2025 DN Iceboat World Championships

2-4 February 2025

by Rod Carter

Matt Struble claimed his 5th World Championship title at the World Championship on Lake Winnebago, February 2-4, 2025, out-sailing 105 competitors. Just a few days later, from February 5-8, he went on to win his 7th North American Championship title, besting 31 competitors in the Silver fleet and 63 overall.

We had the chance to meet with Matt and hear more about his iceboat sailing journey. Matt's passion for sailing began at a young age. When he was around 7 or 8 years old, he ended up living down the street from Jan and Mead Gougeon in Bay City, Michigan, where he was introduced to the world of DN Iceboat sailing.

Now living in San Diego, California, Matt only sails DN iceboats for about two weeks each year. In preparation for both the World and North American Championships, Matt spent the first week of December in Minnesota, testing and tuning new equipment and changes. He sailed for six straight days with a group of fellow sailors to refine his setup. Afterward, he returned to San Diego to make further adjustments to his boat and rig. Over the Christmas holidays, he headed back to the Midwest for some final training sessions before the World Championship. Matt emphasizes that staying fit is crucial to his success in iceboat sailing.

Though he doesn't get to sail iceboats regularly due to his location in San Diego, Matt has worked to replicate the racing experience in other ways. He sails a variety of catamarans and foiling boats, and has even designed and built A-class catamarans. Over the years, he has won several North American Championships in these boats. More recently, Matt has taken to sailing the International Moth, which he claims is the closest thing to iceboat racing on “soft water.” The Moth is single-handed, highly technical, and physically demanding, providing a challenging experience similar to iceboat sailing.

If you'd like to hear more about Matt's World Championship experience, be sure to check out his appearance on the Sailing Anarchy podcast.

photos Anna Suslova