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We are sailing in Pärnu 2024 WC and EC!
We are sailing in Pärnu 2024 WC and EC!
Let’s say life could be a little easier regarding the weather!!
Most Likely we will have a difficult week but hopes are for the best!
It’s a good sailing day today so I hope you guys use it !
After spending time over the last days and this morning on the phone and consulting with our friends I see a bigger change of sailing and start on Sunday at 12:00 in Pärnu!
Getting on the ice –
58.383617, 24.326619
Parking picture is attached.
Headquarters and accommodation
Hotel Tervis
Seedri 6, Pärnu, 80012 Pärnu maakond
SGL 50€/
TWN 60€/
With breakfast and Spa!
Booking:
+372 447 9200
Codeword:
DN50
Mihkel Kosk
GC 2024 Update: Weather & Alternate locations
Waiting for the last update regarding the weather forecast.
GC/EC & JWC/JEC 2024: SI Published, Designated Venue Info
Dear Fellow Icesailors,
Although according to the NOR the final decision on the race venue is only due on 2024.02.02 Friday, 12:00 CET, many of you have aleady chose to drive to the Baltics and to the designated location to wait out the final decision.
Below is our recommendation for accomodation and launching site:
Designated HQ:
Hotel Siaulai,
Draugystės pr. 25, 76289 Šiauliai
Password: DN
Designated Launching Site:
Kempingas Rekyvas
Bačiūnų g. 58f, 79216 Šiauliai
Plenty of space for parking and trailors. Please be mindful of the grass.
Attached, please also read the Sailing Instructions:
SI 2024The Organisers
GC 2024: We will meet very soon!
Some days left to start warming the car!
Life and decisions seem easy, but storms are coming + the warm weather we have now. So far we have ice all over. Little bit / maybe too warm for POL and LTU, but they are NOT out just yet!
If you have suitable ice in your area, make your Icereport!
Ice reports are coming in, but we all know that ice conditions are good in many places today! Good ice, 20+ cm and much more as we are traveling further north, we have had good sailing during the weekend in many places!
Difficult, one could say an interesting weather forecast with temperature getting colder during the weekend and possible rain and snowfall and the forecast is changing all the time.
So spend your time at work and with family and news will come when it comes!
I have (DN class has) so many good friends and sailors giving me good reports and we all want a good week of sailing! Big thanks out to all of you guy!
Good ice conditions are in LAT and EST which are on the snow/rain line with forecasts and SWE is looking very good, but is only as plan C or D.
Think ice and less snow !
C45, Mihkel
50. GC/EC & JWCJEC: 2 weeks to go
The report should contain the ice area size, quality, thickness, parking- and launching options, and possible accommodation for 150+ beds.
Don’t forget to bring your trophies!
Mihkel Kosk Commodore
Flashback Friday: The first European DN Championship and Icesailing in the 1960s
With less than a month to go until the 50. Gold Cup DN World and European Championships, we continue our journey through the decades with the first European Championship and the following 1960s.
Read the previous article on the Birth of the Sport and the Origin of the Class here.
In Europe, the Netherlands and Austria pioneered in the establishment of international DN iceyacht racing. By 1964, there were almost 100 DNs racing in the Netherlands. After the Austrian Gerhard Jettmar (OE1) had joined the I.D.N.I.Y.R.A. (1962) as their first European member, the first successful Austrian Championship was sailed in 1965 with 12 entries.
THE FIRST EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIP
Photos from the 1st European Icesailing Championship in 1966. Credits to Union Yacht Club, Neusiedl, Austria.
Shortly, the Austrian Fleet took the initiative of promoting icesailing by hosting the first European DN Ice Yacht Championship as well. The event was held on the 17th of January, 1966 at the Union Yacht Club in Neusiedl, Austria with a long-distance race around the lake–the first and last time that such a race was part of the event.
While the conditions had seemed favourable in the beginning, soon the ice was covered with several centimetres of new snow. However, this didn’t discourage the sailors from racing. The Dutch DNs had dominated the competition winning 9 places out of the first 12. The podium was occupied by Kees Kortenoever (H1) at the top, Jan Dick Wevers (H60) in 2nd and Hans Bergkvist (S1) in 3rd place. Konrad Gloeden of Germany and R.C. Hoefhamer of Holland had just missed the chance to be ranked among the top three.
At a meeting during the regatta, the European DN Ice Yacht Class organisation was established by the 42 members of 6 European countries in the presence of 2 members from the U.S.A. Representatives of these European fleets elected Kees Kortenoever as their first European Commodore.
»» VISIT THE 1966 EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIP REGATTA PAGE FOR MORE MEDIA »»
THE 1960’s
However, the Netherlands had not only provided sailors for the winners’ podium at this regatta, but was also the main power behind the exploration of icesailing opportunities in Central and Eastern Europe. In particular, a small group of Dutch DN sailors led by Wim van Acker met with the Polish iceboaters (Monotype XV and 8 metre) on the then-new Zegrze Reservoir and introduced the DN in Poland in 1965. The model became an instant success in the country sparking government-sponsored programmes.
To read more about Polish icesailing history see this article by Romuald Rowecki (P25) in the 2019 May Issue of Runner Tracks.
From here eventually, through their icesailing contacts, the DNs made their way to Estonia and the U.S.S.R. in 1968. Wim van Acker had continued to be an influential member of the icesailing community holding multiple sport related offices in the following decades and documenting ice sailing events on his 16mm camera. These rolls of films have been passed on and digitised under the Wim van Acker project. See the collection here or at the end of the article.
In Hungary (M) the DN was introduced in 1966 by dr. Pál Sándor who brought one home from Austria. Pál played a key role in building the Hungarian fleet and also served as their national secretary until his death in 1978.
DNs made their introduction in the United Kingdom (K) in the late 1960s. Chris Williams (K1) RN/NATO officer, who was previously stationed in Canada (where he was also a founding member of the Nova Scotia Ice Yacht Club) had an essential role in the rising popularity of the class in the coming years. Eventually, the British DN Fleet joined IDNIYRA – Europe at the end of the 1970s. Apart from the extremely cold 1978-79 winter season in Scotland, DNs were mostly used for landsailing on beaches and airstrips in the UK.
It didn’t take long for the DN model to conquer the land as well. The first international competition of modern landyachts had been organised in February of 1967 on the African continent. 12 landyachts set out to cross the Sahara in the duration of a month or so.
The cover of the 1967 November issue of National Geographic and an excerpt from the IDNIYRA newsletter of 1967 April 11, reporting on sand sailing in the Sahara.
Article detailing the 1967 land sailing competition on Sahara Overland
The original NatGeo article on the Extreme Kites Forum
Ice-map detail of the race course for the 1967 European Championship in Sweden from the 1968 Dutch DN JOURNAAL Issue Nr.17.
The races of the 1967 European DN Ice Yacht Championship were held between the 4th and 9th of March in the centre of Stockholm, Sweden on softening spring ice. The race course was laid out north of the city centre of Stockholm, on the part of the Stora Värtan where a straight track of 1500-2000 metres could easily be plotted for any wind direction. Last year’s Dutch sweep of the reigning titles had seemed unlikely to repeat as the frozen snow-covered ice was unfamiliar for them the first day, but after a long night of changing their angle runners, many finished ahead of the pack the next few days. The Swedish, familiar with the conditions, had also secured many positions at the top, but there were also Austrian and American sailors among the first 10.
The 1967 European Championship results from the North American newsletter.
The next year, for the 1968 DN Europeans, the sailors returned to the Union Yacht Club on the Neusiedler See. After the first race a storm blew the ice out so racing continued further south on the lake for one more day.
The 1969 DN European Championship regatta was organised by the Baltische Segler Verein, on a smooth and wet Steinhuder Meer. The BSV is a combination club of the pre-war German iceboaters from Estonia and Riga that were displaced by the Molotov-Ribbentrop pact in 1939 and the ones from East Prussia that were chased out by the Red Army in 1944.
By the end of the 1960s, the DN had established itself as one of the most popular iceboat classes in Europe, being present in over 12 countries. Meanwhile, on the other side of the pond, the North American Championships had been regularly organised from the 1950s onward. All together, this created a demand for a truly international global competition.
The Wim van Acker Project playlist on YouTube
Join us in the celebration by attending the 50. Gold Cup DN World & European Championships between 2024.02.3-10!
»» Visit the Regatta Page and make your Event Entry! »»
Grand Masters’ Cup & DN Finnish Nationals 2024 Registration is Open!
DN Finland warmly welcomes all eligible Grand Masters (60 years of age by 27 Feb 2024) to participate in the Grand Masters Cup 2024. The event will take place 27-29 Feb 2024. NOR has been published and the registration is open in the manage2sail system, which is widely used in Europe.
In case you have problems with registering through the manage2sail system, please ask your fellow sailor for help. If you are still in trouble, you may contact GMadmin@icesailing.fi.
For NOR and registration in the Grand Masters Cup, visit
You are also welcome to participate in the Finnish Nationals Regatta, which will be sailed immediately after the GM Cup, 02-03 March 2024. Hopefully at the same location.
For NOR and registration in the Finnish Nationals regatta, visit
DN Finnish Nationals Regatta 2024
Also follow www.icesailing.fi
An awesome opportunity for a complete week of race and joy with good friends!
50. GC/EC & JWC/JEC Update: Deadlines Extended!
Dear Fellow Icesailors, Parents, and Coaches,
Happy 2024!
By to the request of multiple National Secretaries the Board of IDNIYRA Europe has decided to extend the deadlines for event entry for the upcoming 50th Gold Cup DN World & European Championships and Junior Icesailing World & European Championships.
The new dates are as follows:
8th January 2024; 24:00 (CET) – Deadline to send insurance for checking (Regular Entry)
10th January 2024 – 24:00 (CET) – The last possibility to register on the regular entry fee (Regular Entry)
Friendly Reminder:
Please note, that to make a proper entry both the sailor as well as his/her National Organisation need to be active members of the DN Class, i.e. the respective membership fees have to be paid ( As always, Juniors and North American Guests can activate their access free of charge).
Please Don’t Forget the following steps (same as every year):
1. Activate Membership/Access (if auto-renew is on this is done automatically)
2. Upload your Insurance in one file (preferably in a .pdf format) & wait until it is approved by our Insurance Manager
3. Make the Event Entry
Special promotion for new sailors and long-time absentees in the sport!
Senior sailors (born before 2000) without active ranking may apply for a one-time €110 discount (50% of the regular entry fee) from the event entry fee via webtreasurer@idniyra.eu . This discount voucher can used on the website during checkout.
In line with the Race Management Agreement, DN Class Regattas are open to any member in good standing of the IDNIYRA or IDNIYRA-Europe. North American sailors are eligible to make late-entry for the regular fee.
We sincerely hope that we will be able to meet all our members from around the World again soon.
The Event Entry is open, please read the updated Notice of Race:
»Visit the REGATTA WEBSITE for the NOR & EVENT ENTRY»»
For the optimal experience, we recommend viewing the site on a PC with Google Chrome or Safari as under Microsoft Edge there may be some known bugs unrelated to the site.
If you need technical support please contact: webmaster@idniyra.eu
Invitation to Haapsalu Bay Clinic and County of Pärnu Championship 2024
Dear Fellow Icesailors,
We are happy to convey the following Invitation from Mihkel Kosk and the Estonian DN Fleet:
Happy end of the year!
Starting from the 2nd of January, safe and good ice conditions are in Haapsalus. Getting on the ice next to an old water tower.
58.958621, 23.513004
We have been sailing there most of the week, snow ice, and some snow on the top but with 2 days of plus and rain, it should be very nice!
Promising proper cold but with a weather forecast, we will see how things go!
EST DN fleet is planning to hold a small regatta on the weekend –
https://www.esticesailing.ee/?page_id=2344Think Ice !
C45
Do you have a DN event you would like to showcase? Please send your invitation to secretary@idniyra.eu .
For more events from the National Fleets, please visit: idniyra.eu/calendar
Merry Christmas to All!
5th January 2024 – 24:00 (CET) – The last possibility to make Event Entry with a regular entry fee (Regular Entry)
There is a Special promotion for new sailors and long-time absentees in the sport! Senior sailors (born before 2000) without active ranking may apply for a one-time €110 discount (50% of the regular entry fee) from the event entry fee via webtreasurer@idniyra.eu .
See you on the ice,
Mihkel Kosk, Commodore
To learn more about the special discount for the 50. Gold Cup DN World & European Championships please read the NOR at the Regatta Website: idniyra.eu/wcec2024
Flashback Friday: The beginning of icesailing and the Blue Streak 60
Dear Fellow Icesailors,
As the year is coming to an end we would like to start a different type of countdown: 2024 will mark the 50th occasion that the DN Class celebrates international competition by organising the Gold Cup DN World and European Championships. In anticipation of this jubilee, we invite you to travel through the decades with us in the form of this weekly column from the very beginning of ice sailing to the present day. We hope you decide to take this trip down memory lane and check back in here every Thursday/Friday to get in the spirit of the regatta until the big event in February.
Print made by Claes Jansz. Visscher, 1608-10: Townsfolk. An Ice Yacht and Skaters on the Ice. Added as a border decoration to a map of the Province of Holland published by Pieter van der Keere in 1610.
THE BEGINNINGS OF ICESAILING
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Ice boat on Saint Lawrence River, Quebec City, c. 1858–1860.
The history of icesailing dates back to the “Little Ice Age” through the 16th to the 18th century in Europe where smooth ice was found in the Baltic bays and the Dutch canals. There, due to a period of regional cooling climate, the grain traders’ boats needed to be equipped with planks and skates to continue trading in the prolonged 5-month winter. Notably, this is also the time when the later czar Peter the Great of Russia spent his years studying boatbuilding in Holland. In all likelihood, this is why in Eastern Europe the word given to iceyachting closely resembles the name of the typical boat type used for iceboats: the Dutch Boeier, a typical merchant vessel. (In Russian, the word for iceyachting is “buerny sport” – in Polish “bojery”.) While the modification with metal runners was initially motivated by commercial reasons, soon “ice yachts” evolved into a pleasure craft.
At the end of the 18th century, the custom of ice boating travelled together with the Dutch settlers to North America spreading it across the continent. Its growing popularity led to the formation of the first boating clubs in the 1860s. The New York and the Hudson River area provided a great nesting ground for the sport both geographically and financially.
Meanwhile, the first European ice sailing club was formed in 1901 in Sweden. By the beginning of the 20th century, Europe had an extensive network of iceboaters culminating in the form of the European Icesailing Union (Europäische Eissegel Union) founded by the German-Estonian Erik Von Holst in 1928 with member fleets in Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, Sweden, Austria, and Germany.
BLUE STREAK 60
Snippet from the 1937 edition of the Detroit News
In the meantime, ice boats became much more sophisticated compared to how the Dutch Boeiers had fared on the ice. By the 19th century the heavy flat-bottomed sailboats evolved into slim boxes, riding on
cross-pieces, supported by runners. The wealthy of the Hudson River area quickly got acquainted with the fast-paced fun of ice sailing, commissioning architects to construct faster and more appealing ice boats employing up to seven crew members. Many designs appeared enhanced in their functionality and velocity–and also in their price.
By the 1930s, with the US in deep depression, a need emerged for an inexpensive home-buildable iceboat that can be assembled out of common lumber and simple hardware. Size and weight were also important aspects so that the iceboat could be easily loaded on the roof of a car, or fit it in the bed of a pickup truck. Such a blueprint won the Detroit News sponsored ice boat design contest in 1937. The prototype excelled on its test run, especially in light wind where many of its massive counterparts could not even move. That year the newspaper opened up its hobby shop to 50 builders who assembled the first fleet of these “Blue Streak 60” iceboats (as DNs were originally called).
Over the years the design was modified at the whim of the builders, and the name was changed to the DN 60. On February 21 and 22, 1953 the Detroit Ice Yacht Club sponsored a regatta to bring the DN skippers together to help form an association. A meeting of the skippers was held at this regatta where they outlined a constitution for the association with the first specifications to the DN boat design.
The original Blue Streak 60 blueprints
Tragically, in Europe, the Second World War and the rise of the Iron Curtain had a devastating effect with the destruction of the existing iceboat stock, but by the end of the 1950s with the possibility for more leisure, there came a general demand and revival of the sport throughout the continent.
This is when during his 1962 trip to North America the Dutch architect and established landsailor Kees Kortenoever brought DN drawings back with him to Europe. That same year Gerhard Jettmar of Austria joined the IDNIYRA as their first European member. The European introduction of the DN was quickly followed by emerging fleets in the Netherlands (H), Austria (OE), Germany (G), Sweden (S), Denmark (D), Belgium and Switzerland (Z). By the season of 1964-65, there were approximately 100 DNs on the continent. Most of the European sailors chose not to join the IDNIYRA, but to race with their sail numbers issued by their fleets with national identifiers.
Read More:
- The Little Ice Age on Wikipedia
- Iceboating on Wikipedia
- Blue Streak 60 by Paul Goodwin
- History of the DN
- DN Class History via DN North America
- Iceboat History Playlist on the DN Class YouTube Channel
Excerpt from the I.D.N.I.Y.R.A. newsletter of 1962 November 10, welcoming the first European member in the organisation.
Join us in the celebration by attending the 50. Gold Cup DN World & European Championships between 2024.02.3-10!
Visit the Regatta Page and make your Event Entry!
2023 December Runner Tracks is out!
It’s time to reveal the December edition of Runner Tracks and revisit the Western Challenge to discover why this event is one of the best in the world of ice sailing. There’s also a nice surprise photospread at the end from Michigan DNer and photographer Chris Clark US4789.
IN THIS ISSUE
- The Revival of Junior Iceboating in North America by Sam Bartel
- DN Costing Thoughts by Warren Nethercote and Bob Cummins
- Western Challenge: One of the best by Mike Bloom
Read or order a print here:
DN C20 Rasmus Maalinn & IceOpti C1 Aron Poolma Win 2023 Junior European Championships
After a weekend of intense competition in various wind conditions, the 2023 Junior European Championships in DN & IceOptimist concluded today on Lake Rekyvos, Lithuania.
In DN Class Rasmus Maalinn C20 dominated the scoring board and secured the title of Junior European Champion 2023. This was crucial for Rasmus as he ages out this year from the Juniors (U24) and wanted to finish his years in youth icesailing competitions with a bang.
This is what he thought before the event:
“… Everybody thought (including me) that my Junior career is over, then life always offers you surprises (and your responsibility is to take them), since our Europeans was postponed last season, the race was called on this december, which gave me a chance to fight one last time in the Juniors where it all started. In 2015, I was at my first Junior Championship in Šialiuai and now I have a chance to finish my Junior career at the same place. After 4hours of sleep yesterday and 450km with the car, we managed to get in 50km of sailing today, and we will be able to fight for the championship. Tomorrow and the day after that will be crucial in deciding if my fairytail-like Junior career will find a fairytail ending or not. I will give everything I got to bring it home!”
Mateusz Gigielewicz P89 ensured the silver medal while Jakub Kaminski P280 won bronze.
The Top Scoring Girl DN Sailors were Laura Banach P102, Lisbeth Taggu C50, & Weronika Martynowska P379.
In IceOptimist Aron Poolma C1 won the gold medal and became the IceOptimist European Champion in 2023.
Remo Maripuu C191 won silver, while Miia Kubjas C29 won bronze.
The Top Scoring Girl IceOpti sailors were Miia Kubjas C29, Laura Marii Taggu C56, & Anii Kubjas C28.
Congrats to all & Thank you for participating in this challenging event!
Photos and Videos of the event by DN Lithuania | Rola Lora | Irutė Žičkuvienė | Rasmus Maalinn:
more media & info: facebook.com/idniyraeurope | idniyra.eu/jwc2023
Results:
JEC 2023 Sailing Instructions
Dear fellow Young Icesailors, Parents and Coaches,
Attached, please find the sailing instructions for the Junior European Championships 2023.
See you at the starting line!
The organisers
2024 DN Class Yearbook
JEC 2023: Race Office & Launch Site
Dear Fellow Young Icesailors, Parents & Coaches,
Attached please find the map of the Venue.
Parking Areas:
Blue (Cars), Red (Trailers)
Registration and Race Office:
Red building near the launching site
Check-in: Friday, 15:00-19:00 local time
National teams are asked by the Hosting Yacht Club (Siauliu Zalgirio Jachtklubas) to provide an additional payment of a €10 Ecological Contribution fee/Nation in cash at the registration via their National Head Coach.
Additional Regatta info: idniyra.eu/jwc2023
Looking Forward to seeing you all,
The Organisers
JEC 2023 Venue Decision
Dear Young Icesailors, Parents & Coaches,
As published in the NOR, the event will be sailed at Lake Rekyva, Lithuania.
Launching site: Atžalynas, Poilsio g. 10, 79223 Šiauliai
REGISTRATION AND HQ/RACE OFFICE: To Be Announced 2023-12-07
Accommodation:
Salduve hotel
http://salduveshotel.lt
https://maps.google.com/maps?q=55.913695,23.309446&ll=55.913695,23.309446&z=12
Around 20 beds
Šiauliu viešbutis
https://hotel.hotelsiauliai.lt
+37041437333
Around 30 beds
Park hotel Šiauliai
https://parkhotelsiauliai.lt/en/hotel/
+37060013112
Around 20 beds
Saulys hotel
Vasario 16-osios g. 40,
LT–76351, Šiauliai
Registratūra: +370 41 520812;
Mob. tel: +370 656 10661
El. paštas: info@saulys.lt
https://www.saulys.lt
15-20 beds
SCHEDULE:
Friday, 8th December Training day 10.00 – 15.00 Regatta check-in 15.00 – 19.00
Saturday, 9 th December Opening ceremony on the ice 10.00 First start of regatta 11.00
Sunday, 10 th December First start of the day 10.00 Seven (7) races in each class are scheduled for JEC 2023. Minimum of three (3) races in each class have to be sailed for a valid regatta.
Regatta info and registration: https://idniyra.eu/jwc2023/
Looking forward to seeing you all!
Stan Macur
Junior Programme Manager
Antanas & Darius Gerasimavicius
Lithuanian Icesailing Association
50. Gold Cup DN World & European Championships & Junior Icesailing World & European Championships Notice of Race is out!
Dear Friends,
On behalf of IDNIYRA-EUROPE and the Lithuanian Ice Sailing Association, we invite all ice boaters Young and Old to compete in the
50th Gold Cup DN World & European Championship & Euro-Cup 2024 and DN-Junior and Ice-Optimist WC/EC 2024.
Please read the attached Notice of Race below.
Important dates to consider:
1st December 2023 – The online registration opens
8th 3rd January 2024; 24:00 (CET) – Deadline to send insurance for checking (Regular Entry)
10th 5th January 2024 – 24:00 (CET) – The last possibility to register on the regular entry fee (Regular Entry)
Please note, that in order to make a proper entry both the sailor as well as his/her National Organisation need to be active members of the DN Class, i.e. the respective membership fees have to be paid ( As always, Juniors and North American Guests can activate their access free of charge).
Special promotion for new sailors and long-time absentees in the sport! Senior sailors (born before 2000) without active ranking may apply for a one-time €110 discount (50% of the regular entry fee) from the event entry fee via webtreasurer@idniyra.eu . This discount voucher cannot be used with other discounts.
In line with the Race Management Agreement, DN Class Regattas are open to any member in good standing of the IDNIYRA or IDNIYRA-Europe.
We sincerely hope that we will be able to meet all our members from around the World again soon.
See you on the ice,
Mihkel Kosk, Commodore and The Organisers
The Event Entry is open,
»Visit the REGATTA WEBSITE for EVENT ENTRY»»
Grand Masters 2024
We received the following invitation from Petri Pennanen National Secretary of DN Finland:
DN Finland warmly welcomes all eligible Grand Masters (60 years of age by 27 Feb 2024) to participate in the Grand Masters Cup 2024. The event will take place 27-29 Feb 2024. NOR will be published and the registration opened by the end of the year 2023. Stay tuned and get ready! www.icesailing.fi
You are also welcome to participate in the Finnish Championship regatta, which will be sailed immediately after the GM Cup, 02-03 March 2024. A good opportunity for a race week!
2023 Johnny Köhler Cup & All Saints Regatta Report
Last weekend the 2023-24 European Icesailing season was officially opened with the traditional week46 Regattas in Finland:
the Johnny Köhler Cup & All Saints Regatta.
Our very own Vice-Commodore, John Winquist (L601) was present as a competitor as well as an organiser and was kind enough to share a short report of the event:
We had three days of good racing in wind conditions varying from very light to gusting up to 10 m/s. 39 Sailors from five countries showed up: Finland (19 sailors), Poland (8), Sweden (8), Germany (3) and USA (1) were present.
Several sailors arrived early and had one or two training days on Lake Uljua before the Race Committee decided to arrange the Regattas at Säräisniemi, where wind predictions were better and Ice conditions were also good.
Racing started on Friday with the one-day Johnny Köhler Cup. The wind was fairly strong to begin with, gusting something like 8 m/s and dropping a little bit during the day. Ice was partially black and partially covered with snow. Most snow drifts were light and soft, but some of them were hard. Some sailors felt they presented a danger, as one found oneself airborne when unlucky enough to hit one.Due to the unfortunate nature of some of the snow drifts, the race committee decided to have a practice race to start with. Further more, the practice race was to be sailed in two fleets. Said and done. The worst drifts were marked, the sailors helped to smoothen out some of the semi-bad drifts and after the two practice starts sailing was deemed sufficiently safe and we commenced with the actual racing. The decision was also helped by the knowledge that the wind was supposed to go down a bit during the day.
In the end, we managed to get three races done. To the surprise of no one, Karol Jablonski was dominant, winning all three races despite the left-hand side of the course having a small advantage on the first upwind legs. Kardas and Zarnowski completed the Polish domination narrowly beating Berger (US5166), Lönegren (S8), and Winquist (L601).
On Saturday and Sunday racing commenced with the All Saints regatta. Wind on Saturday had come down from the previous day gusting around 5 m/s. Ice was more or less the same except the black parts were now covered with a hint of light snow. The wind was tricky, shifting in both direction and strength. Jablonski continued his domination again winning all races. This time all five of them. Followed by Kardas and Winquist.
Some sailors chose to sail on Medium sails all day, whereas others found Speed sails to be faster. Most sailors started with Flat sails and changed to fuller ones after the second or the third race.
Runners with long crowns (55-60cm) and 100° were fast. Some sailors also were fast with a 95° angle.
On Sunday we found that air was slightly damper and as a result, ice was a bit slower. The wind was dropping during the day, too. This made racing tricky, at times very slow and at times fast when in a gust.
Most sailors chose a fuller sail but there were successful races done on flat sails as well.
Long runner curves still worked, as long as the runners were not too sharp, although many sailors found it faster to use shorter curves.
We managed to get in three races until the wind more or less died on the last lap of the third race. So the race committee, not expecting the wind to come back, ended the regatta here.
The racing continues in Finland with the Independence Regatta (Itsenäisyysregatta) on Week49. For more info, visit icesailing.fi
To see all the regattas in the International DN Class Calendar, visit our Events Page: idniyra.eu/calendar
.