2012 Ice Optimist North American Championships

[Daniel Hearn]

Will be held this year in tandem with the Western Challenge.  Being a fixed weekend, this should be much easier for families to plan around, so maybe we can make it the biggest North American Junior Ice Sailing event ever! Every kid should come...no previous racing experience required.  Practice day and skills training on Friday, with racing for those who are ready on Saturday and Sunday.  Guaranteed to be a good time.  This will be the DON'T MISS Junior ice sailing event of the season. 

[Daniel Hearn]

Less than a month away from the 2012 Ice Optimist Championships.  We've got a very nice fleet shaping up already, and I'd love to see this be the largest  one ever in North America.  Joe Norton and Mike & Julie Jankowski will be leading a new group of juniors to the event hailing from the Green Lake Ice Yacht Club.  The group completed the construction of several boats last season, but ran out of ice before getting to sail them much.  Welcome, GLIYC Juniors! Also joining us this year will be a brand new junior ice sailor who moved recently to the States from South Africa.  Not much ice there, so what's your excuse? If you haven't contacted me yet to let me know your junior is coming, please do so.  danielhearn@tds.net

[Daniel Hearn]

That's right, Juniors! Just come to the 2012 Ice Optimist North American Championships, running in tandem with the Western Challenge, Nov. 30, Dec. 1-2, and you'll be paired for the 3-day event with an ice sailing legend who will tell you all their secrets.  I'd suggest you start off this way.  "Hey Coach, have you lost weight since last season?  I bet you're really fast off the line, and wow, do you look good in that snow suit!"  Using this strategy, they'll be sure to be spouting off like a never-ending political ad, except that you might find some actual truth in what they're saying.  Now get out there and vote! Oh, yeah, you're not old enough yet.  Scratch that last part. 

US5352

[DN5358]

Audrey wants to make sure that the Free Coaching won't be from me.  Something about how I seem to crash too much... not exactly sure what she was talking about as I was tuning her out!

[Daniel Hearn]

Ice Optimist Parents and Racers:

Save yourself the hassle of filling out paperwork at the hotel, or in a cold vehicle, by filling out your docs in advance.  They are attached.  We look to have a very nice junior fleet shaping up for the event, so sharpen up those runners! If you can make it up Friday to shake the dust off your gear and sailing technique, you'd really be ready for action on Saturday.  team maDisoN will be arriving Thursday evening, so hope to see you on the ice Friday a.m.  If you have questions, please contact me.  danielhearn@tds.net   608-692-4007

[DN5358]

With Race HG (Holiday Inn - It had one smoking room left when I called this morning), what hotel are other Opti skippers heading to?  Audrey will have had enough of the 3 old men in the car by the time we reach Alexandria and would like some company her own age.

[Daniel Hearn]

I'm aware that our new Ice Opti sailor from Connecticut is staying at the Best Western  That said, however, all the kids are welcome to hang out with us at the Holiday Inn to swim, use the game facilities, goof off, etc. 

Daniel