Local paddlers conquer Kenduskeag Stream race

Contributed photo/Marilyn Stoddard
CANOE RACE — East Grand student Mitchell Bartlett with his first place trophy he won in the Jr./Sr. division of the Kenduskeag Stream Canoe Race Saturday with a time of 2:37:37.
By Joseph Cyr
Staff Writer
    KENDUSKEAG — Several East Grand students and Danforth residents braved the icy waters of the Kenduskeag Stream Saturday to compete in the 45th annual canoe/kayak race.
    More than 900 people entered the race this year, but many of the East Grand students were not able to compete in the race due to the minimum age requirement of 16. Those under the age of 16 had to paddle with an adult.
    According to Dave Conley, of the East Grand canoeing program, there could have been more high school paddlers, but they were too young.
    Tammi Matula of Weston and East Grand eighth-grader Cassidy Woo of Danforth won the C-2 Women’s Rec Division with a time of 3:03:04.
    “Cassidy joined the canoeing program at East Grand three weeks ago and really has enjoyed the races,” Conley said.
    In the Senior/Junior division, Daggett Wayne of Topsfield and Kenneth Winiarski of Forest Township came in sixth with a time of 3:02:42.
Contributed photo/Marilyn Stoddard
TEAM UP — Tammi Matula, left, teamed up with East Grand student Cassidy Woo during Saturday’s Kenduskeag Stream Canoe Race for a first place finish in the women’s recreation division with a time of 3:03:04.
    In the High School Recreation Division East Grand’s Kevin Hagerty of Brookton and Billy Holmes of Danforth came in fifth with a time of 3:34:57.
    The team of Mitchell Bartlett and Conley of Weston won the Junior/Senior Division with a time of 2:37:37.
    Also participating from the local area were Peter Blood of Houlton and Clint Cushman of Hodgdon, who finished second in the C-2 long class with their time of 2:30.47.