2013 IDNIYRA-Western Regional Wrap-Up

    2013 IDNIYRA – Western Regional Regatta… in review
This year’s regatta was dedicated to the memory of racing friends who passed away this last year, Bill Sarns DN1316, Jan Gougeon DN1183and Don Vercruysee DN 21
The weekend of January 5-6, 2013 brought 66 DN and 3 Opti racers to Lake Kegonsa just south of Madison, WI for the Western Regional Championships. DN’s raced a total of 7 races and Optis 5, allowing one throw-out for each group.
Gold Fleet was won by Ron Sherry, Silver Fleet by Peter Orlebeke and Griffin Sherry took home the first place trophy for the Opti Division. (Final score tabulations to follow.)
Top Junior award this year went to Griffin Sherry as well.
1st in Plate Runner Division was won by Bill Mintz.
Top Rookie was awarded to John Bushey.
Top Senior (50+) - Ron Sherry.
Top Master (60+) - Tom Meyer
Top Grand Master (70+) - Pete Johns
A special “ Welcome, thank you for attending and please return for more fun” to this year’s Western Regional Regatta DN Rookies (first year racing a regional regatta): Joye Ebert, Michael Beresni, John Bushey, George Kutschenretter, Jim Nordhaus, TJ Sherry and Griffin Sherry, and Julie Jankowski.
   Dan Hearn, Secretary, North American Junior Ice Sailing, presented awards for the recent 2012 North American Ice Opti Championships which was run concurrently with the Western Challenge in Minnesota. First place went to Griffin Sherry, then in order, Cole Orlebeke, Frankie Hearn, Matthew Kickhefer, Holden Youins, Tyler Metzloff, Audrey Frost and Martha Dawson. Much to the delight and surprise of the assembled crowd, Dan Hearn made a special presentation and stated that, “Griffin Sherry is to be the first recipient of a new traveling trophy – a Renegade radio controlled iceboat – which will be put into the care of the reigning champion each year moving forward. The impressive machine was generously donated to the NAIORA by German, Christian Seegers, G551. Christian and his son Andreas, are frequent participants in ice sailing regattas in the United States. The NAIORA is extremely grateful to Christian, and we’ll look forward to sharing ice with Team Seegers in the future!” Thunderous applause!
   Due to favorable weather forecasts, the regatta was called on as early in its scheduled week as possible in an effort to encourage racers to travel. Thanks to local, Deb Whitehorse, for recommending the headquarters hotel.
   Landings were a bit of a distance from our chosen race headquarters, Springers Restaurant, on the north shore, so to keep everyone together and encourage regatta camaraderie, Mike Jankowski, Matthew Morgan (grandson of Hank Morgan), Chris Van Scyoc, Frankie Hearn and Ken Kreider used 4 wheelers to transport trailers from Pleasant Springs landing to HQ. This worked beautifully, thanks men! A nice $ gift is on its way to the township in thanks for the heavy usage of their landing. Hopefully we will be invited back someday!
   The Regional was raced on very nice ice with an inch of sticky snow cover, in wind that started light and continued to grow throughout the weekend. Many wished the time allowance would run out on the first and slowest race, but it did not by just seconds! Thrilling rides were to come later with hearty spin-outs, a few DNF’s due to minor runner entanglements and several smashed cones. Saturday was definitely less intense than Sunday, when even the Gold Fleet pros had a tougher time controlling their roundings.
   A come-as-you-are dinner at Springers was held immediately following racing on Saturday for the continuance of camaraderie, to meet our rookies and spend time with our 4 Lakes hosts. This allowed us to return only one time to the hotel to finally just relax and enjoy the whirlpool and football game! Less driving around…more time to decompress and talk sailing.
   Your rear commodore was extremely proud of how well everyone pulled together to make this regatta a success! Racers, committee, 4 Lakes members, Springers (and even the fishermen) put forth their best effort to make this a memorable and outstanding weekend. I appreciate the patience and respect that was on display! Let me first thank the 4 Lakes Ice Yacht Club and Commodore, Don Anderson, for making a huge decision to share their only local race- able lake with us. Thanks to Deb Whitehorse, Dan Hearn and local DN racers for diplomatically assisting with this at the Wednesday night meeting on our behalf. The 2 courses worked out perfectly, everyone’s needs were met, regattas won’t get backed up onto one another, and it was great getting to better know our fellow iceboaters in the Madison area. Thanks to Springers Restaurant on Lake Kegonsa for their outstanding “what else can we do for you” attitude ! They were at my side constantly offering to help. Thanks to Chef Jeff for the tasty banquet and awards luncheon planned on moment’s notice. Lead scorekeepers Deb Whitehorse and Loretta Rehe and assistants Mercedes (Hal Bowman) Auger and Jocelyn (Peter) Hoeper did their magic and spent long hours so that I felt confident enough to morph into a racer and experience my first Western Regional Regatta in a DN after scorekeeping for 30+ years! Please make life easier for Deb and Loretta by registering early for the NA’s and Gold Cup and making sure your correct #’s are on both boat and sails. Let’s have a super Western representation at these 2 regattas! Huge thanks to Joe Norton who surprised us also by morphing from racer to P.R.O. As a top notch racer he truly understood our needs and came thru well! Always one to be mentoring youngsters, Joe brought 4-wheeling course assistants, Matt and Chris, mentioned earlier. We also need to applaud two racers who sacrificed valuable prep and ice time to loyally help the region. While the rest were focusing on their game, Mark Isabell ran registration Friday evening and Saturday morning and is always available to address my questions and concerns and Jim McDonaugh spent countless hours developing a new scoring phone app that he then used between races as the scorers delivered sheets to him. Such dedication!
   Dan Hearn deserves high praise for all the hours he’s invested in the future of our sport via the opti program (and young DN’ers) these past several years- building boats with youth, mentoring and running races. Ron Sherry has been very instrumental in this endeavor as well. Others throughout our own western region that I know of who are working with our future DN’ers are John Hayashi, Joe Norton, Mike Jankowski, Todd Morgan, Nolan Wallenfang, Brian Dudek, Tim Bryden and Andy Gratton. Shake their hands when you see them next time. If you hear of others – please praise their efforts on DN Forum so we can recognize them!
   Dave Elsmo – we love what you’re doing with the UW Madison Sailors…keep’m coming and don’t hesitate to contact us if you need assistance with parts, mentoring or travel. Deb would like to see a “Collegiate Cup”..I concur !
   Thank you to all those who travelled great distances to keep the spirit alive in our region! I encourage Western Region racers to reciprocate and race in the upcoming Centrals and Easterns.
   Finally, the Northwest Ice Yacht Association Centennial will be upon us soon, we hope! Please plan on attending and racing. Coordinators have worked hard to make this a very special, historic event. Please support their efforts…many surprises and honors are in store! You won’t want to miss out on this.
   Never Iceboat Alone!
   Respectfully submitted,
   Julie Jankowski, IDNIYRA, Western Region Rear Commodore

DN America Forums