2023 DN ICE SAILING WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP REGATTA
January 21 - 28, 2023, North America2023 DN World & North American Championship: Register Today!
Photo: Catherine E. Firmbach
The IDNIYRA cordially invites you to register for the 2023 International DN Ice Yacht Racing Association World & North American Championships, hosted by the Western Region and Western Region Commodore Chris Berger US5166.
Regatta fees increase after December 31, 2022. European and Junior Skippers are not subject to a late fee penalty. European competitors are requested to notify the Class Secretary at secretary.idniyra@gmail.com that they will be attending.
What To Know
2023 DN Worlds & North American Championships
Dates:
Registration January 21, 2023
Racing: January 22 – 28, 2023
Location: Best ice in Western Region (IL, IN, MN, WI, or UP of MI)
Regatta Information
Regatta Home Page
Regatta Registration Page
Notice of Race
ONLINE STOREFRONT
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1973: The First DN World Championship
1973: Ain Vilde, Estonia
49 years later, 2022: Robert Graczyk, Poland
In 1937, the Detroit News newspaper asked for volunteers to attend a workshop to create an easy-to-build, easily transported, and inexpensive iceboat, which came to be known as the DN. The DN’s popularity grew, and sailors organized a class and sanctioned the first North American championship in 1953, won by Jack Moran of Michigan.
The comparatively small boat found its way to Europe. The “Johnny Appleseed” of European DN sailing, Holland’s Wim Van Aker, traveled the continent, giving DNs to aspiring ice sailors with the instruction, “do something with these.” And did they ever.
North American and European class officers, including Wim Van Aker, Bill Connell, and Art Teutsch, organized the first world DN championship for the 1973 season. They set it up so that the World Championship alternates between Europe and North America. Michigan’s Lake St. Clair was the primary site, but, as can happen in this sport, the lack of ice conditions on Lake St. Clair forced a move.
DN sailors from America, Estonia, Poland, Germany, Switzerland, and Holland made their way to Gull Lake, Michigan. After dealing with less-than-ideal sticky snow conditions and several days without wind, the race committee and 41 competitors hung tough and finally completed the regatta. There are familiar names on the 1973 results list, with a few still racing. Estonian Ain Vilde won the first Worlds in a tight battle by two points over Gull Lake local Randy Johnson.
2023 also marks the 70th anniversary of the North American championship. Tim Woodhouse of Michigan won the 1973 North American Championship, held a few weeks earlier than the World championship.
The IDNIYRA will celebrate these anniversaries at the DN World and North American championships regattas in 2023. Western Region Commodore Chris Berger and the committee are in the planning stages to bring you a great regatta and commemorate 50 years of international competition. It’s time to start thinking ice!
Read more:
The DN Iceboat
A Brief History of the DN
The Blue Streak 60
North American Championship Records
World Championship History Records
MEDIA INQUIRIES
For all media inquiries, please contact
Deb Whitehorse
secretary.idniyra@gmail.com
+1 608 347 3513
OFFICIAL MEDIA SPONSOR
Don’t Miss the Excitement of 2023 DN Worlds
- Follow Harken on Instagram and Facebook for storytelling throughout the event.
- Sign up for the Harken quarterly newsletter here.
- See their special iceboating issue here.
DN SPEED SYMPOSIUM SPONSOR
Date: Monday, January 23
Location: TBA
The Red Gear Racing Speed Symposium is your chance to learn from a panel of ice sailing champions. They are the best of the best. The cream of the crop. The all-stars of ice yacht racing. Do you have a burning question that needs to be answered? Great. Bring your questions, curiosities, and good vibes.
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