Paddlers take to the water in Dover-Foxcroft Kiwanis’ 44th Piscataquis River Race

DOVER-FOXCROFT — A total of 96 racers across 65 boats made the near 10-mile journey from King Cummings Park in Guilford to the finish line across West Main Street from Foxcroft Academy in the Dover-Foxcroft Kiwanis Club’s 44th annual Piscataquis River Race on April 23. The entrants took part in 17 race classes of kayaks and canoes in three categories — racing, recreational and challenge.

Observer photo/Stuart Hedstrom

THREE SOLO KAYAKERS — The racing one person short kayak class departs from the starting line on Saturday in Guilford. Mark Bamford, middle, had the fastest time of the three in 1 hour, 7 minutes and 12 seconds with Larry Merrill, bottom, finishing second and John Carter placing third in the class.

The Bob Darling Memorial Trophy was awarded by Doris Darling, wife of the late Bob Darling who is a past Kiwanis president and long-time chair of the Piscataquis River Race. Since 2009 the names of the fastest all-class kayak and canoe are added to the Bob Darling Memorial Trophy.

This year’s honorees are Ben Randall, who paddled his kayak in 53 minutes and 50 seconds, and Barry and Lori Dana who had the fastest canoe time at 1 hour and 2 seconds.

Full results are as follows — Class 1 Open Speed Challenge: 1. Randall 53.50.

Class 2 Racing One Person Kayak Short K-1: 1. Mark Bamford 1:07.12; 2. Larry Merrill 1:10.33; 3. John Carter 1:17.55.

Class 3 Racing One Person Kayak Long (Wildwater Hull) K-1: 1. Patty Harding 1:16.34.

Class 4 Racing One Person Open Canoe OC-1: 1. Charlie Smith 1:02.32; 2. Bill Anderson 1:04.16; 3. Reinhard Zollitsch 1:09.25; 4. R.W. Estela 1:24.47; 5. Henry Deschane 1:42.32.

Class 5 Racing Two Person Open Canoe Short OC-2: 1. Bob and Tristan Martin 1:09.44.

Class 6 Racing Two Person Open Canoe Medium OC-2: 1. Barry and Lori Dana 1:00.02; 2. Bill Eighan and Ralph Robertson 1:02.25; 3. Brad Krog and Eric Taylor 1:02.47; 4. Irving Gilbert (who has taken part in all 44 races) and Stanley Levitsky 1:07.29.

Class 7 Recreational One Man Kayak K-1: 1. Joel Cyr 1:22.04; 2. Darango Arno 1:32.35; 3. Brandon Dyer 1:33.23; 4. Ken Beach 1:37.40; 5. Jim Greehey 1:37.41.

Class 8 Recreational One Woman Kayak K-1: 1. Heather Dexter 1:28.39; 2. Diane Stephen 1:36.30; 3. Cathy McKenzie 1:36.31.

Class 9 Recreational Two Person Kayak K-2: no entries.

Class 10 Recreational One Person Open Canoe OC-1: 1. Mark Risinger 1:10.46; 2. Katahdin Fitzgerald 1:11.25; 3. Kellen Doyle 1:12.23; 4. Mike Kelley 1:16.56; 5. Francois van Kerkhovan 1:18.33; 6. Peggy McKee 1:19.52; 7. Brent Miles 1:21.12; 8. Tim Pese 1:22.03; 9. Susanna Owen did not finish.

Class 11 Recreational Two Person Open Canoe Short OC-2: 1. Craig Bryant and Aaliyah Ellis 1:19.14; 2. Alexis and Ryan London 1:21.17; 3. Scott Gourley and Mike Nichols 1:47.05.

Class 12 Recreational Two Person Open Canoe Short OC-2: 1. Hannah and David Rubin 1:10.07; 2. James Seymour and Rich May 1:11.37; 3. Tom Wakeland and Matt Huskins 1:14.24; 4. Peter Boyer and Marcus Ross 1:15.49; 5. Meghan Kennedy and Paige Offen 1:21.27.

Class 13 Recreational Junior/Senior Open Canoe OC-2: 1. Katie and Jeff Owen 1:04.58; 2. Dave and Maeve Littlefield 1:11.50; 3. Chris and Katie Dalton 1:15.24; 4. Benjamin and William Stern 1:22.03; 5. Brad and Tobias Coffey 1:22.21; 6. Winslow and Margaret Jefferey 1:26.25; 7. Dave and David Hession 2:22.39; 8. Andrew and Ryan Lathe 2:22.40.

Class 14 Recreational Ancient Mariners Open Canoe OC-2: 1. Peter Blood and Clint Cushman 1:09.03; 2. Terry Wescott and Chip Loring 1:09.18; 3. Bob Miller and Steve Lacasse 1:11.01; 4. Gregory Nolan and Deborah Gardiner 2:09.25.

Class 15 Couples Challenge OC-2: 1. River Robertson and Abby Bragg 1:02.28; 2. Sarah Whitty and Dale Hartt 1:07.33; 3. April Engle and Justin Theberge 1:29.31.

Class 16 Key Club/High School Challenge OC-2: 1. Eric Smith and Lucas Pease of Hampden Academy 1:28.23; 2. Jacob Marsh and Mason McLeish of Foxcroft Academy 1:30.54;

Class 17 Corporate/Public Service Challenge K-1 or K-2: 1. Caleb Pelletier of Dougherty Insurance Agency 1:14.30; 2. Michael Grow of Dougherty Insurance Agency1:18.03; 3. Stephen Carmichael Two Bridges Regional Jail 1:18.35; 4. Phil Dougherty of Dougherty Insurance Agency1:38.45.

Class 18 Corporate/Public Service Challenge OC-1 or OC-2: 1. Chris and Jarod Roy of MaineStream Internet 1:23.50.

The Dover-Foxcroft Kiwanis thanks all who were involved in the 44th annual Piscataquis River Race — a major fundraiser for the club — and the organization is looking forward to the 2017 event. For more, please go to www.doverfoxcroftkiwanis.org.

Observer photo/Stuart Hedstrom

LONG KAYAK — Patty Harding’s time of 1 hour, 16 minutes and 34 seconds was the fastest in the racing one person long kayak (wildwater hull) division of the 2016 Dover-Foxcroft Kiwanis Piscataquis River Race.

Observer photo/Stuart Hedstrom

FIRST TO FINISH — Ben Randall broke the hour-mark at 53 minutes, 50 seconds to win not only the open speed challenge class but also the fastest time honors of anyone in this year’s Piscataquis River Race. Randall bested the next best performance by over six minutes.

Observer photo/Stuart Hedstrom

AVOID THE ROCKS — Katie and Chris Dalton took part in the recreational junior/senior open class class during the Dover-Foxcroft Kiwanis’ 44th annual Piscataquis River Race on April 23.

Observer photo/Stuart Hedstrom

TIME OF THE ANCIENT MARINERS — Peter Blood and Clint Cushman were the winners in the recreational ancient mariners open canoe class at 1 hour, 9 minutes and 3 seconds.

Observer photo/Stuart Hedstrom

ALMOST THERE — Cathy McKenzie paddles her kayak under the railroad near the Piscataquis River Race finish line in Dover-Foxcroft.

Observer photo/Stuart Hedstrom

ONE PERSON CANOE — Charlie Smith was the first-place finisher in the racing one person open canoe class on April 23, in a time of 1 hour, 2 minutes and 32 seconds.