Bernd Zieger, winner of Race 1 of the Gold Fleet. Photo Cathy Firmbach

2023 Worlds & North American Championship
Monday was a tough, shifty day of sailing. The qualifiers and the first Gold Fleet were completed. There’s more breeze forecasted today for the second day. Photos: Cathy Firmbach

Western Region Commodore Chris Berger, Hal Bowman, and Pete Johns

Practice Day and Opening Ceremonies
The slush on Lake Kegonsa finally hardened up, and competitors took advantage of a practice day on Saturday, January 21, 2023. The surface was rougher than earlier in the week but sailable. The Toledo Ice Yacht sailors rated it as a “Point Place 8” (the Point Place grading scale is weighted heavily towards the positive.)

Over 100 competitors and area iceboaters attended the opening ceremony in downtown Madison. Hal Bowman US1277 and Pete Johns US2360, who sailed at the first World Championship in Gull Lake in 1973, represented the United States during the opening ceremony.

A half-inch of snow fell overnight. NOAA is forecasting light winds. Skipper’s meeting at 9 AM followed by the first qualifier at 10 AM.

We are pleased to have Cathy Firmbach as our official event photographer. (Ann Suslova was unable to attend.) Cathy is a DN sailor and an experienced DN regatta photographer. She’ll provide daily photos and will have pictures available for purchase.

Photo: Joe Stanton

2023 IDNIYRA WORLD & NA REGISTRATION & OPENING CEREMONY INFORMATION

You are cordially invited to join us for the Opening Ceremony on Saturday, January 21, 2023. The event begins at 8 PM CT and will take place at Daniel Hearn’s office at 1352 E. Wilson St. There will be an open bar and a charcuterie board worthy of a world championship. Please plan on joining in the fun.

What To Know
2023 DN World & North American Championship Registration & Opening Ceremony
Date: Saturday, January 21, 2023
Location: 1352 E. Wilson Street, Madison, WI
Map
PARKING MAP

Registration: 6 – 8 PM PICK UP YOUR STICKERS
Please visit the registration table on the mezzanine where you will pick up your World Championship stickers and regatta give-away.
YOU MUST ATTEND TO PICK UP YOUR STICKERS.

Opening Ceremony: 8 PM
Beverages and a charcuterie board worthy of a world championship.

Go Time

2023 Worlds & NA Home Page
The 2023 IDNIYRA World and North American Championship is called for Lake Kegonsa in Madison, WI. The first scheduled qualifier race is Sunday, January 22, 2023, at 10 AM CT.

NO SAILING IS ALLOWED ON KEGONSA ON FRIDAY, JANUARY 20, 2023.
PRACTICE SAILING ON FRIDAY ON KEGONSA IS PROHIBITED.
AGAIN, DO NOT SAIL ON KEGONSA ON FRIDAY.

LAUNCHES: DO NOT DRIVE ON THE ICE!!!!!
1. Springer’s On The Lake
Map
3097 Sunnyside St, Stoughton, WI 53589
Walk your boat on the lake.
Let’s be good guests at Springers and leave a positive impression of ice sailors. Observe these 3 rules:
1. DO NOT PULL YOUR YOUR TRAILERS ON TO THE LAWN!!!!
2. PARK YOUR VEHICLES  ACROSS THE STREET IN THEIR PARKING LOT.
3. LEAVE THE PARKING SPACES IN FRONT OF SPRINGERS FOR THEIR CUSTOMERS!

2. Town of Pleasant Springs Boat Launch DO NOT DRIVE ON THE ICE!!!!!
Very limited parking
2267 Williams Point Dr, Stoughton, WI 53589
Map
Pleasant Springs for trailers that sailors would like towed to Springers. We will not start shuttling trailers until Saturday, January 21, 2023 when the ice has had more time to harden up.

3. Amundson Landing DO NOT DRIVE ON THE ICE!!!!!
Amundsen for those who want to try to try to put their own trailers on.
1928-2264 Quam Dr, Stoughton, WI 53589
Map

LODGING INFORMATION:
BOOKING LINK
You can call the hotel or just use the booking link and reserve their rooms at your special rate online.
Clarion Suites at The Alliant Energy Center
2110 Rimrock Road
Madison, WI 53713
Map
(608) 284-1234
Rooms starting at $99 night
Ask for the DN ICEBOAT WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS rate

Alternate Hotels
Tru by Hilton Stoughton
2500 Jackson St
Stoughton, Wisconsin, 53589, USA
1 608-205-2566
Website

AmericInn
101 W Broadway, Monona, Wisconsin 53716-3901
1-608-467-4791
Website

Country Inn & Suites
400 River Pl, Madison, WI 53716
16084670962
Website

Scouts are looking at Lake Kegonsa, Madison, WI; Lake Pepin, Lake City, MN; and Houghton Lake in Michigan. We are postponing the final site decision until we hear from the scouts.
NEXT UPDATE: Thursday, January 19, 2023 by 7 PM CT/ 8 PM ET

Oskar Svensson, Tomas Lindgren look on while PRO Pat Heppert runs through the flight check with Tomek Zakrzewski as he readies to sail the C Skeeter.

2023 DN World & North American Championship AM Update
Madison, WI, USA
As we wait for our ice scouts to report back, we’ve heard from some of our Lake Kegonsa scouts. Please stay off of Lake Kegonsa today and tomorrow until Race Organizers approve the lake for sailing. Right now, the lake is slush, we don’t want it rutted up for the regatta. It should freeze solid fairly soon.

NEXT UPDATE: Thursday, January 19, 2023 by 2 PM CT/ 3 PM ET

Karol Jablonski P36 on Lake Kegonsa, January 18, 2023

Via Western Region Commodore Chris Berger US5166

We are postponing the site decision because of tonight’s weather system, a mix of rain and snow approaching Wisconsin. We will have ice scouts checking the ice in the morning. The next update is Thursday, January 19, 2023, by 2 PM CT/3 PM ET.

NEXT UPDATE: Thursday, January 19, 2023 by 2 PM CT/3 PM ET

Line up for the DN Western Region championship on Lake Mendota.

Via Western Region Commodore Chris Berger US5166

Incoming weather with a snow-rain mix is making site selection tricky. Even though it’s early in the week, the Governing Board and Race Committee want to inform you what we know and where we may be headed.

Here’s what we know: Sites under consideration now include Lake Kegonsa, Lake Winnebago, and Lake Petenwell in Wisconsin and Lake Pepin in Lake City, MN.

We are closely watching a weather system arriving Wednesday night and exiting Thursday morning. The location of the rain/snow line will be critical.  We are hoping the area lakes will be sailable after the weather event.

If too much snow falls on area lakes, we may hold the regatta at Glasgow, Montana, on Fort Peck Reservoir, the site of the 2020 North Americans.

Per the Notice of Race, the next update will be Wednesday, January 18, by 9 PM CT. Be aware that we may postpone the site selection decision until Thursday.

NEXT UPDATE: Wednesday, January 18, 2023, by 9 PM CT

Photo: Catherine E. Firmbach

The start of the 2023 DN World Championship is in just a few days, and you can feel the excitement in the air. Over 100 competitors from 5 countries are preparing to battle it out for the illustrious “DN Gold Cup”. It’s going to be a spectacular regatta, both on and off the ice.

There will be 4 organized events outside of racing: the Opening Ceremony, the Speed Symposium, a Raffle, and the IDNIYRA Annual Governing Meeting.

1. Opening Ceremony – Saturday night, January 21st
Come one, come all! Raise your country’s flag. Sing your national anthem. Catch up with old friends and meet new competitors. Join us for a celebratory kick-off to a great event. It wouldn’t be a world championship without an opening ceremony! All are encouraged to wear patriotic clothing, bear flags from your respective countries, and represent your national ice sailing team prior to the first race.
Location TBD. Likely indoors.

2. Red Gear Racing Speed Symposium – Monday night, January 23rd
The 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.

Sponsored by Red Gear Racing. Location TBD. After racing on Monday. Duration: ~45-60 minutes.
Panelists include (but are not limited to):
Karol Jablonski (P36), 12x World Champion
Tomek Zakrzewski (P55), 3x World Champion
Ron Sherry (US44), 5x World Champion
James “T” Thieler (US5224), North American Champion

3. IDNIYRA Annual Governing Meeting – Tuesday night, January 24th
Location: TBD

4. Raffle – World Championship Awards Ceremony
This isn’t just any old giveaway raffle. This is THE raffle. We’ve got sails, runners, hardware, hull covers, runner bags, Harken Derm, and so much more! Plus, the world famous “Wheel of Desire” game is back and better than ever! Don’t like what you won? Spin the wheel for a chance to trade up to bigger and better prizes. Things may get crazy. We may have too much fun. You’ll want to be there to experience it for yourself.
Location TBD. Before awards. Beverages and Appetizers