Understanding the Snipe Class: The Road to the Worlds

(Photo courtesy of Matias Capizzano)

The Snipe World Championship for the Commodore Hub E. Isaacks Trophy is the pinnacle of our Class. While it is an “Open” championship in terms of gender and age, it remains a Closed Event regarding participation. You cannot simply sign up; you must earn your place.

The Deed of Gift (DoG) governs the eligibility and entry system to ensure that the Worlds remain a high-level competition while maintaining global representation.

A Brief History of the Worlds

Here is a quick history of how the Snipe World Championships have evolved:

• 1934: In the first edition of the Worlds in 1934, only 2 countries were represented with 14 entries.
• 1947: The first time the event went overseas was in 1947 to Geneva, Switzerland, with one entry per country—13 countries participated.
• 1969: The one-entry-per-country rule continued through 1969, when Brazil was allowed two entries to accommodate the prior World Champion, Nelson Piccolo.
• 1973: The entry system was changed to allow two entries per country plus the current World Champion.
• 1985: Hemisphere champions were added to the entry quotas.
• 1992: The Board of Governors moved to a quota system based upon the number of registered boats for the prior year, with 2, 3, and 4 maximum entries, plus the hemisphere champions.
• 2001: The entry quota was changed to include the average number of registered boats for the prior 2 years, with a sliding scale of entries from a minimum of 2 to a maximum of 8; the hemisphere champions; the addition of the top 2 Junior World finishers; and an additional entry for the host country and fleet.
• 2011: The Board approved the latest re-allocation method to allow more competitors to attend the Worlds if they meet certain criteria.
• 2015: Former Snipe World Champion skippers were admitted, rather than only the winner of the previous edition.

Minor adjustments have been made since 2011 to clarify the process through waitlists and other procedures. This is where SCIRA stands today.

---

Quotas: How Many Slots Does Your Country Get?

The number of entries allowed per country is determined by the average number of registered boats over the previous two years. The scale is as follows:

Avg. Registered Boats	Entries Allowed
1–5	1
6–15	2
16–30	3
31–50	4
51–100	5
101–200	6
201–300	7
300+	8

2026 Snipe Worlds Allocation Entry

Automatic Qualifiers (Outside the Quota)

Beyond the national quotas, several “Auto-Qualifiers” are invited to ensure the highest caliber of competition:

• Any former Isaacks World Champion skipper.
• The current European Champion and Western Hemisphere & Asia Champion.
• The current Women’s World Champion.
• The 1st and 2nd place finishers from the Junior Worlds.
• One additional entry for the Host Country and one for the Host Fleet.

---

Deadlines: The “Use It or Lose It” Rule

To allow for logistical planning and boat measurement checks, SCIRA strictly enforces two main periods:

1. Initial Registration Period: starts with the posting of the Notice of Race.
2. Registration Deadline: 90 days prior to the first day scheduled for equipment inspection.
   • Note: National Secretaries must have concluded their national selections and registered their sailors by name before this 3-month mark.

The Reallocation Process

If, at the 90-day deadline, the maximum number of 80 teams has not been reached, the “unassigned” slots enter a Reallocation Pool. These spots are then distributed to qualified entrants from other countries who wish to send more than their initial quota, following the specific priority rules outlined in the Deed of Gift.

---

How are Sailors Selected?

SCIRA grants each National Secretary the freedom to determine their own National Selection Rules. Whether a country uses a single National Championship, a series of regattas, or a ranking system, the process is internal.

The only universal requirements are:

• Citizenship/Residency: Skippers must be citizens or residents (for at least one year) of the country they represent.
• Member in Good Standing: All sailors must be current SCIRA members with valid boat documents.
• National Secretary Approval: Each entrant must present credentials signed by their National Secretary.

HEI-DoG-121925Download