2022 Western Region Championship Tentatively Called ON for Spirit Lake, Iowa, Jan 8-9

Big Spirit Lake, Spirit Lake, Iowa on Sunday, January 2, 2022 Photo: Pat Heppert

PREVIOUS
2022 Western Region Championship Notice of Race
Date:
 January 8-9, 2022
Location: 
Tentatively called ON for Big Spirit Lake, Spirit Lake, Iowa.
Final Confirmation/Next Update: Thursday, January 6, 2022 by 1 PM CT

Via IDNIYRA Western Region Commodore Chris Berger

The 2022 IDNIYRA Western Region Championship is tentatively called on for January 8 – 9, 2022 for Big Spirit Lake in Spirit Lake, Iowa.
Big Spirit Lake has 10″ of black ice, 95% snow-free. “The remaining snow on the better part of the lake will result in 1 – 2″ jumpers,” according to Pat Heppert who walked and drilled the lake today. There is enough ice for 2 courses.  It will be sailed by ranked sailors on Thursday morning, January 6. Final confirmation will be made on Thursday, January 6 by 1 PM CT.

 

Rudi Bauer OE39

Rudi Bauer and Ron Sherry

The IDNIYRA is saddened to announce that Rudy Bauer OE39 passed away at his home in Austria on January 1, 2022. The entire DN community extends our condolences to Rudy’s family.

Ron Sherry US44 recalls:
I called Rudy ‘The World Champion of Fun.’ He was a champion ice boater, downhill skier, and true ambassador to the sport of iceboating. In 1998, I built him a complete DN, which he raced in North America. He then shipped it to Austria and made sure I had a good boat for European regattas. He said, “Ron, you come to the Worlds, and you can sail this boat.” With his help, I won my first Worlds in 1998 in that boat.
We had such wonderful times together. Rudy would haul a big old beat-up leather suitcase to the pits, filled with cheese, bread, and meats to share at the end of the racing day. Nothing ever tasted so good after a hard day of sailing, standing around with your buddies rehashing the day.

From left, Art Teutsch, Dan Connell US1630, and Rudi Bauer OE39. (Screen shot from the 1993 World Championship video.)

1993 Worlds: A Look Back Through Video

Here’s a raw, unedited video from the 1993 IDNIYRA World Championship from Andre Baby, the Montreal Iceboating Association, and Jeff Kent. The 1993 Worlds was memorable for being one of the biggest, with four fleets and over 170 competitors, and sailed on Geneva Lake in southern Wisconsin. The video is typical 1990s VCR quality but still worth a look. Pay close attention, and you’ll see many familiar faces in the opening ceremony and the trophy presentation. There’s racing footage in between the opening ceremony and the prize giving. Happy New Year from the IDNIYRA.

Jeff Kent Wins Worlds
By Eric Armstrong US4232
February 1993 IDNIYRA Runner Tracks Newsletter
Jeff Kent of Weymouth, Massachusetts USA, has won what is being hailed as the most competitive Gold Cup in the history of the event with eleven points. One hundred seventy-eight competitors from ten countries gathered in Fontana, Wisconsin, to race on Geneva Lake on January 24th, 1993. Ten competitors at the regatta had a ranking number of three or less. This is the largest fleet of top competitors ever assembled in North America. All of these factors combined to make the 1993 World Champion­ships very competitive and, most of all lots of FUN! Click here to continue reading.

2022 Western Region Championship Postponed to Jan 8-9

PREVIOUS
2022 Western Region Championship Notice of Race
Date:
Rescheduled for January 8-9, 2022
Location:
TBD. The Western Region includes Minnesota, Iowa, Wisconsin, Illinois, the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, and Indiana.
Next Update: Tuesday, January 4, 2022 by 5 PM CT
Via Western Region Commodore Chris Berger US5166

The 2022 Western Region Championship has been postponed until January 8-9, 2022. Warm weather followed by a snow event has left us with no viable sites. With colder weather moving in, we are optimistic for good conditions the weekend of January 8-9. The next update is on Tuesday, January 4, by 5 PM CT. Have a Happy New Year!

2022 Western Region Championship NOR & Update

Line up for the 2018 DN Western Region championship on Lake Mendota, Madison, WI

2022 DN WESTERN REGION CHAMPIONSHIP NOTICE OF RACE

Date: January 1-2, 2022
Location: TBD. The Western Region includes Minnesota, Iowa, Wisconsin, Illinois, the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, and Indiana.
NOTICE OF RACE

Sunday update via Western Region Commodore Chris Berger US5166
We are keeping an eye on ice conditions across the region and hoping for the best. Prospects look questionable at this time but that could change. On Wednesday, December 29, 2021, by 1 PM CT, we will either call the regatta on or postpone. If you have ice, please let us know!