DN Regattas

Peter Johanson Worlds/NA Photo Gallery

Thank you, Peter, for sharing your photos. Please feel to download them here.
During the week of the Worlds and North Americans, Peter Johanson unintentionally completed the famous circle tour, driving totally around Lake Michigan. From his Facebook page dated January 27, 2017: "US 5633 has re-engaged. Less that 48 hours ago I quit the DN Worlds/NAs, turned my back on my circus friends, and headed home. Arrived safely, kissed and hugged wife, kids, dog. Had coffee with Mary , scouted local ice, had dinner with kids. Come to find out I missed nothing because the fleet could not find ice until someone sailed Green Bay. Regatta called ON! ....hmm yeah I can make it, so I get my head on straight -change my mind and hop back in the car. I saw Mackinac bridge lit up with colored lights and the weirdest snow storm I have ever seen! I literally felt like my car was going backwards. I see Green Bay lit up by local lights and arrive at the regatta HQ safely. I look at my clock and calculate that this adventure took me 33 hours to the minute........ "

DN Worlds Video #2 from Jim McDonagh

Jim McDonagh’s US5219 second video from the 2017 DN North American championship sailed on Green Bay near Peshtigo, WI..

DN Worlds Video #1 from Jim McDonagh

Video from Jim McDonagh US5214 from the 2017 DN World Championship sailed on Lake Kegonsa in Madison, WI on 23 Jan. He put a camera on John Dennis’ (JD) runner plank in the first two races of the day, the Bronze (C) fleet and Silver (B) fleet qualifiers.

Gretchen Dorian Worlds Photo Gallery

Photographer Gretchen Dorian has been busy editing and uploading photos from the Worlds. They are all available for purchase. See them here.

DN North Americans: We Did It

Congratulations to Ron Sherry for winning his 12th DN North American championship and to his son, Griffin, for winning the Silver fleet. It feels like we've been hunting ice, moving around, and racing for a month - though in truth it's only been a week (I think.) Will have more photos and video from George Gerhardt posted soon. Also, watch for Northwest and ISA regatta updates later tonight. DN website for NA results.

DN Worlds: Day 5 PM Update

Posting from an old familiar regatta hotel, the Best Western in Marinette, MI. Long day on the ice. 10 races, two fleets. Ron Sherry won a few and is likely in first, even after a hound failure in the first race. On my way to help Loretta tabulate. ...follow the drama on the DN website for the lastest updates.

DN Worlds: Day 4 AM Update

The adventure continues. A few inches of heavy wet snow has put us on hold while scouts are looking for ice to hold the North American championship. Congratulations to Karol Jablonski for his 11th Gold Cup Dn title. The Four Lakes Ice Yacht Club own Tim Sugar won the Silver fleet! Stand by to stand by...follow the drama on the DN website for the lastest updates. The DN race committee and governing board is doing everything they can to find ice.

DN Worlds: Day 3 AM Update

On my way to the lake soon but time for a quick update on yesterday. The wind never made an appearance on Wednesday and it was one of those days when you catch up on your rest and catch up with your friends from around the world.
There is a couple of inches of wet, saturated snow on the ground this morning. We shall see what it has done to the lake. Off to Springer's! You can see the provisional results on the DN website. Facebook continues to be the place for updates from sailors all over the world. Friend me there if you want to see videos of the starts and score sheets. Today I will try to video some leeward mark roundings - if we are sailing.

DN Worlds: Day 2 AM Update

On my way to the lake soon but time for a quick update on yesterday. We ran a bunch of races and used the whole day. You can see the provisional results from yesterday on the DN website. Facebook continues to be the place for updates from sailors all over the world. Friend me there if you want to see videos of the starts and score sheets. Today I will try to video some leeward mark roundings.

DN Worlds Day 1: The Fleet Returns to Port

Michaela Vatcheva set up a camera at Springer's at the end of the day and captured the return of the fleet.

DN Worlds Opening Ceremony

You missed the party last night at the opening of the DN Gold Cup championship. Here's a quick clip of the Polish team and their robust inrerpretation of the Polish national anthem. I will be posting updates to FAcebook all day. I wish could use the Weebly platform but it's too difficult when I'm on the ice and not scoring from a car. Facebook makes things too easy. So if you want to follow along, you will have to friend me on Facebook.
A very, very, bit thank you to Daniel Hearn who generously offered the use of his office facility for the ceremony.

DN Worlds Opening Ceremony

4LIYC members, please join us for the DN World's opening ceremonies on Sunday, January 22 at 6:30 PM. It's indoors this year at Daniel's office,
1850 Hoffman St, Madison, WI 53704
Opening ceremony is at 6:30 followed by registration until 9 pm in conference room. We are combining it with a welcome party drinks, snacks in the large foyer area. 84 inch TV on wall if Packer game is still going on! IDNIYRA is sponsoring!

DN Worlds Called ON for Kegonsa

The first lake in the Madison area to freeze was Lake Kegonsa and it never received very much snow. It has held up surprisingly well during these past few days of warmer than average temperatures and rain. Ice scouts have been checking it thoroughly for the last several days. After days of heroic ice scouting efforts by iceboaters from every region in North America, Lake Kegonsa was chosen as the primary site of the DN Worlds and North American championships this morning. The first race begins at 10 AM Monday. The best spot to watch is Springer's on Lake Kegonsa. All information is posted on the DN North American website.

DN Western Region Photo Gallery

Kurt Mayer and Astrid Newenhouse have shared their photos from last weekend's DN Western Regional regatta.
Kurt writes: "My wife and a I had a great time Saturday and Sunday Jan. 7-8 watching the DNs race on Lake Monona and taking a few photos. I've put 26 photos up in a album on my Flickr page, click here to see them. Possibly somebody will enjoy a picture of themself; the images are full-resolution and free to download with my compliments. Managed to catch both champions including #183 with quite a bit of air under one of his blades. Thank you, we met some nice people and enjoyed being spectators"

Western Region Championship: Photo Gallery

Western Region Championship: Day 1 PM Report

UPDATE: Results on the DN North America website
Loretta and I are off the lake and sitting at the kitchen table. I'm watching her tabulate today's 6 races, 3 in Gold and 3 in Silver. Below 0F morning temperatures delayed the start by about an hour and a half today. The course was .8 of a mile and was smoother at the leeward mark. Regatta chair Mike Miller reported it as a rumbly downwind ride. Matt Struble won the first two in Gold and Ron Sherry took the last race of the day. Mike Miller was hot in Silver. Stand by for provisional results.
It was a challenging day with the extreme cold. I was able to hold the phone for a few race starts. They aren't very good quality but if you want to see them, click here.

The Big H

The Western Challenge is the first gathering of the tribe on ice of the season. As usual, Friday was the best day of the fun regatta. Though winds were light, about 25 sailors managed to find enough breeze to learn more about their light air set ups. Loretta Rehe and I chose warmth that day and enjoyed the amenities of Cragun's Resort rather than deal with the barely above zero temperatures at the lake. On Saturday, a high pressure system hung over our heads and kept the breeze away. Most out of town sailors made the decision to pack it in and try to outrace the snowmaggedon machine. It was a challenging drive east but as far as I know everyone made it safely back to their homes.
Even though there could have been more sailing, it was still a fun and worthwhile weekend catching up with old friends and meeting new ones. Cragun's provided a buffet meal for us Friday night. It's a rare opportunity when everyone gets to enjoy dinner with each other at any regatta.
I've posted this before but it's always worth remembering. As one of our late 4LIYC club members, Charlie Johnson, wrote many years ago, "If all our ice were glass, slightly wet, and all our air reasonably steady with lifters just where needed, sailing would be perfect. Sometimes we do find this, and it is worth waiting years to have. Meanwhile we must accept the more ordinary ice conditions, ordinary weather and wind, and gracefully accept snow, sometimes for weeks. Our ideal comes from time to time, the Great Maker gives only so much of the very best."