Please select your home edition
Edition
C-Tech 2021 (Spars-QFX Racer) 728x90 TOP

2019 Snipe North American Championship at San Diego Yacht Club - Day 2

by Casey Allocco 7 Sep 2019 20:32 PDT 6-8 September 2019
2019 Snipe North American Championship © San Diego Yacht Club

The pressure was on for the Snipe fleet today. Ending yesterday's races with a three-way tie for second between George Szabo, Doug Hart, and Peter Commette made today's scores crucial to the outcome on the score sheet. In addition to their competition, the course got a little more crowded. Joining the Snipe fleet on their course for the San Diego Olympic Classes Regatta was the International Finn Class.

The wind picked up to about 9 knots before dropping down to 7, giving the boats a little more speed time then yesterday. All of the sailors were happy to pick up their pace.

Holding their position in first place is Enrique Quintero and his crew Kathleen Tocke with 7 points. Following behind in second is George Szabo and crew Dianna Waterbury with 14 points and Doug Hart and crew Diego Escobar in third with 16 points.

"We really just wanted to get off the line, go fast and go the right way. Unfortunately, the south breeze filled in before the first race and tightened up the shots a little. That wasn't good as wind got light and we moved pretty slow. We finished last in the first race and won the second race... The third race we got to first but ended up coming in second. Overall it was a pretty good day. We will see what tomorrow brings," Szabo explained.

Quintero and Tocke had another successful couple of races today, finishing in the top two for all of them. Hart and Escobar - also trying to break the tie - won the first race of the day, giving them a leg up over Peter Commette who sailed two threes and a six.

"I have a new super crew sailing with me, Allie Shand (12)," Commette started. She is athletic, coordinated and has an athletes mind. We had two races where we were in the noise a little bit. Towards the end things got really tight and Allie knocked out all of the gybes perfectly."

After the races, sailors in all fleets enjoyed a social and presentation by Pan American Games Bronze and Silver medalists on SDYC's Sail Wash Lawn. Following, sailors began their preparation for the final day of the Snipe North American Championship and SDOCR.

Tomorrow (Sunday), all fleets will make their way back out to their ocean course for their final series of races.

San Diego Olympic Classes Regatta Update

Today (Saturday), marked the first day of the 2nd annual San Diego Olympic Classes Regatta. Sailors of all ages came out for a weekend of beautiful, champagne sailing. Participating fleets included the Snipes, Finns, 29ers, I420s, Nacra 15s, Lasers and Laser Radials.

SDYC Junior Staff Commodore and founding Commodore of the SDOCR Michael Dorgan finished first in the Finn fleet. "It was awesome. We had perfect weather with sunny skies and blue water. I just sailed calm. I was watching this younger guy, Eric Anderson (2nd place), who's been sailing a lot with Caleb Paine. He was moving all over the place and I just tried not to steer much with the helm and try to use my body weight," stated Dorgan.

In addition to our experienced fleet of Finn sailors, there were five other fleets with a generally younger average age. Jordan (13) and Grant Janov (16) were two of those sailors, taking first in the 29er fleet. The brothers have been sailing together for one year. "There was a lot of team effort. We know how each other will react and we have been practicing a lot together," explained Jordan.

Another high-school aged duo in first place is Jack Sutter (17) and Charlotte Versavel (16) in the Nacra 15 fleet. The two started off the regatta today with two bullets, followed by a four and two, gaining the first place position over Kelly Holthus and Hoel Menard.

"We're always trying to improve in our light wind since we're from San Francisco," started Sutter. "In the third race we had a penalty at the starting line, so we got fourth. Tomorrow we're just going to push harder and complete more of our goals."

"We're just trying to practice and get better," chimed in Versavel. Long term, the duo is reaching for the Youth Worlds, and then an Olympic campaign.

Sunday marks the final day of the 2nd annual OCR. This year, the regatta has 76 boats sailing and over 110 skippers and crews.

Full results available here.

Related Articles

Snipe Open at Bough Beech
23 entries and fantastic positive momentum in the fleet 23 Snipes met at Bough Beech SC for the 2025 Open Meeting on the 14th and 15th of June. We have had fantastic positive momentum in the fleet over the last few years with Nationals and Open attendance constantly growing. Posted on 16 Jun
Snipe Class looking for a new Executive Director
To provide administrative and financial services to the SCIRA Board The Snipe Class International Racing Association (SCIRA) is seeking applicants for a part-time Executive Director position. This position will provide administrative and financial services to the SCIRA Board. Posted on 1 Jun
2025 Lypo-C Enoshima Olympic Week
Next-generation sailors and Olympians clash in international waters The 2025 Lypo-C Enoshima Olympic Week concluded after three days of high-level competition, bringing together 302 boats from five countries and highlighting both Olympic-calibre talent and rising youth sailors. Posted on 1 Jun
Snipe Europeans to be held at Vilamoura
Fleet will visit Portugal this September Vilamoura is set to host the European Snipe Championship. Organized by Vilamoura Sailing, this championship will bring together some of the finest Snipe sailors from across the continent to compete in the crystal-clear waters of the Algarve coast. Posted on 30 May
Snipe open weekend at Blackwater
A superb weekend of racing at a superb venue The Blackwater Sailing Club proudly hosted a highly successful Snipe Open Weekend on 10-11 May welcoming sailors from across the country for two days of outstanding competitive racing and warm camaraderie. Posted on 22 May
2025 European Youth Snipe Championship overall
Portugal's Alfonso Munhá and Francisco Camacho win, but no title awarded The European Youth Snipe Championship, held in the town of San Martín de Valdeiglesias since Saturday, has come to an end in the Madrid reservoir of San Juan. It does so without being able to award the title of European champion. Posted on 14 Apr
2025 European Youth Snipe Championship day 2
Another day of frustration in Madrid The wind was once again very fickle in the San Juan reservoir in Madrid, with 6 starts attempted, 1 general recall and 3 races attempted, which were to be the first of the championship, cancelled at the halfway point due to huge wind shifts. Posted on 14 Apr
2025 European Youth Snipe Championship day 1
A lack of wind results in no racing being possible on the first day in Madrid The first day in the RCN of Madrid, of the three programmed, is closed in white due to the absence of wind. Posted on 12 Apr
2025 European Junior Snipe Championships preview
A fleet of 35 boats representing 5 countries has gathered in Madrid The international event organised by the Real Club Náutico de Madrid, which starts today at the San Juan reservoir and will conclude on Monday 14th April, brings together a fleet of 35 boats representing 5 countries Posted on 11 Apr
Mirpuri Foundation Sailing Trophy returns
With the introduction of the high-performance TP52 class The prestigious Mirpuri Foundation Sailing Trophy is set to return for its sixth edition from July 4-6, 2025, promising a thrilling weekend of top-tier sailing in one of Europe's most scenic and challenging maritime locations, Cascais. Posted on 24 Mar
PredictWind - GO! exec 728x90 BOTTOMHenri-Lloyd Dynamic RangePalm Beach Motor Yachts