Each year since 2008 I have held the Sakonnet River Race. We typically average 20-25 highly motivated paddlers and this year was no different. We did have some first timers spread thoughout the pack: Tim Hackett who has joined Tim Dwyer and I on our training paddles since Tim lives in Portsmouth too. Max and Olga have gotten the surfski bug who live in Wayland, Ma as do Leslie and Chris. Rhode Islanders Mike Florio and Chris Quinn realized that they too can compete on or in the water as part time life guarders. This two now are in the top 5 paddlers of the 2017 season and will only get better as their paddling skill level increases to match their fitness level.
The weather as you might imagine over the past 9 years has been variable from gales, to northernly/southernly downwinds, to flat and hot. This year we saw flat and cool with a westerly breeze that put most of us in the lee unless you chose to be out in the middle of the river. The river is a really like a small bay with bigger ocean conditions as you paddle south into Rhode Island Sound. This tide was not too much of a factor since it was low tide at the start of the race. I tried to be in the lee for the race figuring the wind would have more of a negative effect. Some not knowing the course stayed very far out in the wind though may have maximized the incoming tide, a balance for sure.
Mike Dostal, who will represent the USA in the World Marathons Championships in South Africa in October, joined us for the second time. Mike raced the Sakonnet in 2015 with limited ocean experience and paid the piper. Now with two years of intense flat water K1 training and some ocean races, he now is the hands own favorite of any race behind Greg Lesher. Mike took the lead from the start and never relinguished it. He did pause and let the pack gain ground prior to the 6.25 mile turn buoy, not knowing exactly what buoy to turn on at Third Beach. Not long afterwards he increased his lead again to win. Greg posted a second place while Mike Florio was just getting going in the last six miles making up the two minute gap he needed for a third place finish and another podium win. Leslie Chappel and Olga ? started thirty minutes early so they could finish with the men’s field. Last week, Leslie, Olga, Max, Chris and myself do half the course on a much different day, three foot beautifully formed downwind seas.
Mike joins a an extremely talented group of past winners, myself excluded: 2016 Jessie Lishchuk, 2015 Jan Lipinski, 2014 Borys Markin, 2013 Borys Markin, 2012 Flavio Costa, 2011 Sean Brennan, 2010 Wesley Echols, 2009 and 2008 Cory Lancaster. Borys hold the course record with a time of 1:32.45. Borys now living in Hawaii just completed his first Molokai a few weeks ago.
