Americans Rodríguez and Scheuermann are Snipe World Champions

Argentinians Alsogaray and Sciarra take silver, while Spaniards González and Sánchez win bronze in a World Championship featuring 88 boats from 21 countries and 176 sailors from 92 clubs, confirming the organisational strength of Club Marítimo: “The organisation has been first-class.”

American sailors Ernesto Rodríguez and Taylor Scheuermann are the new Snipe World Champions. The Americans claimed the title in Mahón after winning the first race of the final day and withstanding the challenge from defending champions Julio Alsogaray and Malena Sciarra, who took silver. Alfredo González and Cristian Sánchez secured bronze for Spain with a victory in the final race of a championship that confirmed the organisational strength of Club Marítimo de Mahón and the strong form of the international Snipe fleet. The regatta brought together 88 boats and 176 sailors from 21 countries and 92 sailing clubs from Tuesday through Saturday, September 26. It required an unprecedented logistical effort for a sporting event held in Menorca’s main port.

The title was decided on an exciting day featuring three races, with a northerly Force 4 wind that allowed the fleet to complete nine of the ten scheduled races. Rodríguez and Scheuermann began the day with a win and a second place, giving them a sufficient advantage before finishing the championship with a seventh. Alsogaray and Sciarra, world champions in 2024, climbed from fourth to second thanks to three top-four finishes. González and Sánchez, meanwhile, gained two places and secured bronze with a victory in the final race.

The overall podium was also reflected in the mixed category. Rodríguez and Scheuermann won gold in both classifications and were recognised as double world champions.

The introduction of the discard after the seventh race benefited the crews that had shown the greatest consistency throughout the week. Rodríguez and Scheuermann discarded a seventeenth-place finish; Alsogaray and Sciarra discarded a thirty-fifth; and González and Sánchez discarded a thirty-first. Brazilians Felipe Rondina and João Pedro Herrlein, who led the standings at the start of the day, were unable to retain first place and dropped to fifth after recording their worst results of the championship in the final three races. Belgians Manu Hens and Alexandre Tinoco finished fourth.

Rodríguez described the decisive day as “a very tough battle”, marked by moderate winds and waves. “We had very good speed and two good starts in the first races. Those results put us in a good position heading into the final race,” explained the new world champion.

Scheuermann shared the title with a tribute to those who had supported the crew: “I have no words for our team, for everyone who has supported us and for Ernesto, for being there with me every step of the way. I am incredibly grateful and happy to be here.”

The champions also praised the venue and the organisation. “Mahón is an amazing place. We have been here twice and have enjoyed it immensely: the people, the food and the surroundings. The organisation has been first-class.” Rodríguez specifically thanked Damián Borrás and the team assembled by Club Marítimo de Mahón for making the championship possible.

Alsogaray explained that the number of points at stake left them no room for error. “The key was not to make a mistake in any race, and we sailed very well in all three. We scored 4-4-2 and we came very close,” said the Argentine, who acknowledged the performance of the new champions. “Ernesto sailed very well and had a fantastic week. He deserved it. Being world runners-up is no small achievement and we are very happy.”

The Argentine skipper is already looking ahead to another opportunity: “Sailing always gives you another chance: at the next championship, the next World Championship. That’s the beautiful thing about it.”

Sciarra admitted that the Argentine crew had hoped to defend their title but accepted the result: “We wanted to win, but we are happy with the silver. They were better and we have to recognise that.” The Argentine sailor also praised the venue and the work of Club Marítimo. “The place is beautiful and the organisation has been a ten out of ten. Everything has been impeccable. We are taking home many friends, which is the most important thing.”

José Manuel Guerrero and Nahuel Rodríguez, from Real Club Mediterráneo de Málaga, won the second race of the day and finished the World Championship in sixth place. Spain placed five boats in the top ten. Gustavo and Rafael del Castillo, who had led the standings after the third race, finished eighth in the final championship they will compete in together as skipper and crew. Raúl de Valenzuela and Antolín Alejandre finished ninth, while Francisco Sánchez Ferrer and Marina Sánchez Ferrer were tenth.

Alfredo González admitted that a boat set-up error during the second race of the day reduced their chances, although their victory in the final race allowed them to finish the World Championship with the bronze medal. “We have mixed feelings because we had a chance, but Ernesto is the rightful winner. We keep winning races and are taking home the trophy awarded to the winner of the final race,” explained the Canary Islands skipper.

The reigning European champions, Jordi Triay and Lluís Mas, were the highest-placed representatives of Club Marítimo de Mahón in the final standings. The Menorcan crew finished fifteenth after closing the World Championship with a fourth place in the final race. Damián Borrás and Javier Magro finished twenty-second, while Marta Torner and Enrique Mir were twenty-sixth.

The Mahón World Championship subjected the 88 crews to very different conditions. The first day was sailed in a northerly wind approaching 20 knots, with strong and disorganised waves that forced the use of the triangular course prescribed by the class for heavy-air conditions. On the second day, only one race could be completed, with winds of between four and six knots, shifts of around 30 degrees and numerous areas of calm. The lack of sufficient and stable wind prevented racing on Thursday.

The wind returned during the final two days. The fleet completed three races on Friday in 10-to-14-knot winds and short waves, followed by another three today in a northerly Force 4 breeze. The Vakaros Atlas2 system, used for the first time at a Snipe World Championship, made it possible to identify boats that were over the line and keep the entire fleet in a single group.

Club Marítimo de Mahón brought the World Championship to a close after completing nine of the ten scheduled races, with 176 sailors from 21 countries and representatives of 92 clubs. The championship fulfilled what Damián Borrás described as “a childhood dream come true”: bringing the elite of the class he grew up sailing to Menorca. Club president Basilio Ferrer recalled at the event presentation that the Snipe has been part of the history of the port and the club since the 1930s. Nine decades after those first wooden boats appeared, Mahón has succeeded in becoming the global epicentre of the class: “A great honour that from today becomes part of our club’s legacy.”