2025 Annapolis Snipe Invitational / US Junior National Championships

The future for U.S. Snipe sailing is looking bright: Junior (under 22 years old) teams captured the top three spots at the August 16-17 combined Snipe Junior National Championship and Annapolis Snipe Invitational (U30), held at Severn Sailing Association in Annapolis, Maryland.

18 teams from around the country spent some quality time together on shore on Saturday, as winds were too light for racing. While the competitors would have preferred sailboat racing, they competed in pickleball, ping pong, and card games—and shared lots of conversation, laughter and regatta-provided pizza. After the RC called racing around 3 p.m., six teams went out and practiced in the ‘harbor hurricane,’ with regatta coaches providing video and Race Committee volunteers bringing out a couple marks. Thanks to great fleet vibes and a humane Race Committee, it was a fun day. 

A better forecast greeted the fleet on Sunday, and the start time was moved up a half hour to 9:30 a.m. to enable more racing. The first race started in a light southerly. Five boats were over early but cleared themselves. Christian Filter/Kimmie Leonard led most of the race but were passed just before the finish by Snipe rookies Ashton Perkins/Daniel Skutch Tyson as the breeze dropped below 5 knots. 

The Race Committee, led by SSA PRO Eric Reinke, waited for the southerly breeze to settle in before ripping off five more races at breakneck speed, starting the sixth race (allowing for a drop) just before the 2:30 p.m. time limit. During the racing, the breeze built steadily from 6 to 12 knots: champagne conditions for most, but a bit overpowering for some of the lighter junior teams by the last two races. Waves, wind, and swirling current all factored into each race as the fleet battled on the Chesapeake Bay just outside the mouth of the Severn River. There were numerous lead and position changes within each race in a highly competitive fleet. It was a long day, but everyone was happy to get in a full regatta.  

The team of Owen Fretwell/Colin Krebs (Mission Bay Yacht Club, California) sailed consistently to win with a total of 10 points. Mason Cook/Catherine Kammeier (Annapolis Yacht Club, Maryland) took second with 16 points, and Paige Tillson/Efe Derman (Mission Bay YC) captured third with 17 points. Fretwell, Krebs, and Tillson are all second-generation Snipe sailors, while Cook and Kammeier began sailing Snipes this past spring through boats provided by the Skibo initiative, a pioneering yacht club/Snipe partnership.

The top three US junior teams qualified to compete in the 2026 Snipe Junior World Championship in Melilla, Spain. All three junior teams have been making their mark on the class with Fretwell/Krebs taking second at 2025 U.S. Nationals in Atlanta earlier this summer and Cook/Kammeier and Tillson/Derman training hard all summer to sail their best regatta to date.

Under 30 sailors took the next three places, separated by only a few points: Christian Filter/Kimmie Leonard (Severn Sailing Association) 4th overall with 24 points, Owen Hennessey/Thomas Walker (AYC/SSA) 5th with 25 points, and Alfonso García Bringas/Lexi Pline (Porto Bravo) with 27 points. 

The youngest team in the fleet—Ashton Perkins and Daniel Skutch Tyson (Annapolis YC)—came out hot with a win in the first race, eventually capturing seventh place and 4th Junior team.

While some sailors brought their own boats, the event relies on “O30” Snipe sailors to let the younger sailors use their boats for the event. Big thanks to all the fleet members who chartered their boats, giving these talented young sailors a taste of the “Serious Sailing, Serious Fun” Snipe sailors enjoy around the world. 

Another boost to the event was a clinic held Friday afternoon. Time on the water let teams get sorted out in their boats, and a debrief afterward led by Arthur Blodgett helped the young sailors understand the “why” behind how to get the best speed out of their Snipes.

Thanks to regatta chairs Bradley Adam and Kim Couranz, Snipe Fleet 532 Captain Lisa Pline, and U.S. Snipe National Secretary Alex Pline for a fun event.

Full results are available at https://theclubspot.com/regatta/V842n4zghv/results and below:

	Sailors	Sail Number	Boat Name	Club/Org	Division	Net	Total	R1	R2	R3	R4	R5	R6
1	Owen Fretwell Colin Krebs	USA 28857	None	Mission Bay Yacht Club	U22	10	17	[7]	4	2	1	2	1
2	Mason Cook Catherine Kammeier	USA 31991	None	AYC	U22	16	26	[10]	2	4	2	3	5
3	Paige Tillson Efe Derman	USA 30109	None	MBYC	U22	17	32	[15]	3	1	9	1	3
4	Christian Filter Kimmie Leonard	USA 30552	None	Severn Sailing Association	U30	24	31	2	[7]	7	4	4	7
5	Owen Hennessey Thomas Walker	USA 29044	The Bradley Adam	SSA/AYC	U30	26	40	[14]	1	3	8	6	8
6	Alfonso García Bringas Lexi Pline	MEX 31129	None	Porto Bravo	U30	27	45	4	11	[18]	5	5	2
7	Ashton Perkins Daniel Skutch Tyson	USA 31992	None	Annapolis Yacht Club	U22	37	54	1	8	5	7	16	[17]
8	Tanner Kelly Kate Shermock	USA 29681	None	SSA	U30	37	55	3	[18]	9	13	8	4
9	Guido Pozzi Clara Vignati	USA 30195	None	CVB	U30	38	49	[11]	6	11	3	7	11
10	Jed Bell Darby Capellin	USA 29110	None	Severn Sailing Association	U30	42	61	12	9	6	6	[OCS – 19]	9
11	Paul de Souza Wiktoria Pedryc	USA 29782	None	NYC	U30	43	60	5	10	[17]	10	12	6
12	Preston Senior Anna Flynn	USA 30299	Senior Moment	SSA / EYC	U30	47	62	9	5	10	12	11	[15]
13	Mitch Powell Caroline McNeil	USA 31771	Uoeno	USAYC	U30	52	66	6	[14]	12	11	10	13
14	Sarah Alexander Mac Clifton	USA 31635	None	Severn Sailing Association	U30	58	75	16	[17]	8	15	9	10
15	Ella Towner Grayson Sikkema	USA 26290	Ecru	Grand Rapids Yacht Club, Michigan	U22	67	85	[18]	13	14	14	14	12
16	Raam Fox Scott Opert	USA 31144	None	SSA/WRSC	U22	70	87	[17]	12	15	16	13	14
17	Carol Currie Nilah Miller	USA 30410	None	Jackson YC	U30	73	91	8	16	16	[18]	17	16
18	Jed Lory Campbell Conway	USA 30928	None	AYC	U22	73	91	13	15	13	17	15	[18]