Snipe Racing in Norway from 1970 to the Present

From Norges Seilforbund website – by Morten Jensen

In the 55-year history of the Norges Seilforbund (Norwegian Sailing Federation – see note below), the Snipe and Optimist classes have managed to hold the most National Championships. They have reached a total of 55, which is more than any other class.

This can be seen in the NSF’s comprehensive overview of National Championship medalists throughout history—that is, since the federation was founded in 1970.

Only once since that inaugural year has it been impossible to hold a National Championship for the Snipe class, and that was due to the Covid-19 pandemic. In 2020, the class was not permitted to host a championship. It was determined that two people would be sitting too close to one another—even with face masks—and the risk of infection was deemed too high.

In every other year, neither dead calm nor storms have been able to stop the class from completing its championship.

The Snipe class has featured many prominent figures over the years. Jostein Grødem from Åsgårdstrand has taken the most titles, with 12 wins. Close behind is Finn Hanssen from Bærum with 11, followed by Jostein’s brother, Asbjørn, with 10.

However, the person who stands in a league of his own for the most medals won is Birger “Bigga” Jansen (Bærum). “Mr. Snipe,” as he was called, recorded a total of 32 medals. He won his first in 1971 and his last in 2016. He remained active until the very end and passed away from cancer in November 2016.

Finn Hanssen has 18 medals, Janett Krefting (Bærum) has 16, while Jostein Grødem and Ulrik Sandvig (Bærum) have 15 each.

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The Governance of Norwegian Sailing

• Pre-1970: The KNS Era Before the national federation was established, the Royal Norwegian Yacht Club(Kongelig Norsk Seilforening – KNS) acted as the national authority. Founded in 1883, it was a founding member of the IYRU (now World Sailing) and managed the sport across Norway for nearly 90 years.
• 1970: Establishment of the NSF In 1970, the Norwegian Sailing Federation (Norges Seilforbund – NSF) was founded to serve as the official MNA. This shifted the governance from a single prestigious club (the KNS) to a formal national federation under the Norwegian Olympic Committee.
• Current Roles Today, the NSF is the governing body responsible for National Championships and Olympic selection, while the KNS remains one of Norway’s most prominent and historic sailing clubs.

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Photos courtesy of Morten Jansen –

Thanks to Norges Seilforbund!