The cold doesn’t matter, as long as you get drunk!

Ice sailing

This year, nine Swiss sailors made the trip to Säkylä in Finland for the European Ice Sailing Championships. Nine speed and sailing enthusiasts came to compete against the best in the sport on a frozen stretch of water.

The Swiss Ice Sailing Fleet Association has 70 members, both owners and supporters. This season, three new owners have signed up for the European Championships, including Maxime Bachelin, helmsman of Alinghi Red Bull Racing. This rejuvenation demonstrates the dynamism of the Swiss class in this little-known discipline. In this championship, no Swiss will be sailing in the Rond Or. All hopes were pinned on Jean-Claude Vuithier, but a virus confined him to bed. Four Swiss competed in the Rond Argent and five in the Rond Bronze. In the Rond Argent, Ueli Marti took a superb 3rd place, qualifying for the Rond Or 2026. Maxime Bachelin, accompanied by his father Pierre, a regular in the discipline, showed remarkable progress, making the most of his America’s Cup expertise. In search of the optimum settings and perfect trajectories, he’ll be one to watch over the next few years, as the virus has caught on! The few races (2-2-2-5) raced by Jean-Claude Vuithier, who has been racing for 47 years, have shown that experience is gained through practice. An experience he shares through his invaluable advice.

In the Rond Bronze, Bernard Vananty won the chocolate medal – an understatement for a Swiss. Jean-Pierre Comtesse, 81, and Jean-Pierre de Siebenthal also shone, finishing in the top 10.

A large family

These results are no coincidence, as the Swiss are accustomed to meeting at the beginning of December on Lake Resia, Italy, for their first winter training camp. This is followed by some sailing on Lac des Rousses when it’s in good condition. Whatever the initial objective, or the final result, Swiss ice sailing is above all a big family that likes to get together at the other end of Europe. Contract fulfilled once again.

DN, the queen discipline

Ice sailing is a sport discipline in its own right, with its own set of rules and a wide range of supports, from the Optimist on ice for juniors to the 15m Classic. DN is the world’s leading ice sailing discipline. IDNIYRA, the international association, is its mainstay. As soon as the bitter cold sets in and the water freezes under a layer of ice at least 7 centimetres thick, enthusiasts bring out their boats. These “three-legged barquettes” slice through the ice, driven by the wind. Specialists come from the Nordic countries, where this discipline is rooted in culture.

Each year, the calendar is punctuated by three major competitions: the World and European Championships, and the Grand Master (60+). And let’s not forget the national and regional championships, and the exotic event on Lake Baikal. The competitors, driven by an unquenchable passion, are not afraid of the miles!

The water puzzle

The choice of venue is a headache for the organizers. If possible, the event takes place in the host country. Perfect ice conditions, good weather and flawless logistics are essential. IDNIYRA has to anticipate problems: accommodation, transport, and even the possibility of moving the whole caravan (over 150 people) during the championship. To select the perfect water surface, Ice Scouts regularly report on conditions encountered at local competitions. This allows organizers to fine-tune their options (A, B or C) right up to the last minute. Competitors receive daily updates on the progress of their choices.

Ice sailing: an extreme and exciting sport

The competition takes place over a technical course of 3 round trips into the wind. The special feature here is that the start is taken by running, just like at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Competitors line up to the right and left of the starting line. As the DNs are ultra-fast (over 50 knots top speed), the number of competitors per round is limited to 50. The fleet is therefore governed by a pool system: Gold, Silver and Bronze Rounds. Depending on your world ranking, you will automatically qualify for one of these rounds. At the start of the event, a repechage allows those in the Bronze and Silver Rounds to move up to the next pool. How do you do this? Finish among the top twelve qualifiers in each round on the first day. This gives newcomers a chance to prove themselves…

The course, swallowed up in less than 20 minutes, is a concentrate of adrenalin. At these speeds, crossings demand great skill. The pulse is racing. The starting order for the round is as follows: odd on the right, even on the left. What about the rules? In order: upwind takes precedence over downwind; starboard takes precedence over port; the fastest boats move away from the slowest, leaving water at the buoy for those on the inside.