JD, DN4691 will be featured Wed night at 10PM on KARE 11 news in the Minneapolis area.
This report copied from the KARE 11 website. A preview was seen Tuesday night on Channel 11. Copied with JD's permission

Wednesday Extra: U.S. ice sailing champ's life-threatening struggle

His talent in the world of ice sailing, is known nationwide. Years of top finishes at regattas across the country have earned this Twin Cities man a spot in the national ice boat rankings.

But a life-threatening illness nearly ended it all.

Wednesday night at 10PM in the KARE 11 News Extra, see how the lure of the ice, and his family's love, kept him from giving up.

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...

Looking to buy a used ice surfing board.

Two DN's; US 5369, Ensign 1525 in his DN and some Niteesque Craft are currently sailing the 1.0 mile oval on Gideon Bay... The track is wide enough for two boats abreast, and comfortable passing.

In today's breeze with a thin coating of dense snow the lap speeds were running about 2:15 per lap... the straits fast enough for some runner flying, but the narrow 40' course doesn't allow much turn downs in the puffs, rather sheet control is the way to keep the runners under the sail.

Ice Sailing is happening, a short video will be posted later, along hopefully with 5369's observations, he was sporting a big smile!

From the DN Western Regional Regatta Hotline: (Loosely)

Woodstock on ICE! Give me an F... Give me an A... Give me an S... Give me a T... What's that Spell? FAST!

The Western Reional Regatta begins Saturday March 8, on the Best Ice Lake Geneva's seen since Dwight Eisenhower was the President of the United States!

The entire lake has been sailed every day since Tuesday this week by the SIBC, and is ranked a solid 9 on the 10 points are perfect SIBC Scale.

The launch site is on the West End of Lake Geneva, in Fontana near the legendary Chuck's Bar & Restaurant.

All manner of Iceboats will be Sailing this weekend; A,B, and C Skeeters, Renegades, Nites, and Stern Steerers, will be competing in the ISA & IRIYA and the WSSA Championship Regattas also ON for Geneva Lake in Fontana, Wisconsin... plus DN Fleet!

The 2008 DN Western Regional Regatta has a primary site of Lake Geneva, Wisconsin for March 8 & 9. The local DN fleet has scouted the ice and the reports are very favorable. The launch site will be Fontana, Wisconsin on the West end of Lake Geneva. We will need to be courteous of the ISA event and possibly the WSSA event. This should not be an issue, as there seems to be plenty of ice. Continue to monitor the DN Hotline (414) 297-9238 for additional regatta information. Final confirmation will be Thursday 7:00pm. Get your runner sharp and be ready to have a great time on Lake Geneva!

Copied from DN website. The weather forcast is even promising.

Ensign768 and I just plowed a 1 mile x 30' - 40' oval track on Minnetonka's Gideon's Bay.
The course lies In an East-West direction to be abeam of our spring south winds.
We were able to get through the frozen drifts and down to bare ice. It is still a little rough but sailable. I think a day of sun or a little rain will do wonders. With the frozen drifts gone it should be fairly easy to clean off any new snow. the course is near the North shore and can be driven to from Excelsior's access or the Shorewood Yacht Club.

Lake Pulaski, Buffalo, MN – Ice Report:

The lake is 5-10% clear of snow, balance has 2-4” hard drifts, underlying ice is Rough, i.e., 36 Grit Rough… without some grooming, (no system in place yet), this is not an option. -

_________________

Lake Shetek, Tyler, MN – Ice Report.

Local non-sailors report the snow substantially melted in yesterday’s 55 deg F temps, and is smoother that he thought it would be, & will send pics this afternoon, they are willing to plow/groom a "short course" if needed, & we come and drink in their bar! Details tomorrow!

With the permission of: © 2008 World IceRacing Tour, Milepost 8, MN, All Rights Reserved.

Checked lakes as far west as lake crystal near Mankato, and north to Nicolet and back on 2/22, fields around Mankato are almost bare but the lakes were still covered, we need a few warm days.

Today's forecast warm temperatures will melt down a lot of the snow cover on Minnesota's frozen lakes. There are a some lakes that have been just outside the envelope for sailing since the New Year began, e.g., Lake Pulaski near Buffalo has not seen 3 inches of snow in total since we sailed there between Christmas and New Years.

The NWS Interactive Snow Map shows no snow cover in the Marshall/Tracy area in SW Minnesota, with current 10:00 AM temps at 36 F, and forecast high temperatures today in the Mid 40s! We're looking for an ice report on Lake Shetek.

The webcams on Okoboji show about 25% clear / 75% snow cover.

Matt Struble, US 183, of Michigan, has achieved one of the great pinnacles in Sailing, Winning the North American, European and World Championships in a Single Season, successfully defending his 2007 World and North American Championships, Matt take his place as one of the true great ones in Sailing, hard or soft water.

Struble's demonstrated spectacular speed, winning all but one of the 6 North American Championship Races, on Lake Pepin, MN and consistency by winning only one of the 12 Races Sailed at the Worlds and European Chamionships, but always being close. In what one former world champion called a veneue that is always flukey in the wind department. His worst finishes (throw out race) in 18 major regatta starts, was a 9th, in the Europeans, 7th in the Worlds, and he threw out a 4th place finish in the North Americans.

From: European Championship Provisional Scores

American Sailors and those we know who sail in Minnesota...

GOLD
                               R1  R2  R3  Points Pos
1   US- 44     Sherry, Ron      6   1   1    8,00    1   
3   US- 183    Struble, Matt    4   2   9   15,00   3 *1 pt to 2 
5   US- 4691   Dennis, John    11   13  7   31,00    5   Better!
8   US- 4480   Stange, Aaron    2   8   22  32,00    8 
10   G- 107    Zeiger, Bernd    3   27  4   34,00   10
18  US- 4379   Harper, John    16   28  14  58,00   18

Final Confirmation:
NIYA Regatta ON for Geneva Lake at Fontana, WI
February 18, 2008

NIYA News from the webpage:
Geneva Lake welcomes all iceboat sailors (of good nature) to the Northwest Regatta! Plans are under way for a fun filled and good racing weekend.
____________
From the Icemaker....

If you haven't done a Northwest, It's a must do at least once regatta, a real classic, all the Rock Stars are in Europe, odds are somebody new to winning will taste victory in the DN Fleet. It could be you! It is a sweet taste.

Northwest Regatta Home Page

From http://icesailing.org forums

Dietmar Gottke (Admin)
Post Number: 49
Posted on Wednesday, February 20, 2008 - 08:06 pm

Matt Struble won the Worlds 2008

Top 10
1. US183- 2-2-3-5-6-(7)-18
2. P155- 4-7-6-6-5-(10)-28
3. G624- (16)-8-10-8-4-3-33
4. S81- 8-1-14-2-9-(15)-34
5. US44- 1-(dnf)-1-1-11-20-34
6. P55 - 11-3-11-9-1-(19)-35
7. S8- 19-5-2-3-14-(28)-38
8. G107- (17)-6-12-12-3-13-46
9. US4691- 5-12-8-14-8-(25)-46
10.US4480- 3-10-16-10-16-(23)-55

Wind came in around 2 o�clock and was shifty in between, plus going up and down between very ight air.

---------------------

Tom Sweitzer sailed Geneva today (Wednesday)and suggested we hold off another week for the Nite Nationals to let some of the rough spots get knocked down. He said there were some real launchers in the area the Nites would have been sailing.

He knows his stuff as he's won the National 10 times.

Stay tuned.

Browner
Nite 559