Snipe World Championship – Final

Mahon, Spain, September 26, 2026. American sailors Ernesto Rodriguez and Taylor Scheuermann, representing Miami, Florida, were crowned the 2026 Snipe World Champions today following the conclusion of nine competitive races off the coast of Mahon, Menorca.

The Miami-based duo secured the title with a total of 32 points after applying one discard, finishing four points ahead of defending World Champions Julio Alsogaray and Malena Sciarra of Argentina (36 points). Spain’s Alfredo Gonzalez and Cristian Sanchez completed the podium in third place with 63 points.

The victory brings the prestigious Commodore Hub E. Isaacks Trophy back to Miami for the first time in 19 years, when Tomas Hornos and Enrique Quintero won the title in 2007. This marks the 21st World Championship win for the United States—and the 10th since the regatta expanded to a fully international entry format in 1947—as well as the fourth World Championship overall for the Miami Snipe Fleet.

Rodriguez, who previously finished third at the 2009 Worlds in San Diego with Megan Place, third at the 2022 Worlds in Cascais with Kathleen Tocke, and second at the 2024 Worlds in Buenos Aires alongside Scheuermann, finally secured the global title. In addition to the main championship trophy, Rodriguez and Scheuermann were awarded the Bibi Juetz Trophy as the top-ranking mixed team, while Scheuermann received the O’Leary Trophy, awarded to the winning crew.

Final Results (Top 10)

1. USA Ernesto Rodriguez & Taylor Scheuermann, 32
2. ARG Julio Alsogaray & Malena Sciarra, 36
3. ESP Alfredo Gonzalez & Cristian Sanchez, 63
4. BEL Manu Hens & Alexandre Tinoco, 68
5. BRA Felipe Rondina & Joao Pedro Herrlein, 78
6. ESP Jose M. Guerrero Macias & Naheul Rodriguez Perez, 80
7. USA Justin Callahan & Trevor Davis, 91
8. ESP Gustavo del Castillo & Rafael del Castillo, 108
9. ESP Raul de Valenzuela Santaella & Antolin Alexander de Ona, 120
10. ESP Francisco Sanchez Ferrer & Marina Sanchez Ferrer, 129

A Constantly Shifting Leaderboard

The week featured highly variable weather conditions and tight competition across the fleet. The overall lead changed hands after every day of racing:

• Day 1: Heavy winds saw Alfredo Gonzalez and Cristian Sanchez take the early lead after two demanding races marked by numerous DNF and DNC entries.
• Day 2: Light conditions allowed only a single race to be completed, pushing Gustavo del Castillo and Rafael del Castillo to the top spot.
• Day 3: Abandoned completely due to a lack of wind.
• Day 4: Three races were contested, leaving Brazil’s Felipe Rondina and Joao Pedro Herrlein in the overall lead.
• Days 5 & 6: Following the entry of the discard factor and three additional races, Rodriguez and Scheuermann surged into first place and held their ground through the final day.

Decisive Action on the Final Day

Rodriguez and Scheuermann opened Saturday’s action with intent, posting a 1st and a 2nd place finish in Races 7 and 8. Alsogaray and Sciarra kept the pressure on by securing two 4th-place finishes, while Race 8 was won by Spain’s Jose M. Guerrero Macias and Nahuel Rodriguez Perez following a 5th-place finish in Race 7. Meanwhile, 2022 World Champions Alfredo Gonzalez and Cristian Sanchez recorded a 3rd in Race 7, but dropped back due to a 28th-place finish in Race 8.

The championship came down to the ninth and final race, which Gonzalez and Sanchez controlled from the front. Behind them, spectators in Mahon and followers on the online tracking closely monitored the duel between ARG 32046 and USA 31337.

At the final leeward gate, the Argentine crew was leading the race and chose the left gate mark (looking upwind). Gonzalez and Sanchez, second, and the rest of the lead pack with Rodriguez and Scheuermann opted for the right mark. This choice forced Alsogaray and Sciarra to execute the first part of the final upwind leg on starboard tack, waiting for the trailing downwind fleet to pass before they could tack back.

This tactical split proved decisive. Boats extending further to the left gained ground; Gonzalez and Sanchez reclaimed the lead, while Rodriguez and Scheuermann used superior upwind speed and precise positioning to recover the necessary places. Although the American team had to give mark room to a couple of inside boats at the final leeward mark before the finish line, they secured the overall championship victory by a four-point margin. Rodriguez and Scheuermann maintained a remarkably consistent series, counting all top-10 finishes aside from their discarded 17th in Race 1.

Alsogaray and Sciarra earned a strong second-place finish overall. Discarding a 35th place from Day 1 and an unfortunate 13th in Race 6, the defending champions logged one victory, one second, and five 4th-place finishes across the remaining seven races—a notable performance in such a deep fleet.

Gonzalez and Sanchez took third place overall. While inconsistent results precluded a higher finish, their two race wins earned them the Earl Elms Perpetual Trophy as the winners of the final race.

Belgium’s Manu Hens and Alexandre Tinoco finished fourth overall, supported by one race win, while Brazil’s Felipe Rondina and Joao Pedro Herrlein rounded out the top five.

“I love sailing, so having a good result is always good. For me, it’s the journey. We went through a lot out here. I believe that you need to do what you need to do to put yourself in a position to win a regatta. This time we did as much as we could and the result shows. I couldn’t be happier for both me and her.”

Competitor Statements

Following the final race, the newly crowned champions reflected on the regatta and the week in Mahon.

“We are super grateful to be here, to have had such a successful regatta with amazing competitors and an amazing venue,” said Taylor Scheuermann. “Menorca was really, really good to us. It was beautiful, with great food. We’ve been here for many days now, so it was a tremendous experience and we are just so grateful for the results.”

“I love sailing – said Rodriguez -, so having a good result is always good. For me, it’s the journey. We went through a lot out here. I believe that you need to do what you need to do to put yourself in a position to win a regatta. This time we did as much as we could and the result shows. I couldn’t be happier for both me and her.”

“I want to thank, first of all, sails,” added Ernesto Rodriguez. “You guys [the sailmakers] did a great job over the years putting this on with all the changes that we’ve been going through. I know it’s been a little bit stressful for both sides, but I think this regatta paid off. And I also want to thank my super crew here. Freaking amazing job the whole week, but especially today. She pulled through, put her head down, and did what needed to be done to put us in a good position. The Mas Marine boat was fast, and the support team helped us with everything we needed. Also, a shout-out to the fleet here, Damian, the race committee, and the whole organization for doing an amazing job putting on all this regatta in such a beautiful place. We enjoyed our stay here in and out of the water very much.

Tournament Organization and Fleet Statistics

The event was hosted by Club Maritimo de Mahon and the local Flota Snipe de Mahon, with local sailor Damian Borras playing a key role in bringing the World Championship to Menorca. Race management was directed by Race Committee Chair Ariane Mainemare, alongside the International Jury, Technical Committee, and local volunteers.

Official reports from the SCIRA Representative, SCIRA Commodore, Board, and National Secretaries meeting are expected to be published in the coming weeks.

The final standings highlighted international parity and competitive depth across the fleet:

• The top five overall positions were claimed by sailors from five distinct nations (USA, Argentina, Spain, Belgium, Brazil).
• Five Spanish teams finished within the top ten overall.

Will be interesting to see in about two months there will be the rematch in Rio at the SSL Snipe Challenge (November 24-25), with all the main protagonists.

Photos: Matias Capizzano