Miami Snipe Invitational, a Phenomenal Introduction to the Snipe Fleet

By Taylor Scheuermann

Every year in January, young sailors from all over the nation flock to Miami for a tough, yet very fun, Snipe regatta. While some of these sailors are veterans in the class, others have never even set foot in the boat. Not only is it a great chance to substantially improve one’s sailing skills, it is also a great chance to meet new friends.

The Miami Snipe Invitational Regatta and Clinic are phenomenal introductions to the Snipe fleet. Young sailors have the opportunity to be coached by some of the best Snipe sailors in the nation, and receive the chance to qualify for an International Snipe Regatta; this year, the MSI regatta was a qualifying event for the 2013 Junior World Championship in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Since the Regatta and Clinic are meant to encourage sailors to join the Snipe fleet, both the skipper and their crew must be younger than 30 years old. However, both members of the team must be 21 years old or younger to be eligible to qualify for the International Regatta.

The Clinic was held in Miami on January 3rd and 4th, two days prior to the Regatta. Despite the light winds, we managed to run a strong and successful practice. It was a great learning experience for all.
The Regatta showed immense potential for some good racing; the seabreeze filled in early on both days, supplying the sailors with some solid wind from the Southeast.

This year, I was honored to coach alongside world-renowned Snipe sailors such as Peter Commette and Kathleen Tocke. I was privileged to be able to give advice to the many talented sailors that attended the Miami Snipe Invitational Regatta and Clinic.

Congratulations to the winners of the event, and to those that qualified for the 2013 Junior Worlds in Brazil.
Thank you to all of the sailors for their hard work, and for their incredible eagerness to learn.

We hope to see you at the Miami Snipe Invitational Regatta and Clinic next year!
-Taylor Scheuermann