by Deb Whitehorse | May 15, 2021 | 2021, Home Page
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
by Deb Whitehorse | Mar 8, 2021 | 2021, Home Page
Nancy and Eric Smith US2500 with the 2021 DN Central Region Championship trophy.
Via Kent Baker:
Competitors and Race Committee at the DN Centrals regatta enjoyed a beautiful weekend on Elk Lake in Michigan, even with only one day of sailing. The sky on Sunday was cloudless and windless. On Saturday, after considerable delays due to wind shifts and needing to avoid an area of holes, each fleet sailed four races for a total of eight races.
Racing is simply magical when you are going full-warp speed upwind with the weather runner barely lifted off the ice. A sensation that in an instant makes you glad you troubled yourself to get there. Thanks to Ron Sherry, Richard Potcova, Jody Kjoller, Peter Johanson for all having a role in keeping me going these last few years. And, of course, my wife/enabler, Erica!
Big congratulations to Eric Smith US2500 on his first regatta win! Proof that one doesn’t have to be in the sport for a decade or more to beat the best!
It’s worth noting that there were 5 father/son duos present including David and Cooper Frost, Bill and Bobby Cutting, Ron and Griffin Sherry, Bill and Chad Coberly, and Dick and Brian Parker. Three of the youngest of the five are products of the Ice Optimist program.
2021 CENTRAL REGIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP
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by Deb Whitehorse | Jan 2, 2021 | 2021, Home Page
US4203, Jody Kjoller US5435, and Austen Graef start a race on Lake Houghton. Photo: Gretchen Dorian gretchendorian.com
Gretchen Dorian’s photos from the 2020 Centrals recently sailed on Houghton Lake in Michigan are available for viewing and purchase on her website. Michigan sailor John Harper US60 shared his perspective on Facebook about the photo posted above and, it’s worth quoting here.
A young and brand new DN sailor in a 1960s version boat out in front of modern boats and one guy about 55 years old. Definitely a class for new and older people and boats!
by Deb Whitehorse | Dec 17, 2020 | 2020, Home Page
Via Central Region Commodore Rob Holman:
The 2020 Central Region Championship has been called on for Saturday, December 19, 2020 (and possibly December 20) at Houghton Lake in Houghton Lake, Michigan. The lake has 5″ of ice and was sailed today by 3 ranked sailors who rated it an 8+. The plan is to try to complete the regatta with 3 races in each fleet (Gold & Silver) on Saturday. If we are unable to complete 3 races in each fleet on Saturday, we will race on Sunday, December 20, 2020.
Stand by for launch, lodging, and other details that will be posted here tonight.
UPDATE: December 22, 2020: Regatta recap by Randy Rogoski:
The patience of the 2020 Central Lakes regional regatta’s DN racers paid off at the largest inland lake in Michigan, 20-square-mile Houghton Lake.
After two black-flagged gold fleet, and one silver race was likewise abandoned Saturday, there was fabulous racing Sunday.
The snow stopped, the humidity dropped, the wind stiffened, and the sun came out. The gold fleet completed a full seven-race regatta, the silver fleet raced six.
After a wet snow Saturday accumulated one-half inch, there was no styrofoam from a steady 32-degree overnight. Sunday’s slow-ice sailing required exertion in the 8-10 mph wind that gusted to the mid teens. The strong ice beneath the snow remained hard beneath the winter solstice sun.
The regatta was sailed on a short course, which was plenty long considering the lack of glide and puffy and shifty wind that rewarded the best wind watchers and boat handlers: the usual suspects at the top of the gold fleet.
Eighteen gold fleet and 10 silver racers sailed until the regatta was called complete.
We packed up as daylight waned with huge grins on our faces, then trophies–tall beer glasses and a pint of beer.
James ‘T’ Thieler and Karen Binder made the trip from Rhode Island, Hugh Stevens travelled from Buffalo, N.Y., and Pat Fitzgerald and Chris Berger from Chicago.
Berger, the Western Lakes rear commodore, invites all of us to the Western Regional Championship Jan. 2 & 3, 2021.
T encouraged us to travel East for a regatta when they have ice.
IDNIYRA Vice Commodore Jody Kjoller encourages all to respond to the IDNIYRA questions sent to membership via ballot software regarding a national regatta Jan. 23-29, 2021.
Click on the link for racing results.
Randy Rogoski
DN US 4192
by Deb Whitehorse | Dec 26, 2019 | 2019, Home Page
2013 DN Centrals Photo: Catherine Firmbach cefirmbach.com
Via Central Region Commodore Rob Holman:
The 2019 Central Region Championship has been cancelled. Stay tuned for the 2020 Centrals.
