Dana Gaines wins 22nd Oar and Paddle

By Ralph Stewart
August 29, 2012

Dana Gaines

Dana Gaines of Edgartown, Massachusetts, added another winner’s medal to his expansive collection with a dominating performance in the 22nd annual Oar and Paddle Regatta Sunday morning in Oak Bluffs.

Gaines, competing in a light, 28-pound, white surf ski kayak, appropriately made by Stellar, completed the 2.7 mile course on Sengekontacket Pond and Nantucket Sound in a swift 22:30.

Brian Mann came in second (26:40), followed by Percy Burt (26:46) in a kayak patched together with duct tape. Randy Durbin (27:35) was fourth, and Jordi Cabanas (27:44) placed fifth.
Sixty-Four competitors riding in three dozen kayaks, a canoe, a rowboat, and a passel of paddle boards, lined up for the start in Sengekontacket on as beautiful a morning as there has ever been for the event.
The only difficulty was a stiff breeze, which wasn’t a factor on the downwind leg in the Pond, but surely was an obstacle during the upwind leg in Nantucket Sound. Once the competitors made their way down Senge, they were met by some choppy surf under the big bridge between Oak Bluffs and Edgartown.

Awards were given in 20 categories, including a special honor for Geasi (Chaz) Marques, who picked up the Best Finish Award for doing a fabulous spill upon exiting his kayak after reaching the finish line in 39:20.
The rest of the awards were as follows: Sea Kayak, Male, Fiberglass, Brian Mann 26:40; Sea Kayak, Male, Plastic, Percy Burt 26:46; Sea Kayak, Male, Wooden, Jordi Cabanas 27:44; Senior Male Over 60, Dan Renehan 29:40; Sea Kayak, Double, Female/Female, Jessica Kanozak & Kristy Bergantim 30:01; Sea Kayak, Double, Male/Female, Terry & Eric Copeland 31:59; Sit On Top, Male, Plastic, Jeff Tijar 34:10; Sea Kayak, Female, Plastic, Louise Swartz 35:22; Sea Kayak, Double, Male/Female, Sharry & Dave Grunden 35:31; Sit On Top Double, Female/Female, Hayley Thompson and Lenore Tsikitas; Sea Kayak, Female, Fiberglass Fran Loftus 38:20; Recreation, Female, Plastic, Ellen Berube 39:00; Kayak Double with 3 dogs, Bridget Dunnigan & Rogers Williams with Dupree, Mullet and Hogan 41:48; Sea Kayak, Female, Youth (age 11), Caroline Keller 46:20; Canoe, Chelsea, Ryan, Taylor (age 5), Phoebe (age 2) 48:34; Senior Female Over 60, Diane Dimitri 52:35; Sea Kayak Male Youth (age 16), Liam Walsh 53:03; Rowboat and Senior Male over 70, Jay Schofield 54:30.

In the Stand Up Paddle Board race, Patricia Jette came in first with a time of 17:20. Laura Cotter took second in 18:20 and Sasha Hoban placed third in 21:00.

The 2012 Oar and Paddle was sponsored by Island Spirit Kayak, Karpet Kare, Stanza Lone, Martha’s Bike Rentals, Bic Sport, The Green Room, Offshore Ale, The Carlson Family and Friends, and Kris and Bill Vrooman. Proceeds from the event went to Friends of Sengekontacket.