Rasmus Maalinn C20 Crowned 2025 European Champion

Photo: Gilles Morelle. Facebook 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

Congratulations Tomek Zakrzewski, 2023 European Champion

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.

2023 IDNIYRA Yearbook


The 2023 IDNIYRA Yearbook is now available for purchase in print format. A pdf version without the member lists is posted online. The IDNIYRA Yearbook contains a wealth of information. In its over 300 pages, you can find regatta history, a record of class officers, Official DN Specifications, our governing documents, and much more. Those who have ordered a printed yearbook will receive it in the mail in the next few weeks.

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From the Yearbook:
EARLY HISTORY OF THE IDNIYRA

On February 21 and 22, 1953 the Detroit Ice Yacht Club sponsored a
regatta to bring the DN skippers together to help form an association. A
meeting of the skippers was held at this regatta and two representatives
from each club present were chosen to outline a constitution for the association.
North Star Sail Club was represented by John Liston and Fred
Kagel; Anchor Bay Ice Yacht Club by Tom King and A. J. Walker; Detroit Ice
Yacht Club by William Sarns and Clifford Cartwright. The representatives
met at the home of the Cartwrights the following Sunday afternoon and
briefly outlined a constitution. William Sarns was elected to serve as temporary
secretary and to compose the constitution. The secretary prepared
a constitution and sent out copies to the representatives in the following
fall. They were returned to the secretary along with desired changes. The
changes that the majority wanted were incorporated and 200 copies were
printed. A copy was sent out to each individual who attended the first
regatta and others who were interested. On January 17, 1954 the Northwestern
Ice Yachting Association passed a resolution that they would accept
the DN Association’s specifications for their DN races which are now
included in their annual regatta.

 

On January 7, 1954 the North Star Sail Club offered to be host for the annual
regatta. There were no other offers so theirs was accepted. Sixty-two
programs were sent out on February 1 for the regatta scheduled for February
20 and 21. On February 19 the regatta was transferred to Cass Lake
because of poor ice at the North Star Club House on Lake St. Clair. The
first five DN’s in this regatta were: (1) Jack Moran, (2) Skip Boston, (3) Paul
Eggert, (4) Bill Sporer, and (5) Bill Sarns.

Oskar Svensson (DN) & Aron Poolma (Ice Optimist) Win Junior World Championships

DN Junior World Champion Oskar Svensson S714. Photo: Valeri Larinov

IDNIYRA Europe Report & Results
The 2022 Junior DN and Ice Optimist World Championships have concluded in Haapsalu, Estonia. Sweden’s Oskar Svensson S714 continued his remarkable season by winning the DN Junior title. Five-time winner Rasmus Maaliin C20 of Estonia placed a close second, only one point behind Oskar. Oskar led the IDNIYRA World Championship in Norway until the last day and finished third. On his way to Estonia, Oskar won the Finnish Championship.
Familiarize yourself with these names because you’ll be seeing Oskar and Rasmus at the top of the Gold Fleet in the coming years.

Ice Optimist World Champion Aron Poolma C3, of Estonia. Photo: Valeri Larinov

 

 

China Joins the IDNIYRA

Via the IDNIYRA European website:

Our family of icesailing nations grew by a new member in Asia!

This weekend at our annual National Secretaries’ Meeting we had some very special guests in attendance:
On behalf of the Chinese DN Fleet, Mr. Wang Qiguang chairman of the Jinzhou Yachting and Sailing Association and Jinzhou Bay Sailing Club, Mr. Wu Ming director of the club and Ms. Zhu Di, Chinese-Canadian interpreter was also invited to serve throughout the process.

As they told us, in the past three years, during the introduction, training and participation in- and hosting of various icesailing competitions, they stumbled across pictures and videos of DN iceboats on the Internet. The appearance, structure, speed and specifications of the DN immediately aroused everyone’s interest. In 2019, they purchased plans from North America and manufactured a few of China’s first iceboats of the class. Last year contact has been established with IDNIYRA – Europe and official talks began on joining the Organisation. We received their application of membership earlier this year.
At the same time, they have also received strong support and approval from the Chinese Sailing and Windsurfing Association. They plan to join the our association as a local organisation, and at the same time, continue to promote the DN icesailing across the country.

After an impressive presentation and interview, the national representatives unanimously approved the membership application.

We wholeheartedly welcome the Chinese Fleet in our Class Association!
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