Nancy and Eric Smith US2500 with the 2021 DN Central Region Championship trophy.
Via Kent Baker:
Competitors and Race Committee at the DN Centrals regatta enjoyed a beautiful weekend on Elk Lake in Michigan, even with only one day of sailing. The sky on Sunday was cloudless and windless. On Saturday, after considerable delays due to wind shifts and needing to avoid an area of holes, each fleet sailed four races for a total of eight races.
Racing is simply magical when you are going full-warp speed upwind with the weather runner barely lifted off the ice. A sensation that in an instant makes you glad you troubled yourself to get there. Thanks to Ron Sherry, Richard Potcova, Jody Kjoller, Peter Johanson for all having a role in keeping me going these last few years. And, of course, my wife/enabler, Erica!
Big congratulations to Eric Smith US2500 on his first regatta win! Proof that one doesn’t have to be in the sport for a decade or more to beat the best!
It’s worth noting that there were 5 father/son duos present including David and Cooper Frost, Bill and Bobby Cutting, Ron and Griffin Sherry, Bill and Chad Coberly, and Dick and Brian Parker. Three of the youngest of the five are products of the Ice Optimist program.
Online registration is mandatory. Register and pay online at this link.
Proof of Insurance: Please either upload when you register or email to debwhitehorse@gmail.com
Text Notifications: Competitors will receive updates via text messaging. There’s no need to download any app. Please plan ahead and bring your phone to the race course. A spare recharging battery can also be helpful and perhaps your reading glasses. After each race is scored, a photo of the line up sheet for the next race will be sent out via text messaging to discourage congregating around the competitors and Race Committee. The line up sheet will be posted but competitors must observe social distancing. Please do not crowd around the line up sheet and Race Committee.
ICE REPORT Western Region Commodore Chris Berger reports that there’s “ice as far as you can see” with numerous options for race courses. The ice thickness is 12 – 14″ and he rates it a 7. There’s a heave to cross from the parking area/pits to the course and Mike Derusha has built a ramp for easy access to the sailing area.
LAUNCH Watermark Bay View Restaurant
Go through their parking lot and cross the lawn to ice.
LODGING
1.Best Western Riverfront Inn
715-732-1000
1821 Riverside Ave, Marinette, WI 54143
$75 Ask for DN Western Regatta Rate
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
Friday, March 5, 5 PM CT: Registration Closes. No exceptions.
Saturday, March 6
8:30 AM CT: Skippers Meeting
9 AM CT: First Race
Sunday, March 7
9 AM CT: First Race
Awards follow immediately after the final race is completed and results are tabulated
The Polish fleet in bed on the eve of the National Championship in Krynica Morska, Poland. Photo: Henryk Kuczma
The Polish Championships start tomorrow, Saturday, 20 February, in Krynica Morska near Gdansk. This two-day event will be very competitive and have a Gold Cup-like atmosphere. The Poles take up about one-third of the list of 30 sailors with an international IDNIYRA ranking of 10 or less. If you’d like to follow along, check out these sites:
Polish DN Class Website Now is an excellent time to review Robert Gracyk’s P31 short video on runner sharpening techniques from Lake Pepin in Minnesota in 2013.
The DN is most popular iceboat in the world. Whether you are a racer or cruiser, your $25 membership in the IDNIYRA helps to promote the art and skill of DN ice yacht construction and the sport of ice yachting on all the hard waters of the world.
