DN Regatta Reports

Steve Orlebeke: At The Front!

Steve Orlebeke sailing a Class A Skeeter at the Northwest regatta on Lake Pepin, MN, January 20, 2019.

4LIYC Skeeter & DN sailor and head of Harken Engineering Steve Orlebeke explains why he’d rather be on ice in the Harken publication, At The Front.

Like a lot of us here in Pewaukee, I’m a lifelong sailor. Maybe less like most of us, my favorite sailing is done where you really hope you never get wet. For the last several years I’ve been working as hard as I can in the Skeeter and DN iceboat classes. I descend from a grand Harken tradition. Get them in the right moment, Peter and Olaf might let slip that they like iceboating best too. Read more.

On the DN Road: Gold Cup & NA Update

Nevada’s Renee Fields at the helm of 4LIYC’s Jori Lenon’s DN at the DN World Championship, Indian Lake, OH

DN North America

A quick update before heading out for the first day of the DN North Americans on Lake Wawasee in Indiana. Yes, we’ve moved 3 hours west from Ohio to better ice. You’ve all probably heard by now that 2019 DN World Champion, Michal Burczinski of Poland, won the regatta in a boat borrowed from 4LIYC member and Spaight St. Syndicate director Daniel Hearn, and not just any boat, Daniel’s best equipment. An incredible testament to true sportsmanship by Daniel when he learned that the Polish boats were delayed in transit and wouldn’t make the regatta in time.
But that’s not the only 4LIYC boat on the line. Jori Lenon loaned her boat to land sailor Renee Fields of Nevada who had never sailed an iceboat prior to this regatta. Renee was the third highest placing female in the Gold Cup. I think we may have another convert. So thank you Jori and Daniel for helping to promote this sport by loaning your boats to competitors. Follow the action at idniyra.org! Off to the lake….

 

4LIYC Goes East to Ohio!

A hint of what’s to come: Line up from  the 2019 European Championship                 Photo: Gwidon Libera

Several members of the 4LIYC including Daniel Hearn, Dave Elsmo and myself will be heading to the 2019 IDNIYRA Gold Cup and North American championship which has been called on for Indian Lake, Ohio. This is going to be a good one to watch – as of this morning, 112 competitors are registered with surely more to register tonight. I’ll try to post updates throughout the week.  Safe travels to everyone!
Follow along at idniyra.org.

 

Runner Tracks Newsletter Scores


2019 February Runner Tracks

The February issue of the DN newsletter, Runner Tracks, has just been published over at the DN class website. Besides some excellent photography, this mid-season issue has a couple of articles that may be of interest to those involved with the race committee end of things. IDNIYRA Commodore Warren Nethercote’s article about the DN tiebreak system also includes information about how Steve and Mary Jane Schalk deal with tiebreaks in other classes. If you want to get a handle on the Bart scoring system, read Loretta Sherry Rehe and Paul Goodwin’s article that explains Bart scoring (also known as Grand Prix scoring, or Indy 500 scoring as I call it. When the checkered flag goes up at the Indy 500, all cars finish no matter what lap they are on.)

True Ink On Ice

True

True Ink magazine “…celebrate(s) The Noble Pursuit, a mix of adventure, expertise, and time well spent”. It’s time well spent reading their latest offering about the sport of ice sailing:

COMMODORE OF THE HARD WATER

In Brief:Daniel Hearn, ice sailor of the Gold Fleet, spoke with the editors of True about the magic of the hard water. Read more.

2019 Junior World Championship Begins

Thor Rosten at the 2018 Junior DN World Championship

EU IDNIYRA Junior News

The 2019 DN & Ice Optimist Junior World and European Championships were called on for Lake Niegocin in Gizycko, Poland for February 4-8. 4LIYC DN sailor Thor Rosten and his dad, Ron, are there and again traveling with the Swedish team.  Ron reports that they may be looking at an alternative site because of a snowfall during the night. The opening ceremony is scheduled for Tuesday, February 5 at 10:00 with racing to follow. Stay tuned!

Snow Means Shop

Perfect conditions this weekend for building at the Spaight Street Syndicate. Junior sailor, Soren Hughes, glued up the sideboards of his new DN with assistance from friend Seth.

DN European Championship Complete

Chris Berger US5166 and Rafal Sielicki P254 on Lake Śniardwy in Poland             Photo: Gwidon Libera

The DN European Championship was completed today in Poland. Congratulations to Chris Berger US5166 for his 7th place finish in the A fleet, not an easy thing to accomplish in Poland.
Head over to the DN class website to see more about this regatta including some incredible photography.
Results

 

Western Region Wrap Up

DN Western Region Commodore and regatta organizer Daniel Hearn with Eloise and her dad, John Dennis who was second in Gold. JD statistically tied in points with Ron Sherry for first place but Ron won the tiebreak. 

Time to review the DN Western Region Championship from a 4LIYC perspective. Congratulations to mega multi-tasker Daniel Hearn who not only organized the regatta and volunteers, he also managed to place 5th in the Gold Cup. Fellow 4LIYC sailors in the Gold were Steve Orlebeke, 3rd, Tim Sugar who placed 7th and Dave Elsmo who placed 11th,
Silver Fleet: Brian Hearn mirrored his brother’s finish by coming in 5th in the Silver, Robert Cummins was 9th, and University of Wisconsin student Soren Hughes earned top Junior sailor and placed 12th in his first regatta.
Special shout out to longtime SIBC sailor, Lou Loennecke, who had two second place finishes in Silver. It was really cool to see sailors who have been participating in these events for so many years like Bob Cummins and Lou Loennecke  line up next to each other in the two and four block in Silver race 4.
Final results can be seen here.

Online Ship’s Store

Regatta Dates 2026

  • DN Western Challenge
    December 5 – 7, 2025
    Information
  • 2025 International Skeeter Association Regatta
    December 2025
    Information
  • DN Western Region Championship
    January 3-4, 2026
    Information
  • International Skeeter Association Regatta
    Scheduled January 9–11, 2026
    Held on first good ice, week-to-week updates as conditions allow.
    Information
  • DN NA Championship
    January 24-32, 2026 Information
  • DN World & European Championship
    February 14 – 21. 2026 Information
  • DN & Ice Optimist Junior Championship
    Information
  • Northwest Regatta Information
  • Nite Nationals Information
  • WSSA Championship Regatta
    Information.

Subscribe

Enter your email address to subscribe to iceboat.org and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Join 284 other subscribers

National Iceboat Authority Web Page



Click for 4LIYC Meeting Dates

2024-2025

  • January 2 THURSDAY Honor Roll Nominations
  • January 15 Deadline for By-Law or Racing Rules Amendment Submission
  • January 29
  • February 12 Business Meeting 
  • February 26
  • March 12 Last Meeting of the Season

Location: In person at the Elks Lodge 711 Jenifer St, Madison, WI 53703

Time: 6:30 PM

YOU ARE SKIPPER NUMBER

Web Analytics

TO ROUND THE MARK SINCE NOVEMBER 1999.



Lake Access Permits

A year-round permit required for designated launch sites in the City of Madison and Dane County Parks. Locations include:

    • Lake Mendota Warner Park Mendota County Park
    • Lake Monona Tonyawatha Tr. Olin Park
    • Lake Waubesa Goodland Park

Purchase Lake Access Permit Online.

Search