The three International 14's represented the only fleet that sailed that first Ice Bowl and that sailed every year until 1974 when the Solings began their own thirty-one year series. J-22's have been out twice before, but never in such numbers. Their presence expanded the total fleet to twenty boats, surely the largest that ever sailed an Ice Bowl.

The day was one of the nicest in Ice Bowl history - sunshine, 50+ degrees, and 10 knots of oscillating northwesterly. The fleets sailed the traditional course - in this case beating up river from Weem's Creek to a mark to the southeast of the island, splitting into two fleets as they opted to round the island clockwise or counter-clockwise, setting their spinnakers, and running home.

A newcomer to Solings, Dave Lavis, led the fleet halfway up the river until he ran aground off Pines-on-Severn. Stu Walker, the winner of the inaugural event (sailing his 48th Ice Bowl), took over, pulled away from the fleet as they crossed Round Bay, and elected to round the island clockwise. The second Soling, Tom Davies, tried the reverse (a gambit that has only worked once before!) and led half the Solings and half the J-22's in the wrong direction. Peter Gleitz, in fourth as he approached the island, followed Walker, came out well ahead of Davies, and closed considerably on the leader as they sailed down river in the failing breeze. Walker won his 27th Ice Bowl - ten in International 14's and 17 in Solings - with Gleitz 2nd, Davies 3rd, Joe Van Gieson 4th, and Henry Thomas 5th. Thomas was awarded the Sam Merrick Trophy for his excellent downwind performance (aftering rounding the island the wrong way), emulating the master of downwind sailing, the late Sam Merrick.

Solings started at 12:14 and the first finisher crossed at 2:10

1. 842 Stuart Walker
2. 788 Peter Gleitz
3. 798 Tom Davies
4. 717 Joe Van Geisen
5. 799 Henry Thomas (Sam Merrick Award)
6. 732 John Standiford.
7. 778 Dave Lavis
8. 852 Bruce Breiding

Source: Soling Class