LIVE from Punta del Este

Welcome to the blog of the 2008 Snipe Western Hemisphere & Orient Championships, held in Punta del Este, Uruguay.

 

PREVIEW

  The regatta has begun today with measurement - a 2 day process for the 50 boats attending the Championship representing 9 countries from the Western Hemisphere & Orient hemispheres.

   The Snipe Class hold the ultimate World Cham

pionships in odd-numbered years, with the 2 hemisphere championships held the even year prior.  A lot is at stake at both the WH&O Championship this year, held Nov. 22-30; and the Europeans to be held in Las Palmas, Grand Canary islands, Spain, Dec. 1-8.  

The winners of each hemisphere championship automatically wins a berth to the Worlds, which is based on a quota system of paid members & boats.

  Competitors, officials & visitors to Punta del Este are being welcomed by very fresh breezes of 25+ knots of wind in Maldonado bay.  A few competitors have tested the waters with  no breakage, but the sailors seem to be focusing on measuring their equipment rather than testing equipment, sails & bodies these next few days.

   With a Deed of Gift change instituted for this Championship, a few countries are at 

their maximum entries of 8: Brazil, Japan, the USA and host country Uruguay.  Argentina has 6 teams, Bermuda 2, Canada 1, Chile 5 and Colombia 1.

   Racing should be tight as the WH&O representatives have ruled the top spo

t of the Worlds since 1977, with the last European to win being the great Spaniard Felix Gancedo.

   World Champions in attendance at the 2008 WH&O include: reigning World Champion Tomas Hornos/Enrique Quintero of the US; multi-World Champion Augie Diaz with super crew Kathleen Tocke; Alexandre Paradeda of Brazil who w

on the 2001 Worlds in the waters of Punta del Este; WH&O returning champs - Pablo Defazio, Ricardo Fabini and Bruno Bethlem.  This is no easy field of competition.

MEASUREMENT

Juan  Real de Arzua (right) is Chief Measurer for the event and has the measurement team hard at work.  Using the SCIRA sticker program, many boats are being spot checked for

 equipment compliance while every boat will go through the MOI (Moment of Inertia) process.  Sails are being checked and once completed, all boats on the line will be in compliance with the One Design theory.

FACILITIES

Yacht Club Punta del Este is no stranger to the Snipe Class.  Having held numerous events in Maldonado Bay, the Club knows how to make the competitors feel welcome and ensure that their competition is fair and memorable.  The first few days have been great with fantastic hospitality from the YC staff.