First course: Weather, changes in course make for grueling state canoe opener
By LYDIA COTTRELL lcottrell@timesobserver.comFact Box
Monday's results
Single races
C1 Men (18+) Class: 1. Dylan Freedman, Rochester, N.Y., 1:04:37.76
C1 Man Master (40+): 1. Bob Allen, 65, Westfield, Mass., 1:47:33.83; 2. Jeff Pederson, 47, Gilbertsville, N.Y., 1:50:55.71; 3. Bill Robinson, 62, Cazeonovia, N.Y., 1:52:47.23; 4. Jake Jones, 70, Beardman, Ohio, 2:25:10.91
K1 Woman Sea Kayak (18+): 1. Dawn McCracken, 26, Woodland, Pa., 2:11:02.90; 2. Linda Charles, 58, Grampian, Pa., 2:23:53.28; 3. Debra Witowski, 54, New Brighton, Pa., 2:48:00.50
K1 Downriver Man (18+): 1. Jake Rabatim, 56, Mountville, Ohio, 2:02:15.45; 2. Doug Keiper, 62, Celebration, Fla., 2:05:20.28; 3. Michael Good, 40, Beaver, Pa., DNF
K1 Man Sea Kayak (18+): 1. Terry Streib, 71, Bristol, Ind., 1:13:05.42; 2. Jim Goochee, 57, Port Allegany, Pa., 1:14:34.89; 3. Larry Cowan, 46, Burnham, Pa., 1:49:12.82; 4. Gary Ballina, 51, Elizabethtown, Pa., 1:50:03.67; 5. Jerry Patton, 70, Port Allegany, Pa., 1:50:30.25; 6. Gary Mullen, 57, Carlisle, Pa., 1:52:55.33; 7. Will Smith, 49, Edinboro, DNF.
Doubles races
C2 Men (18+): 1. Marc Gillespie/Jason Quagliata, 1:03:55.59; 2. Mark Kopta/Fran Kopta, Clymer, N.Y., 1:50:44.67; 3. Gareth Stevens/Aaron Vidusek, Hubertus, WI., 1:54:07.16.
C2 Men Master (40+): 1. Tom Yarosh/Bruce Lee, Lindsor, N.Y., 1:35:58.42; 2. Todd Roddman/Randy Bailey, Bedford, Pa., 1:36:05.62; 3. Richard Rankinen/Tom Thomas, Pa., 1:41:54.21; 4. Steve Martin/Scott Jacobs, Ridgway, Pa., 1:44:27.10; 5. David Sennett/Bill Kostra, Auburn, N.Y., 1:47:02.53; 6. Charlie Bruno/Nick Lyesuik, Saylorsburg, Pa., 1:50:24.65; 7. Laverne Young/Ken Gerg, Niceville, Fla., 1:50:50.94.
C2 Youth: 1. Annie Ripton/Glen Vandewinckel, Webster, N.Y., 1:09:18.76.
C2 Short Rec: 1. Ryan Hoffman/Jacob Hoffman, Sugar Grove, Pa., 1:45:18.91.
C2 Mixed: 1. Roland Muhlen/Linda Muhlen, Cincinnati, Ohio, 1:50:44.92; 2. Paul Gruber/Miranda Gruber, Irvine, Pa., 1:51:55.23; 3. Bob Bradford/Janet Bradford, Lapeer, Mi., 1:53:00.77; 4. Nancy Pyle/James Bittner, Rednoula, Pa., 2:00:06.61.
A change in the course for the Pennsylvania Association of Canoeing and Kayaking (PACK) State Championships left competitors extra exhausted after crossing the finish-line.
Race organizers were forced to change the race course after heavy rain left portions of the original course in dangerous condition, due to high water and debris. Instead of paddling from Kinzua Dam to Betts Park, the racers paddled from the dam to Shipmans Eddy and back - twice.
"It was brutal," said Randy Bailey, who finished second in the two-man canoe master class with his partner Todd Roddman.
PACK President Kenny Gerg also competed in the race. "It was tough," he said.
Compared to the original course, both Gerg and Bailey said the modified course was much more difficult.
When considering the weather's effect on the race course, Bailey said, "I was afraid I wasn't going to get any training in."
His fears soon drifted away as he and his partner paddled against an approximately eight mile-per-hour current coming back to the dam.
"One lap would have been good enough," he admitted.
Despite the extra workout from paddling up stream, the change in course could be a disadvantage for some.
The original course was the same as the course the U.S. Canoe Association National Championships will follow later this week.
Not once the course had changed.
Dylan Freedman, of Rochester, N.Y., said this was his first time on the Allegheny River course. Freedman finished in first in is his class and is mentally preparing for national championships.
"It would have been nice to actually run the course. I've never been on it," he said.
Although the weather shook up the race, the competitors were happy with what the course turned out to be.
"It was a good course," Freedman said. "It was a lot of fun."
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