Joe Glickman off a sub par Blackburn Challenge due to the flu was feeling 100% today and he walloped the local boys by 5 minutes leading from the get go.

Tim Dywer, host, was on his home turf so he wanted to have a good show despite the extra pressure of hosting the race. Tim turned in a very good time (4th) and the race went off without a hitch.

Cooling off after a Great Race!

Steve Delguadio and Mark Ceconi, paddling partners, along with Big Jim Hoffman are always in the mix and today was no different with Steve and Mark seconds apart, Jim having the best race of the season coming in 5th and only 30 seconds behind Tim. I watched Jim silently pass me at mile 10 looking absolutely smooth as butter in the jobblies while he doggedly chased down Tim who had at least a 2-3 minute lead and successfully closed the gap to only 30 seconds.  The only odd thing about this was that Jim did not speak to me the half mile he rode my wash or when he passed me. What’s up with that Jim? Where is the love?

Tom Kerr, looking like an infomercial on how to get buff in one season, is looking forward to their U.S. Surfski Championships with Jim and Steve, while nursing some tendonitis, hopes to be in top form for S.Fran.

Jeff Beneville had a very good 1st race in his surfski. This is Jeff’s home court also living in Jamestown. Jeff won the Epic paddle in the raffle!!

Mountain Bill Leconte was fresh of the Wyoming Mountains after a 9 day solo trek in almost complete isolation which is how Bill prefers it.  There are some physically bigger paddlers in our group but no one is more fit than Bill and no one loves the big water as much.

Ken Larson on a solo trek without Kathy Manizza (his wife) showed up for the race.  Ken decided with little hesitation asking himself; do I want to paddle a surfski today and have a blast, or paddle 13 miles flatwater tomorrow in the New England Championships.  Ken made the right choice!!!

Mike Tracy realizing everyone over 50 needs more recovery time, decide he would take a few more days off than he did for the Blackburn and the results showed this despite being constantly tapped by the bow of Marcus’s boat as he rode Mikes wash the entire way.

Alex McClain looked fresh as a cucumber as she passed me in the last half mile to claim 6th place.  Unlike Mike Tracy who rarely looks at who is riding his wash, I rode Alex’s wash for about a half mile and what we know about Alex is that she is an expert at riding wash, however she constantly is looking behind her if she thinks you are on her wash. It could have been the 4 or 5th times I tapped her ski and she had had enough.

Bob Cappelini after finally getting a boat that was not damaged and looking like super fit (retirement is good!), had a good race in his new Evo.

Ken Cooper though running a little late for the race, had a very good race despite not being able to put in the miles of the past few seasons. It was good to see Ken after his absence from the Blackburn.

Chris Chappell although not 50 yet, could take a lesson out of the Mike Tracy newly crafted training manual, taking a few rest days before a major race may be not be a bad idea and that would include no weight training or flatwater racing with his buds on the Charles River before a race.

I was able to meet Joe Calto from New York who actually tented the night before on Jamestown at Fort Getty.  Not my idea of getting a good nights sleep but Joe did not seem to mind too much.

Rod McClain often paddling the lone OC1, and former Olympic C1 paddler, must have a great sense of fatherly accomplishment seeing his daughter Alex, consistently whipping most of the field.  I took my lashes yesterday.  The lashes are not quite so bad as Alex is always smiling as she is passing me.

Marcus Demuth enjoying a second place finish was stuck like glue to Mike.  This takes mega concentration on Marcus’s part.  I guess if you can do the Falkland Islands, solo, in a kayak, often paddling at night of the total of 680 miles, 13 miles of riding wash in the ocean is no problem.  Well Done!

Dave Grainger, while not finishing the race, showed me his Mako 6 modification job. Dave a brilliant boat fabricator cut down the hump in his 6 that looks absolutely beautiful. Dave’s modification jobs are impressive!

~ Wesley