Snipe Open at Blue Circle Sailing Club

Race winners Alan Williams and Liz Crouch cross in front of Richard and Nicky Lambert during a Blue Circle Snipe open in 2006 © Richard Lambert

14 Snipe crews gathered at Blue Circle Sailing Club on June 3-4 on the Club’s 50th anniversary for two days of tight racing, on the 140 acre lake near Cliffe, north Kent.

Winds never exceeded 10mph and on Saturday especially, the breeze was very shifty.

Race Officer Derrick crouch set a P shaped course and there was an extra premium gained from a good start as the crews beat up the narrowest stretch of the lake. Brian and Anne Gregory led for a few laps, before Mark Antonelli and Susan Robertson took the gun in the first race.

After lunch two races were sailed back to back and in the second race, Alan Williams and Liz Crouch posted their first of three wins, followed in by Iain and Richard Marshall, who in turn would post three second places in the regatta.

The third race was won by local crew Steve Roberts and Mike Kerr. Steve is a good amateur long distance runner and his victory demonstrated the breadth of his sporting talent.

On Sunday, the morning race had to be abandoned due to lack of wind, but after an early lunch the crews returned for two more back to back races which were won by Williams and Crouch.

Overall Results: