Rain held up registration for the annual Sugar Creek Canoe Race on May 21 a little, but cleared off and participants were able to start the race on time.
The Stwalley Short Race (4 mile) started at 1:20 p.m. and had six participants. Bob Stwalley’s granddaughter, Elizabeth Stwalley, and friend Quinn Burns won with a finishing time of 45 minutes and 40 seconds. Last year’s winning time was around 1 hour, 30 minutes. The creek was moving pretty good so it didn’t take long.
Second place Shelbie Woodall finished with time of 48 minutes, 56 seconds. Third place Brian Leach finished at 49 minutes, 10 seconds; and fourth place went to Mike Fons and his daughter, Julie Fons, at 52 minutes, 41 seconds. Julie Fons was a first timer on the creek so she did well. And like her father is now a lover of Sugar Creek.
The 15-mile race started around 1:30 p.m. In the professional category, first place went to Matt Conrad in his sea kayak with a finishing time of 2 hours, 24 minutes and 37 seconds. Bill Kanust finished second in his one-man canoe with a time of 2 hour, 24 minutes and 40 seconds. Pretty exciting finish for Conrad and Kanust. Third place professional went to Terry Pontius and Craig Skeet in their two-man canoe with a finishing time of 2 hours, 26 minutes and 36 seconds. Fourth place was George Tinsley and Hilman Culp in their two-man aluminum canoe with a finishing time of 2 hours, 46 minutes and 31 seconds.
The 15-mile recreational first place went to Tracy Mobly and Aaron Cravens with a finishing time of 4 hours, 3 minutes and 21 seconds. Second and third place, Michelle Redmon and Carla McCandless, finished head to head in their kayaks with a time of 4 hours, 36 minutes.
And of course we can’t fail to mention the Emergency Management CERT team Brian and Brandon that canoed the entire 15 miles sweeping to make sure all paddlers were accounted for and staying safe.
Over all the race went great with no serious incidents, injuries or drop outs. The only mishap was when Kanust paddled past the four-mile point in 32 minutes ahead of the pack then became tangled in some trees. Thankfully, he was able to get back on track with some help from one of the CERT volunteers. However, he dumped his water supply and was figuring on finishing the last 11 miles without water. Once again the CERT team came to the rescue and lowered him some water from the bridge at the next check point.
Friends of Sugar Creek and the Visitors Bureau would like to thank everyone that attended the race, volunteered, paddled or cheered paddlers on. We love the community and the gem we have in Sugar Creek.
