Youth Sailing Report: After School Iceboat Practice on Lake Minnetonka

by | Jan 20, 2024 | 2024, Home Page


“After-school iceboat racing practice?” Common in Poland, now in Minnesota thanks to IDNIYRA Junior Sailing Director Sam Bartel.

Wow, the last 3 days have been incredible! I’ve had the pleasure of coaching 18 high school and middle school sailors from the Lake Minnetonka Sailing School race teams as they discover the thrill of ice sailing. Some of these kids tried iceboating with me earlier this year, and others just had their first rides recently. Seeing all these new ice sailors leaving with ear-to-ear smiles is priceless.

In addition to giving some kids their first rides, I’ve been coaching the more experienced ones on racing skills. Yesterday marked our first after-school iceboat racing practice, complete with 4 scrub races and 5 DNs on the line. It’s amazing to see the enthusiasm – some of these kids are really getting into it, asking tons of questions, sailing until after sunset, and coming back for more every day. A couple of them are even asking when the next junior regatta is scheduled… we need to bring these events back ASAP!

Our local high school teams are gearing up for a training trip to Florida next weekend. Between now and then, we’re planning to hit the ice every day, running more scrub races and helping more kids get into the sport. I feel very fortunate to have such great conditions at our home venue on Lake Minnetonka!

Cheers,
Samuel Bartel
IDNIYRA Junior Director US1011

Link to video

2024 Jinzhou and Panjin International Ice Sailing Tour Concludes

by | Jan 19, 2024 | 2024, Home Page

Link to video.
Our ice sailing friends are heading back home. Video above courtesy of the regatta organizers of Jinzhou and Panjin.
Results

Joerg, Jost, and I set a land-speed record to make the last train tonight to Beijing, but we will all make our planes home tomorrow. I had a wonderful week in China. Very fun and very eye-opening. The minute I got here, and to paraphrase Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz, it was clear I wasn’t in Kansas anymore. I am glad to be heading home, and I look forward to hearing English and sailing with familiar faces.
Think Ice
Mike Bloom US321

Dn China Gang
The last goodbyes.
dn-china-gang-1
On the train! Race Committee member Natalia Burdukovskaya, Sergey and Joerg Bohn.
valery-anton
Valery Dichenko, Anton Didenko, Joerg Bohn

Panjin China Regatta Update

by | Jan 18, 2024 | 2024, Home Page


Update from Mike Bloom:

We raced today. On a reservoir 3 hours from Panjin. Now we are driving back—long day.

The ice was pretty good but covered with sand. And it was very windy- MS1 windy. After two races, my runners were dull, as were everyone else’s. There was lots of sliding. I didn’t bring sharpening stones. Lesson learned.
It was a fun day with five races. I have not seen results, but the Anton Didenko R166 won again. I did beat him one race, but it was probably his throw-out. My best race today was a second. I was third in another race but was DSQ for sailing inside a darling mark. I don’t know if I did or not, but I do know I never saw it. We are not coming back here tomorrow because it’s just too far to drive when many of the Europeans need to catch a late afternoon train to Beijing. So, that means I’m done sailing in China.

China is amazing. What a wonderful trip, making new friends and seeing old ones. It’s great to sail on Chinese ice—the first American ever(!) to do so.
I am looking forward to the Western Region Championship.
Mike Bloom US321