by Deb Whitehorse | May 2, 2025 | 2025, Home Page
The latest issue of Runner Tracks wraps up a packed DN season with world-class photography and in-depth reporting. Inside, you’ll find Petri Pennanen’s 2025 European Championship recap, Mike Bloom’s deep dive into Rules 4 & 5 in Racing Off the Wind, Walter Koelbl’s Mitropa Trophy story, and the 2024 European Secretaries Meeting minutes—plus full 2025 regatta results.
Runner Tracks features the best ice sailing photography anywhere—see it all now.
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IN THIS ISSUE
- 2024 MINUTES – EUROPEAN SECRETARIES MEETING
- 2025 EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIP REPORT – PETRI PENNANEN
- RACING OFF THE WIND: RULES 4 & 5 – MIKE BLOOM
- THE MITROPA TROPHY – WALTER KOELBL
- 2025 REGATTA RESULTS
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Visit the Runner Tracks archive to read the past issues. Hard copies of the full-color softcover book are available for $20.
Thank you to our contributors, photographers, and sponsors for their continued support.
by Deb Whitehorse | Apr 29, 2025 | Home Page
Photo: Anna Suslova
Via IDNIYRA Commodore David Frost US5358
The 2026 continental regatta dates have been set. During last weekend’s European Secretaries meeting, February 14–21, 2026, was selected for the World and European Championships, with Poland as the host.
With those dates confirmed, the 2026 North American Championship is tentatively scheduled for January 24–31, 2026, with the Western Region and newly minted Western Region Rear Commodore, Tim Mower US5871, hosting.
Please note that the North American dates remain tentative due to the upcoming proposal on the spring ballot. If the proposal passes, racing can begin on Sunday, January 24, 2026. If it does not, racing can begin on Monday, January 25, 2026.
by Deb Whitehorse | Feb 27, 2025 | 2025, Home Page
RESULTS
The 2025 European Championship has a new name for the trophy: Rasmus Maalinn C20 of Estonia. At under 30 years old, Rasmus has achieved a remarkable feat in the world of ice sailing, becoming the first European champion under 30 since Poland’s Michal Burczynski P114 claimed the title in 2004 at the age of 23.
This year’s regatta, held at Lake Pyhäjärvi in Säkylä, Finland, was exciting to follow thanks to live tracking. Waking up early or catching the reruns was well worth it for fans. The Gold fleet tracking replay links are available below, letting you relive the action.
Despite tricky conditions—”plus temperatures” (above 32°F for North Americans) and wet ice—the organizers managed an impressive 12 races in the Gold fleet, and 10 so far in the Silver and Bronze fleets. A huge shoutout to the team for their swift result tabulation, keeping everyone updated without delay.
The regatta opened with a nod to experience, as Poland’s Karol Jabłoński P36—a seven-time European champion—won the first race, setting a high bar for the competition. But Rasmus soon took charge, dominating with 7 out of 12 race wins in the Gold fleet.
Poland’s Michal Burczynski P114 took second with four race wins, showing his lasting talent more than 20 years after his own under-30 win. Fellow Pole Łukasz Zakrzewski P155 rounded out the podium in third with a solid performance. Congratulations to Michal and Łukasz for their excellent showings in a tough field.
Rasmus’s rise began in the junior ice sailing ranks. His name first appeared in the IDNIYRA yearbook as the 2014 Ice Optimist Champion, and he went on to claim five DN Junior Championship titles. Now, as an adult competitor, he’s brought that success to the continental level.
Rasmus is the first sailor outside Poland and America to win the European Championship since Germany’s Bernd Zeiger G107 in 2010, ending a 15-year streak held by Polish and American sailors.. He joins an elite list of Estonian champions, including Endel Vooremaa, Vello Kuusk, Matti Kuulmann, Vaiko Voorema, Ain Vilde, and Tiit Hagmaa. Many North American competitors will remember having met Rasmus at the 2019 World Championship in North America where he placed 7th in the Gold fleet.
Although the Gold fleet has its champion, the Silver and Bronze fleets remain uncertain. As of now, it’s unclear whether they’ll race tomorrow, Friday, February 28. Currently, Finland’s Oscar Lindell L132, is leading the Silver fleet, and Lithuania’s Antanas Gerasimavicius T4, is leading the Bronze fleet.
UPDATE: The European Championship has been called completed. Congratulations to all participants!
Explore more in the IDNIYRA Continental Championship History.
Live Tracking Links:
Day 1
Day 2
Day 3
Day 4
Day 5
by Deb Whitehorse | Feb 24, 2023 | 2023, Home Page
2023 European Championship: Tomek Zakrzewski P55 first place, and Robert Graczyk P31 third place on Lake Kertuojai, Lithuania
RESULTS
Congratulations to Tomek Zakrzewski P55 for winning the Gold Fleet of the 2023 IDNIYRA European Championship sailed on Lake Kertuojai, Lithuania. Tomek won the tiebreak with IDNIYRA European Commodore Mikhel Kosk C45, who placed second. Robert Gracyk P31 was third.
Joonas Kiisler C53 took first in Silver, and Timo Lehmuskallio L103 took first in Bronze. Congratulations to all who participated and hung tough under challenging conditions.
by Deb Whitehorse | Feb 2, 2020 | 2020, 2020 Gold Cup, Home Page
IDNIYRA Europe
The hunt for regatta ice has started in Europe for the 2020 IDNIYRA World and European Championships, scheduled for February 8 – 15. After a one week break from the 2020 NAs held in the “Middle of Nowhere” Fort Peck, MT, North American competitors will begin their migration east. I’ll be tagging along and also attending the 2020 Junior Worlds from February 16 – 21. Watch for updates on this website and the IDNIYRA Europe website.
The map above is embedded on the Championship History page of this website. Interesting to note that the distance between the farthest west we’ve gone (Fort Peck, Montana) and the farthest east (St. Petersburg, Russia) is 4500 miles! That trip to Montana added some miles to our regatta map.
We are very excited that Glasglow Montana photographer and drone pilot extraordinaire, Sean Heavey, will be joining us for the Gold Cup. DNs are not only fast and fun to sail, they are also a vehicle for creativity, as Sean and many other photographers have discovered.
North American Competitors Going for the Gold:
Chris Berger US5166
John Curtis KC5144
Robert Cummins US3433
Daniel Hearn US5352
Rhea Nicholas US4783
Ron Sherry US44
James “T” Thieler US5224
