Science Tokyo sixth at Spring 2025 Kanto Intercollegiate Student Sailing Competition

Snipe class pairs — 6th place overall

Comments from participating sailors

Snipe class team leader Takuto Sekine

I am honored to have achieved a 6th-place finish in the Snipe class of this contest. I would like to thank everyone who guided and supported me daily. As I devoted myself to competing in parallel with my studies and research, I developed my strength and the ability to focus on results in a limited amount of time. By balancing daily classes and experiments with training on the sea, I feel that I have acquired not only time management skills but also a tenacious attitude toward difficulties. This 6th-place result is a passing mark, and we will continue to learn and take on challenges to achieve even higher rankings in the individual competition and the Kanto Intercollegiate Student Sailing Competition in the fall. We look forward to your continued support.

Snipe class skipper Ryusei Ohtani

At this competition, many strong teams from universities in the Kanto region competed in challenging conditions, and we were able to show the fruits of our daily practice. As I balance my studies and club activities, I have realized the importance of situational judgment. In particular, sailing competitions require the ability to read the natural environment, such as the weather and sea conditions, and to make instantaneous decisions. This is deeply related to logical thinking and analytical skills in academics. We will continue to improve ourselves both academically and in our club activities, while striving to achieve better results. We look forward to your continued guidance and support.

Snipe class skipper Yu Endo

I am very happy that we were able to achieve an award-winning result in this competition. In the race, I often felt that I was not good enough as I competed against strong opponents. However, I also feel that we still have room for growth and can aim for better results. Also, the experience of working hard to search for a solution when there is no perfect answer will provide food for future research and academic work. We will not be satisfied with the results of this competition, and will work hard to achieve even better results in the fall.

Competitive sailing

Competitive sailing is a sport that requires a high level of strategy and tactics, such as reading the constantly changing winds and tides, and deciding on the best course for the boat while maintaining speed. In a race, participating boats start at the same time, sail around buoys in the prescribed order a specific number of times, and compete to cross the finish line first. All-Japan student competitions include two classes — the Snipe class and the 470 class.

Snipe-class dinghies use two sails — a mainsail and a jib. Speed can be hard to come by, so sailors must utilize the wind skillfully while maneuvering strategically in relation to the other boats. Sailors lean over the edge to achieve balance while hooking their feet under straps attached to the boat.

In addition to a mainsail and a jib, 470-class dinghies also use a spinnaker sail. This gives the boat more speed than a Snipe-class dinghy, but also makes balancing more difficult. To prevent the boat from capsizing, "trapeze" wires are attached to the boat, allowing sailors to hang outside the vessel with their feet on the edge of the dinghy.

In both the Snipe and 470 classes, a skipper and a crew member operate the boat as a pair. The skipper is in charge of steering the boat, mainly operating the mainsail, while the crew member balances the boat and decides on the strategy and course based on the surrounding conditions.

About Science Tokyo Sailing Team

The Science Tokyo Sailing Team has a long history and is fully supported by the Kuramae Ushio Association, an alumni association boasting 400 members. Their motto is "developing full-fledged sailors, full-fledged members of society.

Related articles