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DN World Championship in Europe – On The Move
The ice sailor huddle
DN Worlds 2026
Site Change
Tuesday night the European secretaries, the PRO, and race leadership met to discuss options. The course at Kolmården had proven too short for the wind strength we were seeing, and cracks had developed near the weather mark. After reviewing the conditions, the PRO and race organization concluded that the race course could not carry a world championship properly.
EU Commodore John Winquist led the meeting. Everyone was heard. The discussion was thorough and direct, and by the end of the evening a clear plan was in place. Scouts were dispatched to nearby Swedish lakes and back into Poland to reassess earlier venues.
Wednesday morning the hotel lobby was full. Sailors from across Europe, along with the North Americans, had checked out and were standing by with gear stacked along the walls, waiting for the decision. When the call came, phones were out and ferry reservations began immediately.
The regatta will return to its original host country of Poland. The chosen venue is Lake Bukowo, one of the first lakes scouted before the championship began. Earlier concerns about snow cover had partly led to Sweden being selected. This time the snow missed the lake, and reports from scouts are strong.
Racing is scheduled to begin Thursday on Lake Bukowo. The Americans and Canadians are making the move as well.
My part of this journey ends here as I head into Norway with my brother while the championship continues.
Follow along on the usual channels and on David Frost’s Facebook page.
DN World Championship in Europe – Day 2
Photo: Rola Lora
DN Worlds 2026
Day 2
Kolmården, Sweden
The sun returned for a second straight day, and this time it came with a forecast that hinted at wind building in the early afternoon. Just before 1 pm, it felt as if someone had finally flipped the switch.
After the wind settled a bit, the Bronze qualifier was sailed in good pressure. After two quiet days, the fleet was moving the way it should at a world championship.
Not long after, the day was called. The cracks on parts of the course, with the wind strength we were seeing, and the short course length was not ideal. Between safety and geometry, the decision was made to stand down at this site.
We are now on hold while alternative venues are being scouted. Flexibility is part of ice sailing. We are ready to move when the call comes.
Join the DN class and see the world! I will try to update this post when the official word has been given on our next site.
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2026 Central Region Championship Update – Still Under Postponement – Be Ready
Photo: Rachel Bartel for @harken_inc
Central Region Championship update: Still under postponement
-Lakes in Michigan have plenty of ice and with the warm Zamboni temps this week, lakes are being monitored.
-No regatta this coming weekend ( Feb 21,22) it wont be safe but we will be monitoring conditions for one of the following weekends, stay tuned.
Important information:
-Once the regatta is called on NOR, SIs and registration for Central Region Champs with be on-line at www.idniyra.org
-MAKE SURE your insurance is up to date and get it on file.
Stay tuned!
Pete Johanson US5633
Central Region Commodore
DN World Championship in Europe – Day 1
DN Worlds 2026
Day 1
Kolmården, Sweden
The first day of the championship opened under clear skies and full sun, something that is not always guaranteed in Sweden at this time of year. The light was sharp and clean across the lake, and while the setting looked ideal, the one element we really needed stayed away, the wind.
Without pressure in the sails there was no racing, but the day was far from wasted. We are fortunate to have three of the most experienced international iceboat photographers on site: Gilles Morelle traveling with the Swiss team, Rola Lora with the Lithuanian team, and Gwidon Libera with the host country of Poland team. They were on the ice all day, working the light, the details, and the quiet moments that come before the racing begins. All three photographers’ images can be seen on the DN Europe Facebook page, and I will share a link to Gilles Morelle’s full gallery: LINK
Many sailors used the time to have their runners inspected by the measurer. Championships are often won in details that are invisible from shore, and a windless day provides the time to take care of them properly.
We begin again today and will see whether the wind decides to join us.
WHAT TO KNOW
Entry List
Launch site
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DN World Championship in Europe: Day 0 – Registration
Registration – Competitors are required to pass an online iceboat sailing rules test, administered by Vesa from Finland. The Poles are the host country and brought a bit of Poland with them.
DN Worlds 2026 – Day 0
Travel has kept all of us moving through Europe to the 2026 IDNIYRA World Championship. We all have a long story about how we arrived to Sweden, many via Poland where the Grand Masters regatta was held and where we had hoped to sail
Poland was the plan. Snow changed it. The decision was made and the championship shifted to Sweden. That is ice sailing, we go where the ice is right.
We are staying at Kolmården Vildmarkshotell, part of the Kolmården wildlife park. There is a zoo here (they have a panda, a snow leopard, and tigers!) , forest trails, pools, climbing areas, and more children than iceboats at the moment. Sweden is on holiday this week, and the resort is built for families. It’s a wonderful place for children with many activities for them.
I am helping with registration and scoring this week. Here’s a few photos from that side of the operation.
Racing begins tomorrow, Sunday, February 15.
The ice is here. That is what matters. Glad Alla hjärtans dag.
WHAT TO KNOW
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US Nationals – Day 2 Report
Sebastion Sørensen US Nationals Silver Fleet Champion. Photo: Rachel Bartel for @harken_inc
The Final Day U.S. Nationals and the Long Goodbye
Saturday marked the final day of a long and demanding DN North American Championship week at Green Lake. By then, the North Americans were decided, the awards presented, and the fleet had a choice to make. Pack up or keep sailing.
Many chose to keep sailing.
In 2025, the DN class voted to change the format of the North American Championship from a fourteen race series to seven races, followed by an optional nonranking regatta for those who wanted to continue the week. The idea was simple. Crown the champions, then let sailors sail if the ice allowed.
Green Lake delivered.
Light air arrived for the U.S. National Championship, just enough to get racing started. Gold Fleet completed three races. Silver Fleet completed two before the wind finally shut down. A third Silver Fleet race exceeded the time limit and was black flagged. By midafternoon, it was clear the week had run its course.
U.S. National Championship results LINK
Gold Fleet Champion James “T” Thieler
Silver Fleet Champion Sebastian Sørensen
Sebastian Sørensen’s week deserves special mention. Still a junior sailor, he has had a breakout season, showing composure, speed, and consistency well beyond his years.
Thanks Where They Are Due
A regatta of this scale depends on people who show up early, stay late, and work in difficult conditions.
Host Western Region Commodore Tim Mower took on his first major organizing role and saw it through. We are grateful for his steady hand and willingness to step up.
PRO Pat Heppert beat the sunrise each morning, scouting the lake to find the best possible course. He did it every day, even in bitter cold, adjusting continually as conditions changed.
Measurers and line helpers Dave Ryan and Paul Hickman, both from the Toledo Ice Yacht Club, accepted every challenge with good humor and professionalism.
Scoring on the ice was handled by Nina Fleming and Anne Foeller (with myself as caller.) Tabulation in the back office was handled by Bob Foeller, keeping results accurate and timely as racing progressed. Nina hails from Maine and has extensive experience with land sailing officiating. Bob and Ann are long-time Toledo Ice Yacht Club members.
At the weather mark, Fred Stritt from Lake Delavan, WI ran his command post, in constant communication with Pat, tracking wind changes and confirming that all competitors made the course. He was assisted throughout the week by Dan Williams.
Thanks to Maureen Bohleber, Green Lake Ice Yacht Club member and Nite Fleet Commodore, for local knowledge and onsite support when it mattered.
Thanks to Greg Mullett of the Gull Lake Ice Yacht Club for line technical support.
4LIYC member Daniel Hearn deserves special recognition. He does whatever is asked, often before it is asked. He also played an important mentoring role for Sebastian Sørensen. When Sebastian was on the line, Daniel was there with a quiet word of advice and support.
Thank you to the Green Lake Ice Yacht Club for hosting us, for an unforgettable social event, and for making sure we always had what we needed.
Thanks to Joe Norton for opening his shop for a tour on our cold lay day and for lending the scoring team his Ranger.
Thanks to Ron Sherry, T. Thieler, and Chris Berger for staying late to answer questions at an evening clinic organized by Tim Mower, after already putting in long days on the ice.
Special thanks to Brian Jones for a memorable sing along of a song he wrote about iceboating, which set the tone for an evening that brought the DN and ISA communities together.
Thank you as well to the governing board for being available throughout the week for decision making and guidance. Commodore Rob Holman, Vice Commodore Karen Binder, Eastern Region Commodore James T. Thieler, Mountain Lakes Region Commodore Paul Chamberland, and Central Region Commodore Peter Johanson.
Finally, thank you to every competitor who made the choice to join us for this week. We faced some challenging days. We adapted. We persevered. And once again the DN class brought a championship week to a proper finish.
HOW TO FOLLOW:
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2026 DN North American Awards Photo Gallery
Frederik Lonegreen S8, Karol Jablonski P36, and Chris Berger US5166 push off the line. Photo: Rachel Bartel for @harken_inc
North American Championship awards were presented at Friday’s night Green Lake Ice Yacht Club social event at regatta headquarters. These photos capture the sailors who earned fleet trophies during a demanding week on the ice.
One especially meaningful presentation was the JR Francis Memorial Trophy, awarded to the winner of the first race of the North American Championship. The Francis family recently deeded the trophy to the DN class in JR’s honor. The bowl was made by JR himself while he was still in high school, making it a deeply personal piece of DN history.
The inaugural recipient of the trophy is Steve Orlebeke, winner of the first race of the 2026 North American Championship.
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Bronze Fleet: From left, Sebastian Sorensen 5th, Robert Haag 19th, Peter Shorett 4th, Peter Nordquist 8th, Tim Ballerd 2nd, Mike Rian 1st, in front Csilla Gal 7th, and Martha Croasdale 3rd. Martha was also the top placing female.
Silver Fleet: From left, Cooper Frost 10th, Ryan Kyle 9th, Jim Grogan 1st, 8th Keith Schwark, 6th Jake Skala, 7th Edward Demerest, 4th David Frost, 3rd Paul Chamberland, Rob Holman 2nd
Gold Fleet: From left Jeff Roseberry 10th, John Curtis 9th, Peter Van Rossem 8th, Nicholas Mabboux 7th, Chris Berger 6th, James T Thieler 5th, Steve Orlebeke 4th, Karol Jablonski 1st, Ron Sherry 3rd, front Matt Struble 2nd
DN North American Championship: Day 3 Report
Gold fleet champion Karol Jablonski
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What kind of sport allows someone in their 60s, still fit, still sharp, to win at the highest level in conditions that punish mistakes?
Iceboating.
This week belonged to Karol Jablonski. Twelve World Championships. Seven European titles. Now his third North American Championship He doesn’t just win races, he defines Polish iceboating.
The final race began without a clean start for Karol. With the top sailors closely grouped on points, there was no margin to give away. He stayed composed, recovered quickly, and won the race.
Last night, he was at the Green Lake Ice Yacht Club party. The club allowed the DN Class to hold its awards ceremony as part of their scheduled event, bringing together the largest social gathering of ice sailors in North America this season.
Brian Jones kicked off the evening with a song he wrote about iceboating, and the room joined in. It set the tone right away.
Sailors from the International Skeeter Association regatta were also in attendance. It has been a long time since the DN and ISA communities have converged like this.
On the ice, the wind returned for the last day of the North American regatta, though in its usual cranky fashion. It couldn’t decide what it wanted to do, forcing several course changes throughout the day. Despite that, all North American Championship races were completed.
North American Championship results:
- Gold Fleet Champion: Karol Jablonski
- Silver Fleet Champion: Jim Grogan
- Bronze Fleet Champion: Mike Rian
- Women’s Trophy: Martha Croasdale
- Junior Trophy: Sebastian Sørensen
- Rookie Trophy: Ryan Kyle
Sebastian Sørensen deserves special mention. He has won every race he has finished during this championship. A boat problem kept him out of the early North American races, but once back on the line, his trajectory was impossible to ignore.
The race committee was extraordinary. Led by Pat Heppert, they braved bitter cold and snow to keep racing fair and safe. I will acknowledge them in a future post.
We finished early enough to begin the U.S. National Championship, squeezing in two races, one for Gold Fleet and one for Silver. No one wanted to quit while the ice was still giving.
Today is the final day of the regatta, with racing focused entirely on the U.S. Nationals. I’ll have more photos from the awards ceremony in a few days. It’s been a long week of travel and ice.
Brian Jones kicked off the awards ceremony with an iceboating song.
DN North American Championship: Day 2 Report
Another aerial from Jeff Russell that captures the glare on Green Lake.
DN North American Championship Day 2
GREEN LAKE, WI
Regattas are supposed to offer a range of conditions, and the second day delivered exactly that. Light air that could not make up its mind.
We were able to complete three races for each fleet, starting with Gold.
Canada’s John Curtis won the Gold fleet race. It was good to see his persistence pay off. The Canadian contingent has logged the most miles over the past week, from Wawasee to Green Lake, and they did not let the brutal cold slow them down. If anything, they seemed to thrive. They must have antifreeze in their veins.
Another Canadian followed with a win in the Silver fleet. Paul Chamberland took the victory there.
The Bronze fleet race was won by junior sailor Sebastian Sorensen, and that result brought a lot of smiles. It has been great to watch his progress. Sebastian sails under a U.S. sail number, but he is also from Denmark and splits his time between the two countries.
The sunshine was welcome, but it came with a tradeoff. As the day wore on, glare off the ice became a real factor. By late in the day the weather mark was positioned directly into the sun, making it difficult to see and adding another layer of challenge for the sailors.
Off the ice, the speed clinic held Wednesday night was well attended. About 30 sailors gathered to ask questions and dig into technique with Chris Berger, Ron Sherry, and T. It was an engaged group and a good reminder of how much shared knowledge exists in this class.
Looking ahead, conditions are expected to change dramatically. As PRO Pat Heppert shared in his message last night, Friday is shaping up for good winds and continued fast ice.
Once the North American Championship concludes on Friday, we will move directly into U.S. Nationals racing as time allows. Sailors have been asked to self select their fleet preference.
This year marks the first time the class has tried this format. On off Worlds years, the class voted to hold both the North American Championship and a separate U.S. Nationals. The Nationals are a non ranking regatta, which allows us to skip qualifiers and go straight into racing.
Another major regatta also gets underway, with two courses running on the lake. The International Skeeter Association regatta begins, with A Class and B Class Skeeters, along with Nites and Renegades, all sailing.
Nina Fleming and I are staying on to help with that event on Sunday, because apparently we just cannot get enough of brutal cold.
After two days of contrast, we are ready for fast races and higher winds.
HOW TO FOLLOW:
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US Nationals Check In Tonight Thursday & DN North American Schedule for Friday
We anticipate a great day of racing on Friday, January 30, with good winds, and continued fast ice. As a result, we are going to have registration and check-in for the US Nationals TONIGHT, Thursday night, January 29, at 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., in the hotel lobby. Once we complete the North American Championship tomorrow, we will proceed directly into US Nationals racing as time permits. Instead of qualifiers, be ready to choose your fleet preference.
DN NORTH AMERICAN SCHEDULE: The racing schedule for Friday will be Skippers meeting at 9:00 a.m. at the launch, and first race will be at 10:00 a.m.. the fleet rotation will be Gold, Silver, Bronze. Please note that there will be two race courses on the lake tomorrow. The DN course will be the one that is closer to the launch, roughly in the area where we were today.
DN North American Championship: Day 1 Report
DN North American Championship Day 1
Getting to the starting line this year has been a bit like surfing. You watch and move when the right wave finally lines up.
The championship first gathered at Lake Wawasee in Indiana, where we were put on hold for several days while we waited to see what the storm would bring. It delivered snow and shut that option down. At the same time, Green Lake in Green Lake, Wisconsin, was quietly forming hard black ice, so the call was made to relocate.
Once on site, we faced another postponement due to sustained below zero temperatures.
Day 1 finally arrived yesterday, Wednesday, January 28. Sunny, but cold. We delayed the skippers meeting and qualifiers until 11:00 a.m., hoping for some moderation. It was still below 10°F.
The wind was brisk and unsettled, swinging and shifting across the course. It was fascinating to watch the top sailors catch on to the shifts almost immediately. In conditions like this, the wind becomes a moving puzzle and the best sailors solve it fastest.
The race committee was efficient and set the course. Qualifiers were banged off quickly.
The scoring team hit the jackpot when Green Lake resident and long time DN sailor Joe Norton let us use his enclosed Ranger UTV with a heater. It fit the three of us, Nina Fleming, Ann Foeller, and me, and made a long cold day more manageable.
Joe’s generosity did not stop there. On the postponement day, he hosted a tour of his Norton Boatworks shop where he has been restoring classic wooden boats for many years. He is famous for it, and the tour drew a full house. Afterward we all went to lunch together. It was a great way to spend a postponement day.
Commodore Rob Holman kept making the rounds and checking on sailors and volunteers to be sure everyone was OK in the cold. I will not lie, this was one of the coldest days we have spent out there.
We were done by about 3:30 p.m. and happy to be off the lake. Thanks to the entire race committee for sticking it out under demanding conditions.
Last night we held the Annual Governing Meeting after a long cold day.
For today, Thursday, January 29 in Green Lake, the forecast calls for mostly sunny skies and northwest winds around 5 to 10 mph. Lighter winds should help a bit but also slow racing down a bit, and the sun makes a real difference on days like these.
Racing is wisely delayed again today, with racing planned to begin at 11:00 a.m. for Day 2 of the DN North American Championship.
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