Snipe Open Meeting at Blue Circle Sailing Club

Forty-two years of unbroken Snipe Opens at the North Kent club came to an end on the weekend of 8-9 May. The Club has been given notice to quit the site which is owned by Brett Paving Ltd in January 2005. The facility was formed for employees of Blue Circle Cement in 1956, and is now enjoyed by racing and non-racing members; and is used as a training establishment by Medway Council.

In its heyday, over forty Snipes competed at the 140 acre lake near Cliffe Marshes, the event this year attracted twelve teams from the home club, from Maldon and from Budworth Snipe fleets.

Fittingly the title went to Peter Wolstenholme, one of Blue Circle’s finest protégé’s, who honed his skills in Cadets and has gone on to win Snipe National Championships in the UK, Belgium and France, as well as the European Cup. His record makes him unarguably the greatest Englishman ever to race this International Class which was designed in 1931. Five counting scores of first place gave him a 12 point cushion over second placed Ian Knight and David Bently from Maldon YC. The only other race winner was third overall Alan Williams and Liz Crouch of Budworth SC.

Some fine close and tactical racing was enjoyed by the competitors, all of whom will miss this unique and much loved venue when the eviction is served next year.

Overall Results: