RESULTS
The photos tell the story. This looks like one of those events people will regret missing, with a lot of “you had to be there” stories coming out of Jungo Yacht Club.
After three days of racing in a variety of wind conditions, 5-time DN World Champion and 14-time DN North American Champion Ron Sherry claimed victory in the A Fleet with 12 points. Daniel Hearn, who invited Ron and Leon Lebeau to Nevada and supplied the boats they sailed, finished second with 16 points. Not bad for Ron’s first attempt at land sailing and his transition from ice to dirt was clearly successful.
When Daniel called and suggested the trip, Ron didn’t need much convincing. “Leon and I have been wanting to try that forever,” Ron recalled.
Daniel arrived with a trailer full of land yachts. Scott Dale provided the venue, having purchased the property and developed Jungo Yacht Club into one of the premier land sailing destinations in North America. During the day, sailors raced. At night, everyone gathered around campfires, shared meals, and traded stories.
Forty-six boats competed, divided evenly between A and B Fleets, with 23 boats in each fleet. In B Fleet, Reed Lorimer took top honors. The Mini-Max team competition, which paired one A Fleet sailor with one B Fleet sailor, added another dimension to the regatta. Augie Dale and Reed Lorimer captured the team title, while Ron Sherry and Leon Lebeau finished second.
One of the highlights came Saturday evening during a night sail under the full moon. Sailors raced a relay course using giant glow sticks as marks, creating the kind of scene that sounds almost too good to be true until you see the photographs.
Congratulations to Scott Dale and the Jungo Yacht Club crew for creating what appears to have been an unforgettable event.
Something tells me a few ice sailors just added Jungo Yacht Club to their bucket list. For Daniel Hearn and several others, the adventure began months ago in Damien Luyet’s shop, where the gang has been logging long hours building a fleet of Mini Skeeters in preparation for this event. Kudos to Daniel Hearn for putting people in boats, no matter what the surface!
Daniel Hearn, North America’s top recruiter in ice and land sailng.
It’s a gray, rainy day in Madison and it’s highly likely the ice season here is officially over. It’s a good day to sit down with the latest issue of the DN newsletter Runner Tracks. There’s something in it for everyone.
This issue includes two rookie race reports from sailors who found their way into the DN class by very different routes, along with articles on rules and tactics, the protest committee process, speed insights, proposed new DN plans, and the AGM minutes.
We’re also honored to include a contribution from US Sailing Herreshoff Award recipient Gordy Bowers, and grateful to Rachel Bartel from Harken for her beautiful photography throughout the issue. LINK
The Race Committee was unable to locate a suitable racing area that had ice surface conditions and launch access for the Annual Regatta for February 27th. The search continues for March 6th. Next update is March 1, 2026.
Both commercials have already made the rounds in the ice sailing world. The Range Rover spot filmed in Minnesota last March with Daniel Hearn at the helm. The Škoda commercial shot in Finland in May with Lukas Zakrzewski driving.
This was simply a good excuse to get the two of them in one photo at registration for the 2026 DN World Championship in Sweden.
REGISTER
The 2026 Northwest Regatta has been called ON for February 13-15 at Green Lake, WI. Please see the NIYA page for online registration, launch, lodging, schedule, and more.
Sebastion Sørensen. Photo: Rachel Bartel for @harken_inc
The NIYA Race Committee has tentatively called the Northwestern Ice Yachting Association Championship Regatta on starting Friday February 13th at Green Lake Wisconsin.
The final call will be made after an ice check on Wednesday February 10th at noon.
Steve Schalk
Secretary/Treasurer
NIYA
The Northwestern Ice Yachting Association regatta was first sailed in Menominee, Michigan, in 1913. Originally a Stern-Steerer regatta, it now also includes Skeeters, Renegades, and DNs. Northwest Home Page
