Light winds, heavy competition at Snipe Championship

San Diego, CA (September 8, 2014) – Forty-three teams took to the water on day one of the Snipe Western Hemisphere and Orient Championship, which is held on alternate years with the class world championship. With light winds and hot temperatures prevailing, the fleet sailed on the inside bay course in hopes of better conditions than what might have been experienced on the open water ocean course.

Americans Randy Lake and Kate Sheahan are the early leader, with the random conditions playing to their advantage. “I just had a baby, there wasn’t any preparation,” said Lake. What he lacked in preparation he certainly made up for in company, as his crew Kate Sheahan recently finished second in the Snipe World Masters Championship in Japan.

Two races are scheduled daily through September 12, but with two different course locations in consideration, competitors are never sure which of the two courses the next day will bring. The Organizing Authority will announce each morning whether racing is set to take place inside the bay or on ocean waters.

Day One Standings (Top 5 of 43; 2 races)
1. Randy Lake/Kate Sheahan (USA), 2-3- ; 5
2. Doug Hart/Ryan Hopps (USA), 1-5- ; 6
3. Breno Bianchi/Flavio de Castro (BRA), 6-2- ; 8
4. Raul Rios/Fernando Monllor (PUR), 9-1- ; 10
5. Luis Soubie/Diego Mini Lipszyc (ARG), 3-8- ; 11

Event website – Complete results