|
| Ice Sprinters |
 Five sailors from metro Detroit have found their calling lying on their backs in single digit temperatures, whipping across a frozen lake at 120 mph.
These brave ice warriors are part of the 13 Americans, the largest contingent ever, heading to the World Ice Boat Championships. "For the first time, we have a significant group putting up a good challenge, Matt Struble, the current North American champion, told the Detroit Free Press.
Ice boats, which look much like flat-bottomed sailboats with three blades that skim across ice. These boats are powered by sail and wind, sailing as fast as five times the wind speed. Sailors start their boat by pushing it and leaping into the cockpit, much like a bobsled. The sailor then steers the boat while on their back, controlling the sails as the cruise across the ice.
Ice-breaking boats working to keep shipping channels open have hampered the ice boat racing recently on Lake St. Clair. "Moving ice creates jams and ridge which aren't safe," Ron Sherry, owner of several world titles, told the Detroit Free Press. Saginaw Bay and the many inland lakes of Michigan have made up for this loss of a proving ground, though.
To see previous Spotlights in our new, easier to read Spotlight archive, click here, or discuss this story on our new message boards.
|
|
|
|
 "Click for larger image")