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!
DN Finland Facebook
Through our friend, Swedish DNer Dideric Van Reimsdijk, we have a look at the annual Week 46 regatta hosted by DN Finland. Located just above the Arctic Circle on the ice at Onkamojärvi, Finland, this event marks the beginning of the DN season. If you look closely at the sail numbers, you’ll notice an international crowd gathered on the first ice of the year.
And for those of us closer to home, the first informal DN gathering of the season, the Western Challenge, is coming up December 6-8 in Minnesota. Sharpen your runners and get ready to hit the ice!
The much-anticipated Week 46 Johnny Kohler Regatta in Vaala, Finland, is not only a local affair but has drawn ice sailors from around the globe. Participants from Poland, Germany, Sweden, and North America add an international flavor to this first DN regatta of the season. Among the participants is Chris Berger, US5166. For those who want to track the progress, here’s the link to the results. Stay tuned to DN Finland’s website and their Facebook page for updates.
DN Finland organized the third annual Grand Masters regatta on Lake Öljaren near Katrineholm, Sweden, February 8-10, 2022. In 2018, Ollie Virta L121, Timo Caravitis L37, and Richard Gustring S713 originated this informal fun regatta noted for its unusual starting procedure. Running starts are prohibited. Competitors must be at least 60 years old, start the race with one leg on the plank, and push off with the other leg. And yes, the regatta committee does watch for any infractions to this rule.
DN Finland and DN Sweden take turns managing the regatta. John Winquist L601 served as PRO assisted by Vesa Karhusaari and Dideric van Riemsdijk S867.
Snow put a temporary hold on ice sailing in North America after the U.S. Nationals. I had always wanted to see the Grand Masters event and took a chance on traveling to Europe, which was a bit more complicated because of pandemic restrictions.
The O’Hare Delta agents were baffled whether I needed a visa to travel to Sweden (a visa was not required) or even fly through Amsterdam. The regulations were so confusing that they passed me off to the next flight. And so it went until I presented my test results at immigration in Gothenburg, Sweden. I had made it!
When I arrived, Sweden didn’t have many restrictions, and all regulations ended a few days later. Ice sailing life was back to normal, the same as my last visit here for the World Championship in February 2020 before the world shut down. Our pandemic lives were a big topic of discussion, and we were overjoyed to be back on the ice and with friends again.
DN Finland was kind enough to give me a yellow vest and scoring tools. Hard black ice with a skim of water with winds around 15 mph, gusting to 20, made for sporty conditions. The regatta was called complete after six races. The camaraderie among these long-time friends was the focus of the regatta and the four-race per day limit assured plenty of time for socializing and evening group dinners.
Thank you, DN Finland, DN Sweden, and all ice sailing friends, for welcoming me to your special event. Perhaps it’s time to organize a Grand Masters regatta in North America.
PRO John Winquist sends them off.
Prize Giving: Jean-Pierre Comtesse Z47 – the Grandest Master of the regatta.
Timolean Caravitis L37, one of the three founding members of the Grand Masters regatta.
Prize Giving: Jean-Claude Vuthier Z39, third place, and Adam Baranowski P235 second place. Not pictures, first place Thomas Lindgren S81.
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