Snipe Western Hemisphere & Orient Championship

The Snipe Western Hemisphere & Orient Championship is an international sailing regatta in the Snipe class. The fleet of winning skipper is awarded the Hayward Western Hemisphere Trophy, donated by Commodore John T. Hayward, of Tulsa, Oklahoma.[1] 3 races shall constitute a regatta.

It is sailed every two years (even years), on alternate years with the World Championship, since 1950. The Western Hemisphere & Orient Championship and the European Championship are the main competitions after the Worlds.[2]

Five qualified teams from each county in the Western Hemisphere and Japan, the current champion, the current world champion (providing it represents a WH&O nation), the prior year North American and Orient champions (providing each represents a Western Hemisphere and Orient nation) and the current year South American champion are entitled to compete.