WASHBURN — Houlton’s Fred Ludwig made it a “three-peat” May 22 when he laid down the fastest time in Aroostook River Fun Run, paddling the 8-mile course in 59:11 minutes. More than 50 kayakers and canoeists participated in the Rotary Club-sponsored event.
Staff photo/Mark Putnam
Family-focused fun was the theme of the third annual Aroostook River Fun Run canoe-kayak race/bike poker run on May 22, sponsored by the Washburn and Presque Isle Rotary Clubs. Caribou’s Mark Shea, who organized the bicycle leg of the event, recruited his daughters and their friend — from left, Edie, 6, Hope, 9, and Danielle Hanson, 10 – to paddle the 8-mile course.
New this year to the Fun Run was a Wildlife-themed bicycle poker run along the riverside railroad trail. Both events began at Washburn’s Thomas Brewer Park and ended with a barbecue and awards ceremony at the Presque Isle Fish and Game Club.
Other divisional winners in the charity river race were:
Open Class: Dave Conley of Weston and Andrew Gilman of Danforth, 1:16:12 minutes; and Skip and Scott Fletcher of Fort Kent, 1:25:28; and Leigh and Alex Morrow, both of Washburn, 1:26:18. Conley and Gilman also won the Two Men Experienced Canoe and Senior/Junior Canoe categories. The Morrows won the Two Men Novice Canoe division.
Senior Class (age 65 and over): Ron Bomberger of Manheim, Penn., 1:10:57 minutes and Norman Page of Limestone, 1:23:51. Bomberger also won the One Man Experienced Canoe division, edging out Francis Cyr of Caribou, 1:12:03 and Jim Park of Presque Isle, 1:12:34.
Century Division (paddling pairs with combined age of over 100): S. Harold Pierce of Blaine and S. Hume Pierce of PI, 1:26:43 minutes; Linda and Henry Staples of Connor TWP, 1:34:34; and Charles Namur of Presque Isle and Jenny Karp of Silver Spring, Md., 2:04:28. The Staples won the Couple Novice Canoe category.
Student (high school and college) Division: William Popov of Presque Isle, 1:21:59 minutes; Devon Cote of Connor TWP, 1:22:22; Lucas Butler and Adam Davis, both of Caribou, 1:29:29; and Mitchell Bartlett of Danforth and Connie Dowie of St. Thomas, N.B., 1:32:22. Popov also won the One Man Novice Kayak division.
Two Women Novice Canoe: Pat Allen of Limestone and Andrea Drabek of Presque Isle, 1:38:40 minutes.
Two Women Experienced Canoe: Fran Bomberger and Whitney Clugston, both of Manheim, Penn., 1:33:48 minutes.
One Woman Novice Kayak: Glenda Capps of Presque Isle, 1:32:48 minutes; Amanda Perkins, 100.14 minutes; and Barbara Lovely, 100.18 minutes.
Staff photo Mark Putnam
Linda and Henry Staples of Connor TWP are perennial participants in the Aroostook River Fun Run from Washburn to Presque Isle. This year they won the couple, novice division with a time of 1:34:34. They also placed second in the century category.
One Woman Experienced Kayak: Christa Galipeau of Presque Isle, 1:32:07 minutes; and Michell Andersen of Presque Isle, 1:36:55.
Couple Novice Canoe: Tim Ring and Heidi Cote, both of Caribou, 1:52 minutes.
One Man Experienced Kayak: Ludwig, 59:11 minutes; David McCrossin, Caribou, 1:16:42; Brent Andersen of Presque Isle, 1:21:46.
Two Men Experienced Kayak: Brian Hamel and Nathan King, both of PI, 1:24:17 minutes.
Mitchell Bartlett of Danforth won the Old Town Otter kayak doorprize.
Zach Rice of Bridgewater won the Wildlife poker run bike event and claimed a Family Ski Package donated by Bigrock Ski Area.Valerie Antonio of Presque Isle also took part in the poker run.
Proceeds from the third annual Aroostook River Fun Run canoe, kayak and bicycle race benefit Girl Scouts Troop 241 of Ashland, who helped again with this year’s event. Co-chairmen of this year’s event were Gretchen Morse and Mark Putnam, of the PI Rotary Club, and Keith Brown of Washburn Rotary.
Staff photo Mark Putnam
Caribou’s Fran Cyr paddled his racing canoe in the one-man, experienced division, covering the 8-mile course in 1:12:03, just over a minute behind the winner.
Staff photo Mark Putnam
Tim Ring and Heidi Cote, both of Caribou, navigated their canoe to a first-place finish in the couple, novice category at 1:52.
Staff photo Mark Putnam
Kayaker Devon Cote of Connor TWP placed second in the student division with a time of 1:22:22.
