Annnd they’re off….

16 teams circle around as the pace canoe jockeys into position for a rolling start.

Most are lined up even with Ketter/Harberts as they approached, some strategically near the bank. The gun sounded and they’rrrre off! 16 canoes wide and the largest wake this side of a 6 metric ton barge. Canny/Gannon & Stags/Stevens are the 1^st two teams to fall off the wake, then the Sponholz’s (Mark and aka spinster schoolmarm). Ketter/Harberts lost control and spun out. Twelve canoes passed Ketter’s landing abreast, no one able to break the pack. Peterson/L Manns and Jones/Mersinger on the left side start to edge forward causing a chain reaction. Canoes on the right now being pressed toward shore in a NASCAR nightmare. In the rapids, Jones/ Mersinger & Gardner/Danasky, the 3^rd team to break from the pack go left. There is a scramble as some teams want to go right through the rapids. There are teams cutting each other off all over the river as the two packs take shape. The right side takes a slight advantage; A Manns/ Egalkrout and Ketter/Harberts from the right catch up with Lorenzen/Pedersen and E Peterson/C Dubois of the left group.

As they fall into line, the islands are the next area of decision. J Dubois/Boehrer and S Peterson/ L Manns take the lead from the rapids right group and lead Jones/Mersinger and Gardner/Danasky go river right past the islands. Others follow. But, J.Larson/Ottenberg sitting in 5^th split the islands to go river left. Others have to decide again which group to follow. All went river right except Ketter/Harberts now in 13^th.

When the teams emerge at the end of the island, it is clear the left was better. Larson/Ottenberg 1^st to the bridge with Ketter/Harberts jumping past 11 canoes to get into 2^nd.

Now the upstream river reading which is a critical leg. Jones/Mersinger are the 3^rd canoe around the bridge with S. Peterson/ L Manns on their tail. J Dubois/Boehrer and Jones/ Messinger follow the west bank all the way north. Others split with S. Peterson/ L Manns heading up the right side but next to the island. Gardner/Danasky stay river west side,but cross one channel to stay near the island. The rest now have to decide which of the four methods to follow. This is now an aerobic chess game.

Meanwhile, Stages/Stevens have hit a bridge pier and flipped and are now swimming toward Mpls.Arenz/ I Jensen also have flipped somewhere near shore and have a lot less swimming to do. (Actually, Jeff Stagfes just thought they tipped over, and he was determined to catch theml. Truth be told, in good sportmanship, Ed Arenz and Ian Jensen waited to make sure the swimming team was ok.)

As the canoes emerge from the top of the islands, the choices have narrowed to two main courses. West bank and East Bank. On the east Bank, Larson/Ottenberg hold a sizeable lead. Ketter/Harberts and Peterson/L Manns are 2^nd and 3^rd respectively. All others on river west are now about 1 min back but in a bunched up upstream frenzy.

J Dubois/Boehrer are holding a slight lead over Jones/Mersinger and Gardner/Danasky on the west side. About a minute back is a pack of 7, a sequel from races past. Ole was just waiting to for a chance to pass Dubois/Boehrer - right up until Jones blew out his footbrace. After that, he's pretty sure they were lucky just to stay in the boat.

The big question is, the teams on river east, now sitting 1 through 3 must cross the river. Where? When? How much time will they loose?

Peterson/Manns are the 1^st to cross at the rapids. They fall all the way back to the pack of 7. But they are fast and are moving through the teams quickly. Larson/Ottenberg next, past Ketters Landing. With the sizeable lead, they are in front, 3 blocks from the end. They will finnish 1^st with a time of 47.43.

Ketter/Harberts are the last to cross by the white house. The second wave have a clear advantage.

2nd was J Dubois and Boehrer finishing at 49.51,

3^rd to Jones/Mersinger @ 50.10.

Finisheng 4th Gardner and Danasky could not jump the big teams wave @ 50.17,

7 seconds back.

5th , S Peterson/L Manns caught the second wave, but ran out of time to pass any more. 50.22

The pack of 7 in being joined by Ketter/Harberts. With the record breaking crowd of 14 screaming, and Ketter wheezing. It is hard to hear clearly the commanding huts.

6^th E Peterson/C Dubois is 2 wakes up at 51.38

7^th Ketter Harberts by a nose at 51.41

8^th Lorenzen/Pederson 51.41+

9^th Kilgore/Strickler 51.43

10^th J Manns/Dexel 51.51

11^th M & Sarah Sponholz 52.07 (Now they are truly married)

12^th A Manns/Eggelkraut 52.11

13^th Canny/Grannon 52.32

The paramedics didn’t know who to help 1^st. It was a bonafide exercise in triage.

14th A Dubois/Bornsen finished  with a time of 54.03

But the race wasn’t over yet. The two teams that had tipped were still there and in the spirit of competition, did not want to be last in the race or on this page. Stags/Stevens were catching Arenz/I Jensen

Of the last two teams, Staggs/STevens tips a second time.

A couple of canadian Geese gently swam across the finish line before Ed Arenz and company.

15^th Arenz/Jensen with a time of 1.01.13

16^th Stags/Stevens 1.08.42

The race was replayed over many times at the pot luck at Ketter’s landing.

Special moments relived:

1. Lilly Manns legitimately beat both her parents, Ann and Joe, no minor feat.

2. Jason Larson stated as the beginning when he sized up the competition, he had hoped to just finish with out tipping and was hoping for a top 10 finish.

3. When Io Harberts went around the bridge and had moved up to 2^nd, she was speechless for at least 30 seconds.

4. Ian Jensen is the grand son of the late Eugene Jensen. And the legend continues.

5. Ann Manns gave Kolls Egekrout his 1^st in-race decision; follow the group or Ketter, his only partner up to this day. He chose wrong, he went with the group.

6. Marsh Jones and Ole Messinger were the most improved taking 3^rd.

7. Quote of the day…after the race and referencing all the different ways teams went. “Interesting” M Jones. What do you expect from a computer geek? “RAD”?

8 Glad the Sheriff didn’t show up, forgot to get a permit.

9.Most spectators not affiliated with any particular team in years

10. Most true rookies (10) in years?

Thanks and congratulations to all.