LATEST NEWS

Announcing the New DN European Grandmasters Regatta Website

PRO John Winquist sends them off at the 2022 DN Grand Masters .

DN Grand Masters Website
There’s a new dedicated website for the DN European Grandmasters regatta, designed specifically for DN sailors aged 60 and over. The website is live with event details, including the recently released dates for the 2025 regatta, set for January 28-30.

In other regatta news, the Junior DN and Ice Optimist World and European Championships will take place from February 7-16, 2025.

Junior Program Update

From left, Brett Husley, Maggie, Kayla, and Sam Bartel with the new Junior trailer donated by Brett.

Learn more about iceboating for kids.

Via Junior Sailing Director Sam Bartel US1011

Junior Program Update:
Mike Bloom, myself, Jillian McGary, and two junior sailors from MN (Maggie and Cayla) made the trip to Harken this past weekend. We had a BLAST! Thanks to the organizers of the celebration/program on Saturday night. It was fun to mingle with everyone, and hear from Harry and Kyle about their Youth America’s Cup experience.

 

I also want to extend a HUGE THANK YOU to everyone that supported the Junior Program at the swap meet!! I want to thank the following people in particular:

 

  • To Brett Hulsey, for donating the enclosed box for our new junior program trailer (it can fit up to 4 boats inside and 1-2 on top!)
  • To David Frost, for donating the funds that made it possible to buy the trailer for the enclosed box. Extra funds will be used to finish buying parts for our DNs and Ice Optis.
  • To Peete Johns, for buying a DN from Bob Rast and then donating the entire program to the juniors.
  • To Bob Cave, for donating a DN hull, plank, boom, and many other parts.
  • To Mark Isabell, for donating a brand new Ice Opti hull.
  • To Steve Orlebeke, for loaning his complete Ice Opti program.
  • To John Harper, for donating a bunch of chocks, travel cover, and DN mast components.
  • To Matt Meyer for donating a bunch of DN shrouds.
  • And of course, to Mike Bloom for his endless support of myself and the junior sailors.

 

Our junior program now has 2 trailers, 4 Ice Optimists, and 3 DNs. Mike Bloom, myself, and the sailors in MN plan to take inventory of our gear this coming weekend. We’re also excited for the Western Challenge in just over a month, which will likely include the first Ice Optimist North American Championship in 10 years! If you know of other Ice Optimists and/or Ice Optimist sailors, please encourage them to attend. I’ll send an NOR out in the coming weeks.

Think Ice!
Sam Bartel US1011

Gearing Up the Next Generation of Ice Sailors: Junior Program Needs at Pewaukee Swap Meet


Help our junior sailors hit the ice! Your donated gear could make Ice Opti North Americans a reality.
Via IDNIYRA Junior Coach Sam Bartel US1011

Yo! This is your NA Junior Coach checking in. I’ll be heading to Pewaukee tomorrow/Sunday (October 26-27, 2024) for the swap meet to pick up some things for the junior program (a box trailer from Brett, as well as a DN hull and parts from Bob Cave and David Frost). Swap meet details here.

I have MANY eager junior sailors in MN. In particular, I have a number of Opti kids and parents interested in Ice Opti sailing. If we can pull together another 3-5 ice Optis in time for the Western Challenge, we could maybe have an Ice Opti North Americans alongside the DN event…??
If you have any of the following to donate (tax credit available via Deb Whitehorse), please send me a message via FB or text.

    • Complete Ice Opti programs (hull/spars/blades/plank/etc.)
    • Chocks and stud plates for DN plank (we are building planks for our juniors!)
    • Carbon DN masts (mainly for small people 100-140lbs)
    • Decent DN runners (plates/inserts)
    • DN shrouds
    • Aluminum DN booms
    • Other DN hull/plank fittings appreciated

      Respectfully, please do not donate your old clothing… it will likely end up in the garbage or at Goodwill 🙂

Sam

Looking for a DN Iceboat? Come to a Swap Meet!

Photo: Hannah Noll/Harken

Looking for a DN Iceboat? Come to a Swap Meet!
Swap meets are the best way to get started in DN ice sailing—second only to actually being on the ice! At these events, you can find a DN, meet experienced ice sailors, and get advice on equipment and racing. It’s also a great opportunity to join a local club and become part of the ice sailing community. Don’t miss your chance to dive into the fastest sailing on the planet!

NEW ENGLAND
NEIYA Swap Meet, Lunch & Meeting Information:
When: Saturday, October 26th, 10:00am
Where: Thompson Speedway Golf Course, 205 E Thompson Rd, Thompson, CT 06277
Information: New England Ice Yachting Association

WISCONSIN
Southern Wisconsin Iceboat Swap Meet
Date: Sunday, October, 27, 2024
Time: 9 AM – Noon
Location: Harken parking lot
N15W24983 Bluemound Rd, Pewaukee, WI
Information

MINNESOTA
Hosted by: Tim Carlson and Sailcrafters Loft and Rigging ((952) 540-7474)
Date: Saturday, November 2
Time: 9 AM – Noon
Location: 7450 Oxford Street St. Louis Park, MN 55426
Information: Minnesota Ice Sailors Facebook page
Minnesota’s annual iceboat swap meet is a great opportunity to buy and sell used iceboat gear. Or, just spend time meeting local iceboaters and asking questions about our sport. Anyone interested in iceboating is encouraged to attend.

MICHIGAN
2024 Western Michigan Iceboat Swap Meet
Date: Saturday, November 2nd
Time: 9 am to 2 pm
Location: Muskegon Yacht Club., 3198 Edgewater Street. Muskegon, Michigan.
ANNUAL COMBINED SWAP MEET
Three West Michigan Clubs: West Michigan Ice Yacht Club, Gull Lake Ice Yacht Club, Grand Traverse Ice Yacht Club
Information: Gull Lake Ice Yacht Club Facebook Page

2025 Notice of Dues


Support the Fastest Sailing on the Planet: Renew Your IDNIYRA Membership Today!

Membership Page
Attention all DN sailors! It’s time to renew your membership for the 2025 season. Your membership is more than just dues; it’s a contribution that helps keep the world’s most popular iceboat class alive and thriving. Your support enables us to maintain our website, create our Yearbook and Runner Tracks newsletter, organize world-class regattas, and keep our safety equipment in top condition.

Annual memberships are available for $27 for the year, but we also offer sustaining memberships at three levels for those who want to give a little extra to support the class:

  • Bronze: $40
  • Silver: $50
  • Gold: $100

A sustaining membership is for those who love the sport and want to contribute more toward its success. Every dollar beyond the standard membership fee goes directly back into the class, helping fund everything from event logistics to the promotion of DN ice sailing. It’s a way to give back and ensure the continued growth of the sport.

Click here to renew or begin your membership.

Thank you for supporting the IDNIYRA!

Runner Tracks Newsletter September 2024

Runner Tracks

The Online Magazine of the International DN Ice Yacht Racing Association

Current Issue: September 2024

Whether you are an experienced ice boater or a newcomer, Runner Tracks newsletter is the ultimate resource for everything related to ice boating. Check out the complete online library here.

RUNNER TRACKS IS AVAILABLE IN THREE DIFFERENT FORMATS:
Flipbook Magazine
Download pdf file (best for tablets)
Download single page pdf (best for phones)

IN THIS ISSUE

  • Remembering Stan Macur P111
  • Let’s Try Random Starts by Robert Cummins

Get this issue in a full color soft cover book for $20.


Influenced

Photo left from Dutch A Division Catamaran Facebook page. Photo right from 2021 DN Nationals by Gretchen Dorian. Chris Berger US5166

As we approach the upcoming ice sailing season, there’s plenty to share about what’s been happening in the DN class over the summer. From cutting-edge developments in other sailing classes inspired by DN rigging to exciting news from the America’s Cup and the growth of our youth programs, this summer has been anything but quiet.

DN Influence on A Class Catamaran Masts
The A Class catamaran community is embracing innovation inspired by iceboating, as seen in the recent Dutch Nationals. Photos from the event, shared on the Dutch A Division Catamaran Association Facebook page, highlight the “DN-mast” fitted on the DNA F1X catamarans of Mischa Heemskerk and Pieterjan Dwarshuis. Pieterjan commented on this groundbreaking rig:

“Without any doubt the future for the foiling A’s. More automatic, easier to handle, more stable to foil, and faster—just like the DN rig. The tuning process is still a challenge, but this innovation will make foilers easier, safer, and more fun.”

This DN-inspired mast design, which ditches traditional diamonds and spreaders for lowers, is being hailed as the future of foiling A Cats. As the tuning evolves, we may soon see these rigs making waves in the A Class World Championships which take place September 7 – 14 in Punta Ala, Italy.

DN Class Ties to the America’s Cup
The America’s Cup is in full swing, and we have a special connection to the action this year. Maxime Bachelin, helming for the Swiss team Alinghi Red Bull Racing, has deep roots in the DN class. His father, Pierre Bachelin Z25, has been an active DN sailor for many years, competing in North America multiple times. Meanwhile, in the Youth America’s Cup, Fontana, WI sailors Harry Melges IV, Kyle Navin, and Finn Rowe—who all have DN seat time and sail Nites—also represent the USA. Ice sailing has helped shape these sailors into the top competitors they are today.

Junior Sailing: Building the Future of Ice Sailing
Our North American Junior Sailing Director, Sam Bartel US1011, has been busy fostering the next generation of DN sailors this summer in Minnesota. Sam shared some great photos of junior sailors hard at work making their runner planks and learning valuable skills that will serve them well in the future.

Eight Bells: Remembering Mike Madge, DN Sailor, and Ice Sailing Advocate


Obituary
With deep sorrow, we announce the passing of Mike Madge KC5449, a DN sailor from Thunder Bay, Ontario. Mike was a tireless promoter of the DN class in Canada, and his death leaves a significant void in the Thunder Bay ice sailing community.

His enthusiasm helped introduce many to ice sailing in Thunder Bay. Beyond his local efforts, Mike was also known for his excellent YouTube interviews, where he engaged with the rock stars of DN sailing. He asked insightful questions, providing a platform for these sailors to share their experiences and knowledge, which enriched the ice sailing community worldwide.

Mike’s contributions to the DN class and spirit will be greatly missed. Our heartfelt condolences go out to Mike’s family during this difficult time. Rest in peace, Mike Madge.

YouTube Videos
Oskar Svensson – the 18 year old future of Ice Yachting
Ron Sherry – Back up to Full Speed in the DN Ice Yacht
3x DN World Champion Matt Struble: Get your DN Ice Yacht up to race pace

Remembering Stan Macur

Stan walking out to start a World Championship Gold Fleet race.

It is with deep sadness that we learned of the passing of Polish ice sailing legend Stan Macur. Stan played a crucial role in the international ice sailing community, shaping the sport for future generations of sailors.

For 20 years, Stan served as the IDNIYRA European Junior Sailing Director. His contributions to the sport went beyond his administrative roles. As a competitor, Stan was formidable, placing third in the World Championships three times, securing second place in the North Americans, and winning the European Championship in 1993.

Stan’s tools of the trade, his loud hailer and horn.

His generosity also marks Stan’s legacy. Pete Johns shared his story about meeting Stan for the first time at a regatta on Hamilton Bay in Canada, before the Iron Curtain fell. Stan, touring with Russian minders, struck up a friendship with Pete and promised to build a boat for him so that Pete could compete in Europe at the next World Championship. Pete never heard from Stan during the year and didn’t know he’d have a DN waiting for him at the Worlds. Despite the communication challenges of the time, Stan kept his word. When Pete arrived in Europe, he found that Stan had built and set up a boat for him, helping him place well in the regatta. This gesture marked the beginning of a lifelong friendship between the two sailors.

Stan served as the Principal Race Officer (PRO) for many DN World Championships in Europe, where his signature battered horn would signal the start of each race.

The ice sailing community has lost a giant in Stan Macur. His legacy will continue to inspire future generations of ice sailors. The IDNIYRA extends our sympathies to Stan’s family and the Polish DN Association. The worldwide ice-sailing community will miss him.

Stan’s Obituary:
To our deepest sadness, Stan Macur P-111, a Polish iceboater and a multimedalist of ice-sailing regatta on both national and international level, passed away on July 19th 2024. Stan started his sailing adventure in his teenage years. When he discovered ice-sailing, it became his life passion. Already as a junior, he won senior Polish DN Championships in 1972. Then he achieved many more successes in ice-sailing, among which there were three bronze medals in DN World Championships and a golden medal in DN European Championships in 1993. For most of his sailing career he represented the AZS Olsztyn sailing club.
After finishing his career as a competitor, he devoted himself to work for the ice-sailing community, which included being a board member of IDNYIRA-Europe and leading the Professional Race Committee that conducts the main ice-sailing events: DN World and European Championships. Stan also tried to spread his passion for ice-sailing to young people. For many years he was the IDNYIRA-Europe Junior Programme Manager and also worked as a trainer.
His professional life was also connected to sailing, as he constructed boats and other sailing equipment. Even though ice-sailing was his life passion, he was first of all devoted to his family and friends. He valued time spent together and his closest ones -wife Joanna and daughters Kasia, Julia and Sylwia; could always count on him.
Stan, thank you for all your contributions. We will miss you a lot.
The funeral will be held on July 27th 2024 in Olsztyn, starting at 12 pm in St. Francis Church (Olsztyn/Kortowo), and then at the Communal Cementery Poprzeczna in Olsztyn.

2025 International Rank List Published

2024 World Championship Opening Ceremony on the Baltic Sea in Parnu, Estonia.

2025 IDNIYRA RANK LIST

The daylight hours are slowly getting shorter which means the ice sailing season will soon be upon us. The 2025 IDNIYRA Rank List has been published. See it here. You can also see it on the DN World Portal here. The rank list is used to seed regatta fleets at continental events.
Thanks to Ann Foeller for her assistance.

2025 CONTINENTAL RANKING REGATTA SCHEDULE

  • 2025 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP & NORTH AMERICAN CHAMPIONSHIP
    Date:
     February 2 – 8, 2025
    Host: Central Region
  • 2025 EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIP
    Date: February 22 – March 1
    Host: DN Finland


From the IDNIYRA Regatta Management Agreement (RMA)

14. DN Split Fleet Ranking

The Continental Secretaries shall maintain a fleet ranking. This ranking shall be updated yearly and shall be published by October 15 using regatta results from the previous two GCs (Gold Cup), NACs (North American Championships), and ECs (European Championships). This ranking shall be the lessor of the following:

• Best finish in the Gold fleet in the previous two World Championships, North American Championships, and European Championships.
• 22 plus your best finish in the Silver fleet in the previous two WCs, NACs, and ECs.
• 40 plus your best finish in the Bronze fleet in the previous two WCs, NACs, and ECs.
• 58 plus your best finish in the Aluminum fleet in the previous two WCs, NACs, and ECs. In the event of equal ranking for more than one sailor, the ranking which is based on the most recent race result will be considered higher.

CURRENT CONTINENTAL RANKING REGATTAS
2023 World Championship
2023 North American Championship
2023 European Championship
2024 World Championship
2024 European Championship
2024 North American Championship

All corrections must be submitted to the respective Continental Secretary by November 15. The list will be final on December 1.

Questions about your rank? Please email secretary.idniyra@gmail.com

THE DN ICE YACHT

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