2009 Sitka Sound Ocean Adventure Race

SEARCH Canoe takes to the water for the 2009 Sitka Sound Ocean Adventure Race

Sitka, July 11, 2009 - A drummer kept time as fifteen paddlers pulled the ocean canoe through windy waters during the morning hours. Fifteen other boats were also on the water during the mass start of the race, now in its third season. There were two courses this year, a 6-mile ‘sprint’ course and a 14 mile ‘endurance’ course. Sitka Search and Rescue and the Coast Guard provided a well-coordinated watch on the race.

	Racers came from as far away as New York and Utah, with paddlers from Anchorage and Sitka making up a well-rounded field. Up to the halfway point in the sprint course, all the boats were in a close pack. In the end, the ocean canoe took third place, with a time of 1 hour, 29 minutes. “Next year, with a little more practice, I think we will take first,” said Bryant Mackey, one of the paddlers in the big boat.
photo by Sitka Scenes Photography

First place in the sprint class went to Bridget Kauffman and Ted Laufenberg, paddling a double kayak and completing in 1 hour 25 minutes. In the endurance course, Mark Gorman once again easily outpaced the competition in his rowing shell with a time of 2 hours and 7 minutes. “I think we should award him an anchor,” said race participant Matthew Turner. In the kayak class, Rich Forst lead the race with a time of 2 hours and 18 minutes.
Afterwards, racers and the public enjoyed a picnic at the Sitka Maritime Heritage Museum. Proceeds from the race went to benefit the group that is working to restore the building.
“This race gets better every year,” said race coordinator Kayla Boettcher. “Next year I hope we can double the number of boats in the water. It makes for a fun race!” Boettcher encourages racers to mark the next race on their calendars for July 10, 2010. “It is never too soon to start planning!” she says.

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Class: Ocean Canoe

Name	Team Name	Course	Gender	Place	Time
Amy Tice	Team 1	6 mile	Mixed	1st	1:29:20
Travis Clemens
Bryant Mackey
Shelby Shedda
Kevin Klott
Megon Coon
Gale Kehres
Frederick Hill
Matt Hanson
Kelly Garvin
Shari Sjogren
Katie Cueva
Erin Abreu Gilland
Dustin Madden
Arlo Davis
Renae Mathson

Class: Double Kayak

Name	Team Name	Course	Gender	Place	Time
Bridget Kauffman	Team 1	6 mile	Mixed	1st	1:25:08
Ted Laufenberg
Joseph Mahoney	Team 2	6 mile	Male	2nd	1:26:10
Pete Menendez
Jeff Budd	Team Zero	6 mile	Male	3rd	1:31:02
Ryan Kauffman
Tiffany Opp	Team 1	14 mile	Mixed	1st	2:41:12
Chris Trella
Litia Garrison	Team 2	14 mile	Female	2nd	2:53:24
Nancy Knapp
Justin Albee	Team 3	14 mile	Mixed	3rd	2:59:49
Michaela Dunlap

Class: Single Kayak

Name	Course	Gender	Place	Time
Rob Allen	6 mile	Male	1st	1:34:15
Donna Russell	6 mile	Female	2nd	2:04:48
Rich Forst	14 mile	Male	1st	2:18:22
Matthew Turner	14 mile	Male	2nd	2:27:19
Tim Fulton	14 mile	Male	3rd	2:46:40
Paul Norwood	14 mile	Male	4th	2:55:13
Bill Foster	14 mile	Male	5th	3:09:06
Gary Nikkola	14 mile	Male	7th	3:16:00

Class: Single Rowing Shell

Name	Course	Gender	Place	Time
Mark Gorman	14 mile	Male	1st	2:07:42

Course: 6 mile

Name	Class	Gender	Place	Time
Bridget Kauffman	6 mile	Mixed	1st	1:25:08
Ted Laufenberg
Joseph Mahoney	6 mile	Male	2nd	1:26:10
Pete Menendez
Amy Tice	6 mile	Mixed	3rd	1:29:20
Travis Clemens
Bryant Mackey
Shelby Shedda
Kevin Klott
Megon Coon
Gale Kehres
Frederick Hill
Matt Hanson
Kelly Garvin
Shari Sjogren
Katie Cueva
Erin Abreu Gilland
Dustin Madden
Arlo Davis
Renae Mathson
Jeff Budd	6 mile	Male	4th	1:31:02
Ryan Kauffman
Rob Allen	6 mile	Male	5th	1:34:15
Donna Russell	6 mile	Female	6th	2:04:48

Course: 14 mile

Name	Class	Gender	Place	Time
Mark Gorman	14 mile	Male	1st	2:07:42
Rich Forst	14 mile	Male	2nd	2:18:22
Matthew Turner	14 mile	Male	3rd	2:27:19
Tiffany Opp	14 mile	Mixed	4th	2:41:12
Chris Trella
Tim Fulton	14 mile	Male	5th	2:46:40
Litia Garrison	14 mile	Female	6th	2:53:24
Nancy Knapp
Paul Norwood	14 mile	Male	7th	2:55:13
Justin Albee	14 mile	Mixed	8th	2:59:49
Michaela Dunlap
Bill Foster	14 mile	Male	9th	3:09:06
Gary Nikkola	14 mile	Male	10th	3:16:00