2022 North American Championship Update

COVID 19 continues to affect our everyday activities of life, whether home, work, or leisure. Border crossings between Canada and U.S. remain challenging and in flux. It may continue to affect our coming hard water season, but we have plans in place and a decision-making schedule.

The Governing Committee will hold a conference call on November 22, 2021, to decide whether the North American Championship (23 – 29 January 2022) can be held. The decision will be published immediately after the meeting. This allows two months lead time for the regatta, both for the organizers and for those competitors who need to plan international travel.

Suppose the Governing Committee decides that the North American Championship cannot be held. In that case, we will plan to run another US-based Championship during the same period as the scheduled North American Championship. Canadian members might decide to run a Canadian regatta in the same period. A U.S. Championship and a Canadian Championship would be non-ranking events.

Some factors in the decision-making have to do with the risk of a COVID positive test and quarantine requirements before reentering Canada or the United States. Canadians still face some severe logistical and expense problems attending regattas.

If the conditions don’t improve, the North American Championship could not be held. It would fail the most basic measure of fairness to have a  championship when it’s too great a burden for international competitors.

Please feel free to engage the Governing Committee if you have further questions. We are committed to offer racing this winter subject to constraints that might be imposed by COVID 19.

2022 IDNIYRA Continental Regatta Dates Announced

IDNIYRA Racing Schedule

It’s never too early to fill in your calendars with DN regatta dates. While the 2022 Gold Cup and European Championship date was decided 2 weeks ago at the European Secretaries meeting, IDNIYRA Central Region Commodore Rob Holman has now set the 2022 North American Championship dates. The World Championship alternates yearly between Europe and North America.

  • North American Championship
    Dates: January 23 – 29, 2022
    Host Region: Central (Michigan and Ohio)
    Location:  Best ice in the Central Region or North America
    Information: This website.
  • Worlds & European Championship
    Date: February 19 – 26, 2022
    Host Country: Switzerland
    Location: Best ice in Europe
    Information

2021 Polish Championships

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: 

PRELIMINARY RESULTS

Gmina Miasta Krynica Morska Facebook Page

Polish DN Class Facebook Page 

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.

2021 U.S. Nationals Called ON for Black Lake in Michigan

The sign we’ve been waiting for.   Photo: Catherine Firmbach

U.S. Nationals Information Page
The 2021 U.S. Nationals has been called on for Black Lake in northern Michigan. Online registration ends on Monday, January 25 at 7 PM ET. First day of racing is on Tuesday, January 26. See Schedule of Events below.

WHAT TO KNOW:

  • 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.
  • If you have registered and paid for the regatta and are NOT coming, please let us know so that you won’t be added to the draws. We are assuming that you are attending if you we don’t hear from you.

ICE REPORT:
Link to ice report video.
Via Vice Commodore Jody Kjoller:

January 23, 2021: No wind today so we ran and pushed for miles. A working seam cuts the lake in about half. We went left out of the launch. 2 took one shore line, 2 took the other. Tons of room to sail. Small areas of stiff snow but not hard to push thru and separated by almost a mile for the most part. Surface is about 1/2 – 3/4 very textured snow ice that is very easy to cut through to a pretty decent hard surface. Barely a dusting of snow. Easily raced in 6+ mph wind. Overall I’d rate it a 6 (or a Maumee Bay 9).

 

 

 

 

LAUNCH:
Launch #1
UPDATE 25 January: There is a better launch for those with big trailers at Onaway State Park.

Launch #2
Eisen Trail, Grant Township, MI
Plus code: FPQP+66 Black Lake Bluffs, Michigan
Use caution when accessing the launch. It’s a very narrow, icy, and curvy road. Use extreme caution. Light single axle trailers can be rolled on but please spread out.

LODGING:
1. Best Western River Terrace
847 S Main Street
Cheboygan, Michigan 49721
1(800) 780-7234
(231) 627-5688
$85 double queen
$72 king

2. Waterway Inn
6100 M68
Indian River, MI 49749
231-238-9370

3. Northwoods Lodge
390 S. STRAITS HWY.
INDIAN RIVER, MI 49749
231.238.7729

4. Star Gate
4646 S. STRAITS HWY.,
INDIAN RIVER, MICHIGAN 49749

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS:
Monday, January 25 7 PM: Registration Closes. No exceptions.
Tuesday, January 26
9 AM: Skippers Meeting in the pits
10 AM: First mini-qualifier
Following needed days: Races start at 9 AM
Awards follow immediately after the final race is completed and results are tabulated

2021 U.S. Nationals Update #4

Photo: Robert Jaeger

IMPORTANT U.S. NATIONALS SCHEDULE CHANGE:

The first day of racing for the U.S. Nationals has been moved to Tuesday, January 26, 2021. The primary site is Black Lake in northern Michigan. Ice reports from Black Lake are very encouraging. High winds prevented sailing on Black lake today, and it will be sailed by ranked sailors on Saturday. We are hoping to make the final confirmation on Saturday by 7 PM ET. 

If you plan to attend the regatta, please either register or email us debwhitehorse@gmail.com to help plan with logistics. 

Next update on Saturday, January 23, by 7 PM ET.