Restore Snipe Class in Menorca

By Lluís Vilà Salord

A group of sailors from the legendary Snipe class, along with the 2012 Spanish Champion Jordi Triay, are proposing to recover this mythic class on the island of Menorca (Balearic Islands, Spain).

The easternmost island of the Balearic archipelago enjoyed for many decades, of excellent sailors in this class, such as Fernando Rita, Damian Borrás, the Saura brothers, Mesquida, Tobal Bosch, Toni Pons, Antoni Cavaller, the Magro Brothers, Orfila, Alles, Sintes, Barranco, Llopis, Melià, Campos …. and an endless list. All this sailors have national and international honors. For several reasons, at the beginning of S.XXI the snipe class died down gradually until its virtual disappearance.

Currently there are no Snipe competitions in Menorca, but we have three boats not being used at the moment, and two crews competing in national and international championships, composed by Jordi Jordi Triay y Lluís Mas one hand, and Damián Borrás y Lluís Borja Llopis on the other hand.

The massive response of the social network site “I Love Snipe Class” from Facebook, created for this purpose, has encouraged a growing interest among former sailors, professionals and amateurs of other classes. Recover the Snipe in Menorca: because the classic always return, is the slogan that encompasses all communication and will culminate in an event for sailors and sea friends organized to support this initiative.
This festive event will take place at “Club Náutic Ciutadella” on Saturday December 8th. All sailors will sail with a snipe borrowed by the sailor Helena Calzas. This is one of three remaining Snipes in the island of that old “Armada”.

The event will be sponsored by companies that share our objectives: to support the local people, like this sport and export their products. CERVESA ILLA that offer homemade beer to the assistants; QUESO COINGA will bring their tasty cheeses, and El PALADAR  that will delight the assistants with delicious “Jamon de Jabugo”.

Moreover, the organizers of this initiative wants to appeal to all sailors of SCIRA (Snipe Class International) who want to join to this event on Facebook to support and contribute ideas.

To recover the Snipe class in Menorca, local sailors are aware of the need for new resources such as boats, sails and various materials. For this reason the organizers offer to manufacturers and suppliers the opportunity to join to this project in order to find synergies and satisfactory cooperation to all parties.

Date: 12/08/12
Location: “Sailing Club Ciutadella” (Menorca, Spain)
Schedule:
10:30 Snipe Test
12:30 Presentation of the initiative
13:00 Refreshments courtesy of sponsors
Facebook event site: http://on.fb.me/Xa37qp

Aid to Menorcans sailors through Facebook event!

1 – Click on join / Share: http://on.fb.me/Xa37qp
2- Encourage: http://on.fb.me/Xa37qp
3- Provides ideas: http://on.fb.me/Xa37qp
4- Contact the organizers at [email protected]
5- Become a fan www.facebook.com/ILoveSnipeClass

The new course is set: recover the Snipe class in Minorca and promote Menorca and the class Worldwide.