LATEST NEWS
2020 North American Championship Dates Announced
Via DN Western Region Commodore Daniel Hearn
DN Sailors:
(If you’re a skimmer, read the bold face).
Mark your calendars! The dates for our 2020 North American Championships are now set. The event will be held January 18 – 25, with the Western Region as the host. We were tentatively targeting the last two weeks in January, awaiting announcement of the Gold Cup dates. Historically, these two weeks offer the greatest number of options for good ice in the Western Region with cold temps locking up most of our lakes by that point, and with less chance of them being snowed out. At the recent National Secretaries meeting in Europe, February 8 – 15 was selected for the 2020 Gold Cup, so we are going for the earlier of our two target weeks to maximize the gap between the two events. Unfortunately, it will end up being a bit tight for those of you planning to race on both continents, but it’s workable. We did consider going even a week earlier, but decided that wasn’t great either, as that would likely make the NAs the first regatta of the season for too many of you. We may end up conflicting with the Northwest Regatta, but as always, we have to look into a foggy crystal ball, place our bet and hope for the best. So, once again mark your calendars for January 18 – 25 for the DN 2020 North American Championships.
I know it’s a long way off, but it’s never too early to be thinking about volunteers. After Mother Nature, it’s the volunteers who make our events amazing. So, if you’re inclined to pitch in, or know someone who would, I’d appreciate an email, text or call letting me know. Whether it’s for a day or two, or the entire week, I’d be very happy to add any names to my list for support in any capacity. Contact info– dhearnUS5352@gmail.com (mobile) 608-692-4007
Have a great summer, and see you on the ice next season!
Daniel Hearn
Western Region Rear Commodore
Michał Burczyński: “Winning the Iceboat World Championships in a Borrowed Boat”
2019 Gold Cup & NA
Read 2019 Gold Cup champion Michał Burczyński’s fascinating account posted on the Ullman Sails website. of how bad luck turned into good luck thanks some help from the DN ice sailing community.
We (the Polish team) had a few days head start in sending our iceboats to the USA, in case of any unforeseen problems. Our equipment got held up at the Paris airport. Our appeals to the shipping company went unheard. And just when things were looking up, our bad luck continued, as the plane which was supposed to bring our gear three days before the start of the Championships, failed to take off because of a malfunction.
We were very nervous. Further calls to the shipping company yielded no results, I gave up and just accepted that my ice boat would not arrive on time. All that was left was to just treat my stay as an opportunity to catch up with other iceboaters and a tourist trip. I tried to borrow an iceboat, just to appear at the starting line and finish the races.
2019 Canadian Championships
Congratulations to James ‘T’ Thieler for winning the Canadian DN Championships on Sunday at Kingston Yacht Club. Results available here.
“The Rush of Sailing On Ice”
The rush of sailing on ice
Syracuse man, 68,races in national regatta at Wawasee
CHARLOTTE STEFANSKI | The Journal Gazette
When Rick Lemberg moved from Chicago to Syracuse, he was asked by his friends on Lake Wawasee if he had ever tried ice sailing.
It was the most expensive boat ride he ever took.
Now 68, Lemberg is the owner of many boats, including his DN ice yacht, which he races with as many as 50 other sailors at a given time.
“It’s just an adrenaline rush. It’s just like racing a stock car. The speed is unbelievable,” Lemberg said. “And of course the camaraderie. I’ve known a lot of these guys for a long time, and it’s just a huge, international club.”
The race came to him last month, when the DN North American National Championship moved from Lake Indian in Ohio to Lake Wawasee. Continue reading.
Mel Nichols: 100 Years Young
As our season winds down, let’s reflect upon the simple joy of sailing an iceboat through the experience of a 100 year old DN sailor. Bruce Brown US1610 shares this video of his father-in-law, long-time IDNIYRA member Mel Nichols US2780, sailing Bruce’s DN on March 12, 2019 on Wolf Lake in Michigan. DN iceboating helps to keep us young!
Nick Vitale: 1946 – 2019
The DN community extends it deepest condolences to the friends and family of Nick Vitale, a long time DN sailor and class member from Vermillion, OH who walked on Sunday, March 5th. Nick’s obituary is posted here.
Fair winds and never-ending black ice, Nick.
“My Vote: Solid Water 12 Months Of The Year!”
Director of Harken engineering, Steve Orlebeke US4926, shares his obsession with ice sailing in the Harken magazine “At The Front”:
Close your eyes. Take a deep breath. Whisper it with me…black ice. One more time…black ice. I have a confession to make: I dream about black ice — even sometimes in July. Occasionally, even when I’m in a bunk on a boat sailing in soft water. Continue reading.
Looking Back: 1984 IDNIYRA Gold Cup in Poland
A look back 35 years ago through the lens of Henry Bossett’s camera at the 1984 DN Worlds in Krynica Morska, Poland. The IDNIYRA Yearbook entry for that year reads: “The Gold Cup was sailed at Krynica Morska, Poland. The race was extremely well organized. Hot soup was served on the ice at noon. The ice was good quality salt ice. The winds were moderate.” T. Haagma of the USSR won the Gold Cup in 1984.
Henry writes:
With Worlds and NA’s just completed, this came up as a memory of mine today [on Facebook]. Ten, either World or European Champions show up, as well as Wim VanAcker and Skip Boston – Piotr Burczynski, Ron Sherry, Endel Vooremaa, Vaiko Voorermaa, Bogdan Kramer, Matti Kullmann, Vello Kuusk, T. Haagma, Ain Vilde, Henry Bossett. Also a Polish business introduction of a Junior DN that never gained traction.
North Americans Group Photo & News Story
Winners Of Ice Boat Championships Announced At Oakwood Resort
INK FREE NEWS – KOSCIUSKO COUNTY’S ONLY DIGITAL DAILY NEWSPAPER
February 22, 2019
By David Hazeldine
SYRACUSE — A crowd of nearly 100 tired but jovial ice boat racers from all over North America and Europe gathered in the Oakwood Resort on Lake Wawasee in Syracuse Friday, Feb. 22, to honor the winners of the 2019 International Detroit News Ice Yacht Racing Association North American Championship Regatta. International DN-style ice yachts are the most popular ice racing boats in North American and Europe. Continue reading
More Video & Photos from the 2019 North Americans
Above: North American Gold fleet finish from Thursday, 23 February on Lake Wawasee in Indiana.
See more photos from Danny Graber here.
2019 North American Championship Recap
Congratulations to the fleet winners of the 2019 North American Championship:
Gold: USA Ron Sherry US44
Silver: Canada Jacek Marzenski KC5247
Bronze: USA Pete Johns US2360
Senior Trophy for Over 50 1st Gold – USA – US44 SHERRY RON
Masters Trophy for over 60 1st Gold – GER – G890 PETZKE HOLGER
Keeper for over 70 (Grand master) 1st Gold – GER – G551 SEEGERS CHRISTIAN
Elliot Sharp Trophy for Top Junior Skipper 1st Gold – EST – C20/US49 MAALIN RASMUS
Meade Gougeon Trophy for Top Woman 1st Gold – GER – G390 FIEDLER ANJA
Thank you to the Race Committee volunteers for dedicating a week of your lives to ensure that over 100 ice sailors from 10 countries had the best racing and social experience possible – Central Region Commodore and Regatta Chair Rob Holman, PRO John Atkins, PRO Bob Schumacher, Vice Commodore Dave Elsmo, Commodore Warren Nethercote (who tabulated and published race results off site – way off site – in Nova Scotia), the scoring, measuring, and weather mark team, and everyone else who helped.
Below is Jane Pegel US805’s North American regatta report:
Good evening iceboaters….
The 2019 DN North American Championship at Lake Wawasee, Indiana, has been completed.
U.S. sailors moved to the front of the fleet—
Ron Sherry won the Gold Fleet and attributes his success to taking time to tune against his son, Griffin, who
placed 18th. Ron previously won the North Americans in 1989, 1991, 1992, 1999, 2002, 2003, 2006, 2009,
2010, 2012, 2014, 2017, 2018. Ron won the DN Gold Cup in 1998, 1999, 2002, 2005, 2011. He is a past
champion of the Renegade class and also borrowed a Skeeter to win the Northwest Free-For-All. Ron’s first regatta
race win came when he was twelve years of age and sailing in the Northwest on Mendota. He nipped me out at the finish.