The weather was cooperative. No hurricanes, floods, earthquakes, tsunamis, or thunderstorms. It was the competition in various classes that was lightning, as in fast.

Three boats bettered the previous course record of 1:47:19 set by Sean Brennan in 2009 in his Epic V-12 surfski. The surfski time was beaten by Ukranian Borys Markin with 1:47:02 in a Nelo Oceanski. Dan Gorriaran and Scott Whitney from powerhouse Narragansett Rowing Club rowed across the finish at 1:40:45 in their new Maas Double, more than six minutes off Sean’s record.

Good enough for a course record? Not. Calling themselves Samantuck (from their fearless leader Saman, and Saugatuck) they once again brought the C-Line Open Water Eight into service. This boat had been rowed in 2003 to a then course record of 1:53:19. This year though, they re-rigged it into an octuple – a sixteen oared sculling boat, finishing with a new course record of 1:38:47. I wonder if that might stand for a while? Hard to beat sixteen blades in the water!

These were three really fast times. I might have said blisteringly fast, but some of us that sat a little longer than those guys, know what a blistering pace really is!

Another course record was the first fourteen miles SUP paddler, Ross Stevens, with a time of 3:06:30. Ross has set the bar. That’s a good time for the race, but a long time standing up.

I want to mention the weather again. After getting used to bad weather for some weeks, calm weather was welcomed. Even those who were somewhat resigned to another flat-water race got enough texture to delight when the wind switched to ENE at just six mph or so. It doesn’t take much out of the east to raise a few waves here.

“Everyone thinks it is going to be flat calm, but if the wind switches to ENE like it is supposed to, it will be a different trip on the way back—there did you feel that breeze pick up?” I said to someone as a Cats’ paw breeze fore-shadowed conditions.

It was discussed like it was two races: flat to start, wavy to finish. “Yea, it was like two races. I lost both!” was my repeated jest.

Wee had eighty-one boats, fourteen classes, and two distance options. It was like 28 races to the timing and tabulations crews! Thanks to them for a job well done!] A good day was had by all. Did I mention the weather was nice?

Long Live Open Water

Wayne Lysobey