iceboating.net Minnesota Ice Sailing Association

This just in, and totally unofficial! Seven Races Sailed, one Drop.

What we know of the top 10...

DN US 4691 John Dennis of Mound MN Wins the 2008 Western Regional Championships in very challenging conditions. US 4824 Mark "the Doctor" Christensen of Mound finished in 3rd Place behind IDNIYRA Commodore and perennial light air threat Dr John Harper leading a strong continged from Detroit Michigan, and in front of a much higher ranked, Aaron Stange US 4480,(he's really from Toledo, but they let him into Michigan) and Rising Star in the Michigan Fleet Jim Hadley reported to be in 5th, followed in 6 by the top Wisconsin Sailor, Steve Olebeke...of the Pewaukee Ice Sailing Squadron, no further finish information until 10th, well earned, by Emergency Replacement Regatta Chairman John Davenport...

Illustrating the challenging nature of the conditions... in a 30 boat Gold Fleet, loaded with talent... all but the top six boats were Lapped in one race on Saturday, and recieved a Bart Rule Finish... it's almost unheard of to lap a single gold fleet boat, some big gusts and a fair amount of pushing going on in the lulls... and probably a big delta in runner maintenance and alignment time.

Other Minnesota sailors, Tom Meyer 602 of Tonka Bay, "I had moments of brilliance and great speed... and then, Oh Well...
US 5214 National Secretary Jim McDonagh, was unavailable by phone, and reportedly had a remarkable experience with Shell Ice early in Saturday's Racing, resulting in a DNF with significant damage to equipment.

Congrats to the Top Minnesota Sailors and to the organizers of a fine Western Regional Championships.