by Deb Whitehorse | Feb 20, 2026 | 2026, Home Page
Photo: Gwidon Libera
European Championship Starts Today — Who to Watch
There is little time to celebrate the Gold Cup, as the 2026 European Championship begins today and the fleets reset without pause.
Starting positions and fleet assignments can be found here:
Starting Positions: LINK
Results: LINK
As always, the top three sailors from each fleet advance, and that movement often shapes the early narrative of the new series.
From B fleet, Maxime Bachelin (Z-119) moves into Gold carrying both momentum and notable credentials. In addition to his DN success, he has sailed with the Alinghi Red Bull Racing America’s Cup program, bringing high performance foiling experience into the iceboat environment. How that background translates within the dynamics of Gold fleet racing will be worth watching.
From C fleet, Laura Banach (P-102) advances into B fleet after a strong performance and now steps into a deeper field that includes Germany’s Anja Fiedler (G-390), widely regarded as the leading female sailor in the class.
In Gold, several immediate storylines emerge. Fresh off his World Championship victory, Rasmus Maalinn (C-20) begins in the 7 block and remains a focal point from the first beat, continuing a run of form that has defined the week. Alongside him, Swedish junior Tom Hogard (S-906) enters the top tier with a favorable draw in starting position 3, an opportunity that will test how quickly he can convert position into result against a seasoned fleet.
One final Gold Cup note. I spoke with Karol Jablonski shortly after he returned to shore, where he expressed satisfaction with his second-place finish and offered sincere praise for Maalinn’s victory. He explained that his 37th-place result stemmed from a collision with another Polish boat in Race 2, which proved costly in such a tight series, and that the wind shifts in the final race did not align in his favor. He remarked that had someone told him a few days earlier that he would finish second at the World Championship, he would have accepted that outcome without hesitation. He was already heading off to join the Estonians in their celebration, pleased for their success.
The European Championship now begins in earnest, and positions must once again be earned from the opening race.
by Deb Whitehorse | Feb 19, 2026 | 2026, Home Page
Rasmus Maalinn C20, 2026 IDNIYRA Champion
Estonia’s wait is over.
First winner of the Gold Cup in 1973: Ain Vilde, Estonia
When the first DN Gold Cup was awarded in 1973, it was won by Estonia’s Ain Vilde, placing Estonia at the very foundation of the championship’s history. More than fifty years later, Rasmus Maalinn has added a second Estonian name to that list.
Those of us following from afar have been watching the results come in and holding our breath. The championship tightened, shifted, and refused to declare itself early. It could just as easily have gone Karol Jablonski’s way. With his record and his form this season, that outcome would have surprised no one. Every race felt consequential, every update recalculated in real time by sailors and supporters alike.
Maalinn closed it out. Five races in Poland settled the matter, and he emerged at the top of a fleet that included multiple former champions and some of the most experienced sailors in the class.
Planning this championship was challenging. Potential weather forced an early shift from Poland to Sweden, only for conditions to reverse and send the fleet back again. That kind of logistical whiplash tests organizers and sailors alike. Hotels rebooked, ferries reserved, scouting reports reassessed, equipment packed and unpacked. To remain focused through that uncertainty is its own challenge. And then to win, on Polish home ice, with expectations high and history close at hand, may be one of the most difficult things to do in this class. It demands not only speed, but steadiness in the face of constant disruption.
From Ain Vilde in 1973 to Rasmus Maalinn today, Estonia has now claimed the Gold Cup at the beginning of the story and again in its modern era.
A new World Champion, and a result that kept us all watching until the end.
Congratulations as well to Karol Jablonski for a hard-fought second place, once again proving why he remains the benchmark in this class. And to Estonia’s Argo Vooremaa for securing third, giving Estonia not just a champion but two sailors on the podium.
UDATE: There have been 2 other more recent Estonian winners, but they were listed as competing for the former USSR, now corrected to Estonia (USSR). Estonian sailors have stood on the top step before, with Ain Vilde in 1973 and later M. Kuulman and T. Haagma during the Soviet era. What distinguishes this title is that Maalinn has won it racing for an independent Estonia, bringing the story full circle in a new political era.
While the Gold fleet drew much of the spotlight, the B and C fleets produced impressive performances of their own. In C Fleet, Poland’s Laura Banach (P-102) claimed the top position, followed by Switzerland’s Bernard Vananty (Z-124) in second and Finland’s Kimmo Viljamaa (L-147) in third. In B Fleet, Switzerland’s Maxime Bachelin (Z-119) took the win, with Sweden’s Tom Hogard (S-906) finishing second and Sweden’s Tomasz Flisiak (S-878) securing third. Congratulations to all for navigating a championship that demanded resilience and composure from every fleet.
RESULTS
A Fleet
B Fleet
C Fleet
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 | Mar 8, 2022 | 2022, Home Page
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
by Deb Whitehorse | Dec 4, 2019 | 2019, Home Page
2019 European Championship regatta race start. Rasmus sails C20. Photo: Gwidon Libera
Estonia’s Rasmus Maaliin C20 is an up and coming ice sailor to watch! Here’s a link to a translated interview with the current DN Junior World Champion.
Rasmus Maaliin C20 of Pärnu, Estonia is the four time the junior world champion in ice sailing and wants to reach the highest pedestal rank among adults. For this year’s achievements, the young man was awarded the Order of the Estonian Yachting Club.
How and when did you get to ice sailing?
I got to ice sailing through summer sailing. As Estonia has a long and cold winter, when the water bodies are frozen, ice sailing is a logical extension for a young sailor to be able to train in winter. I started ice sailing at the age of 11, in 2011. From this year on, ice sailing has become my main area, and summer sailing is a bit overlooked. Continue reading.
