This 84thannual Rochester Memorial Day Boat Race on Monday was nothing like the 83rdlast year. No torrents of rain smashing steadily onto the hundreds of spectators and swamping the 100 participants in their canoes in a soup of rain and river water. This year, only cloudy skies hung above our heads – still hundreds of spectators, but unlike last year’s race, this year saw another dwindling in racers, down from 50 teams last year to 43 this year.
“It’s the lowest it’s been in a while,” said Dave Watling, boat race committee member. And why is that? “It’s a lot of work for a once-a-year event,” Watling supposes. And the younger generation is more involved in other sports, he added.
Dan Ferreira of Rochester, 51, thinks the weather last year had something to do with this year’s turnout.
“Last year turned a lot of people off,” said Ferreria. “Last year was the coldest I’d ever seen it.” And since he’s done the Memorial Day Race at least 30 times, he said, he should know.
“I’ve been racing since I was eight years old,” Ferreira said. He’s never come in first, “But I always shoot for the Top 10.”
Ferreira and his teammate Ben Ferreira, also of Rochester, came in ninth place in the Open Division at 2:12:45, reaching that goal once again.
Forty-three teams started the race, and 39 of them finished it.
This year’s Open Division champions were Dan Lawrence, Rochester, and William Watling III as they did last year, this year in at 1:50:03, a mere two minutes later than last year. But that matters not, since the duo still reigns as the team to set the race record time of 1:46:59 in 2013.
Second place in the Open Division was Jay Lawrence, Middleboro, and Andy Weigel, Rochester, in at 1:53:31. Third place went to Jake Goyette, Rochester, and Ian MacGregor, also from Rochester, with a time of 1:54:09.
For Co-Ed Division, first place trophy went to Samantha Hathaway, Acushnet, and Ethan Hathaway, Rochester, at 2:04:55. Second place was Michelle Kirby, Rochester, and Andy Hammerman, Chugchilan Ecuador, coming in at 2:06:04. Third place division winners were Kelsey Collasius, Fall River, and Don Collasius, Rochester, with 2:08:41.
In the Parent/Child Division, first place winners were Kendell Hedges, Marion, and C.J. Hedges IV, also of Marion, finishing at 2:10:26. In second place, Ellsea Roy, Rochester, and Jonathan Roy finished at 2:15:14. Third place winners were Josephine Eleniefsky and Gary Eleniefsky, both of Rochester, finishing at 2:20:16.
And in the Women’s Division, finishing in first was Caitlin Stopka, Rochester, and Emma Knox, Mattapoisett, at 2:26:17. In second, Kylie and Christina Beam from Buffalo, New York, finished at 2:35:49. Kristen Roy and Heidi Dubreuil, both from Rochester, took third place in the division at 2:51:15.
There was only one team competing in the Boys’ Junior Division – Tucker Roy, Rochester, and Cliff Hedges V, Marion, finished at 2:42:37.
And of course, earning the title of “Old Man of the River,” AKA oldest race participant, was David Gagne, 62, of Plainville who competed in the Parent/Child Division with Blake Gagne of Rochester, finishing at 3:28:30.
By Jean Perry
