The Western Region of the DN Class (WI, MN, IL, IA, IN, UP of MI) is hosting the DN World & North American Championship in just a few days. Ice sailors from Poland and Sweden are here to train on Lake Kegonsa. The regatta site information will be announced on January 18, 2023, on idniyra.org. Regatta information.
Boat preparations are underway for the first-ever C-Skeeter Polish Match Racing Championship. Current DN World Champion, Robert Graczyk, will face off with former DN World Champion, Tomek Zakrzewski, on Lake Kegonsa in Stoughton, Wisconsin this Wednesday, January 18. Weather permitting, of course. At stake is a meal of Polish delicacies including pirogies and Polish sausage. But none of that cold soup. The loser will treat the winner and the boat owners/race committee at the prize giving ceremony, which will take place sometime during the ‘23 DN Worlds/North Americans.
To date, only the Black Ice/Loren ipsum camp has responded to requests for information about boat prep. The Drifter camp remains shielded under a cloak of secrecy, no doubt working on another traveler-like innovation to create an unfair advantage.
To make sure the race track is level, the two competitors will trade boats after each race, and the championship will conclude after an even number of races. Clearly the Drifter camp strategists have failed to read the Notice of Race and Sailing Instructions.
Renegades line up to race at the 2023 Renegade Championship on Lake Kegonsa, January 14, 2023. Photo: Will Johnston
RESULTS
A stronger breeze made it a wind hat trick on day three of the ISA and Renegade championships on Lake Kegonsa. The A & B Skeeters elected to watch the Nites and Renegades take to the course for spirited racing. All agreed they couldn’t remember when Mother Nature blessed the ISA with three sailable days. Renegaders discussed how this ISA was a record for them in the number of races (8.)
Many thanks to the Race Committee, including
Joe Norton, Jerry Simon, Scott Goetz, Paul McMillan, Afan Ottenhemier, and 4LIYC Commodore Daniel Hearn, who helped to organize the equipment. Also, many thanks to Ann Foeller, who tabulated remotely from Lake Erie’s shores and is a Toledo Ice Yacht Club member. And thank you to the many competitors who didn’t hesitate to pick up starting blocks, call numbers, and anything else to make the regatta run smoothly.
B Skeeter:1st Jason Thompson, 3rd Steve Schalk, and 2nd Jim Smith
C Skeeter, 1st Pat Heppert, 2nd Daniel Hearn
Our 2 Michigan Renegade guys, Mike Derusha and Pete Sarelis
Nite 1st: Tom Sweitzer
Nite 2nd, Dave Navin
Nite 4th, Brett Larson
Nite 5th, Peter Keck, 3rd Chad Rechcygl
Renegade: 2nd Daniel Hearn, 1st Mike Derusha, 3rd Greg McCormick, 4th Don Anderson
A Skeeter, 4th Tom Hyslop, 3rd Ken Whitehorse, 2nd Jay Yaeso, Steve Orlebeke, 1st John Dennis
Photographer Will Johnston joined us for a second year in a row for the 2023 ISA and Renegade Championship. He even hitched a ride in an airplane (friend of Jeff Russell’s) for some aerial shots. Will has generously shared a link to all of the photos. See all of them here. If you use Will’s photos for anything other than personal posts, please get in touch with me so I can give you his contact information.
The Wisconsin Stern Steering Association regatta for 2023 has been tentatively called on for January 21 and 22. The site selected is Lake Petenwell off the Lure restaurant. Final confirmation will be made by 1 PM Thursday, January 19. Check back here after that time. Ice thickness on the lake is 11″ or more, thicker at the landing which is a shallow beach off the Lure. There is 1/4″ to 1/2″ of soft snow currently on the ice. Rain and snow is forecast for later this week.
