed by splitting the fleet, possibly leveraging new technologies for race management.

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Following the Melilla event, in Spain several opinions emerged:

• “A Spanish Championship where you and I could just show up and participate isn’t a CHAMPIONSHIP, it’s a Class FESTIVAL. It lacks seriousness for a Class like ours.”
• “Open Europeans and Nationals are like a romería (a chaotic pilgrimage or fair).”
• “No, there are ways for 80 boats to compete, but they should have to QUALIFY.”
• “I remember well when it was a PRIZE AND GREAT HONOR merely to qualify through the corresponding REGIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP to participate in the Spanish Championship. I am totally sure that THE CLASS would gain a lot if we went back to CLOSING the Spanish Championship (with certain conditions) and required qualification.”
• “The Spanish Championships would gain more prestige and status for everyone, and the Regional Championships would also regain value in areas where they are currently devalued.”
• “My total support as a ‘dinosaur,’ but one with a lot of experience. The most important regatta for any Class in Spain, and ours in particular, must be the Spanish Championship.”
• “For other types of events, there’s the Copa de España (Spanish Cup) and other good regattas where participation can be unlimited.”
• “For me, the seriousness and quality of a regatta are not defined by the high number of participants.”
• “A Spanish or European Championship shouldn’t exceed 50 or 60 boats, let alone a World Championship.”

• “I disagree. To successfully host, promote, and ultimately have a winner in an event with 80 boats, you need participants willing to finish 80th.”
• “For those who want elite-level competition, there are the Olympic classes.”

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The sheer success of the Spanish Snipe fleet, evident in the 98 boats at Melilla, has paradoxically reopened this fundamental question about the nature and purpose of a National Championship. Should it be a celebration of the entire class, open to almost all who wish to attend, or a more exclusive pinnacle event reserved for those who qualify, thereby enhancing its perceived prestige and potentially the value of regional circuits?

What do you think?

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P.S. Of course, with this article, I do not intend to interfere in decisions that fall under the autonomy of Snipe Class Spain. However, I believe this debate is also interesting and relevant for other countries and for major international events.

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This article represents a personal opinion, which may not coincide with the official opinion or view of the Class or other sailors. We deem it useful to discuss (naturally avoiding offensive content) various topics relating to our Class, to allow for an open and democratic discussion, as has always been the case on SnipeToday for more than a decade.

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