It’s the end of an era for two Rochester Boat Race winners who have dominated the event in recent years. Sean Shaw and C.J. Hedges announced their retirement after clinching their third consecutive title during Monday’s race.

“We started when we were seven years old, and we both went down the river with our fathers,” said Hedges. “We’ve probably done 30+ races, minus a couple of years we took off for the military.”

Hedges and Shaw, both 41, have been riding together for 25 years. In their tenure together, they have won 12 titles and currently hold the record with a time of 1:47:02, which they set back in 2005. This is the fourth time they have won three consecutive titles.

“It’s tradition,” said Hedges. “There was no little league, this is just what you did. We are both very competitive so we thought this would be a good way to see what we had and be competitive.”

It’s a tradition that’s been around since 1934. The race originally started as a 4-H project, but has since grown into something much larger. This year, 75 boats participated in the race, which is broken up into six different divisions: Open, Co-ed, Parent/Child, Junior Boys, Junior Girls and Women’s.

The course begins in Grandma Hartley’s Reservoir on Snipatuit Road in Rochester. It twists and winds nearly 12 miles before ending at the Herring Weird on Route 6 in Mattapoisett.

Boats are launched at one-minute intervals to prevent congestion. Start times are based on the previous year’s performance. All boats must be homemade. Shaw and Hedges found the perfect material that suits them.

“We started making Styrofoam boats a few years ago,” said Shaw. “It’s so much easier to deal with. Styrofoam and fiberglass. It’s pretty easy now that we’ve switched.”

In addition to crafting the perfect vessel, the duo gets on the river approximately 12 times prior to the actual race. They will put the boat in the river five times, on the pond five times, and then take rides with their children. This year’s boat and training scored Shaw and Hedges a time off 1:47:47. They were hoping to beat their record in their final race.

“I thought personally we were a little sloppy,” Shaw said. “We were chasing a boat for a little bit, then we picked it up and had some nice lines. But we were a little bit off from where we wanted to be.”

“We weren’t ready for the higher water,” said Hedges. “Plus, we’re 41 now. We’re old.”

Now the time has come for Hedges and Shaw to end one tradition and start a new one. The two will split it up and start competing in the race with their children. Shaw encourages all children to participate.

“Art Benner [Race Chairman] does a great job at coordinating all of this,” Shaw said. “It would be nice to have more younger kids in the surrounding area to come and try this.”

And while they are retiring their boat now, they haven’t completely ruled out the possibility of a reunion later on down the road.

“We could possibly take a few more old man runs later on,” Hedges laughed.

Click here for a complete list of boat results.

By Katy Fitzpatrick

The Sippican Lands Trust (SLT) and the Marion Art Center are partnering to sponsor an exhibition by local artists to highlight the many scenic sites that comprise the Lands Trust’s forests and marshes. This is one of several initiatives undertaken by the SLT to encourage visitation and enjoyment of the properties protected by the Trust.

Local artists are invited to submit up to three works, in any media, for a non-juried exhibition to be held at the Marion Art Center, October 5-November 10.  All submitted works must depict scenes of or from SLT properties.  The Marion Art Center will receive a 30% commission on the sale of each piece.

Trail maps of the Lands Trust properties are available at the SLT offices, 350 Front Street, Marion (next to Uncle Jon’s) or on-line at www.sippicanlandstrust.org.  Walking tours of SLT properties will be conducted for interested artists in June, July and August (dates to be determined).  Complete Registration Packets are also available at the Marion Art Center at 80 Pleasant Street in Marion.

Registration by September 1 is required.  Artists wishing to exhibit should submit original pieces (no more than 3), matted and framed with title, medium and price. Sculpture should be presented exhibition ready.  All pieces must be for sale and must be originals and have been executed within the last 3 years.  All submitted works must depict scenes of or from SLT properties and the location must identified. All paintings and photographs must be framed, preferably matted (in white or neutrals) and ready to hang (i.e., secured with heavy picture wire and wrapped in tape, affixed to hooks that have been secured to the frame).

Dates for dropping pieces at the Marion Art Center are Tuesday, October 2 and Wednesday October 3 from 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm.

 For more information about this Exhibition and for a printable registration form please visit the MAC website at www.marionartcenter.org or call (508-748-1266) or visit the Marion Art Center located at 80 Pleasant Street in Marion.

It’s a 78-year-old tradition here in the Tri-Town.  The Annual Rochester Memorial Day Boat Race was held this morning on the Mattapoisett River. Rochester’s Sean Shaw and his partner C.J. Hedges IV of Hamden, CT captured the title for the third year in a row. Check out the action shots below! Photos by Katy Fitzpatrick.

Rochester honored Memorial Day Sunday afternoon with a parade around the center of town at various monuments. Several town officials conducted the ceremony, the Rochester Memorial School band played music and various boy and girl scout troops marched in the parade.  Check out the pictures below! Photos by Katy Fitzpatrick