Last week, about five hundred paddlers raced their canoes and kayaks on the Connecticut River. They converged at the Dartmouth Boathouse in Hanover for the United States Canoe Association ?2002 Marathon Canoe and Kayak National Championship?. Over four days, competitors of all ages paddled up and down 13 miles of the river. NHPR?s David Darman spent a day at the races, and filed this report.
A kind of controlled chaos reigned at the Dartmouth boathouse. Supporters on the dock shouted encouragement to canoeists, as they inched their way toward the start line to begin the next race. The public address announcer urged the boaters into position.
10 04 I will be instructing you to the red starting line. Then I will say ?paddlers be ready?. And you?ll hear a gun go off.
11 23 gun goes off. Cheering for a while.
The canoes cutting through the water off the start line look odd; much thinner than the canoes we?re familiar with. Mike Ripple of New England Canoe Racing Association, a host of the national race.
11 117 ? you?ll have an eighteen and a half foot boat, it could be made out of carbon fiber, it might be about an eighteen pound boat. Made out of wood, it might be a twenty-eight pound boat. They?re very light. They?re very low. They?re very narrow. And there?s varieties in the design. But they?re not like your recreational boats. These are fast and just made for marathon racing. 11 143
Something else looks odd. The canoeists aren?t paddling like recreational boaters.
12 117 ?in this particular sport, you try not to use your arms. Your arms hold your body to the paddle. And its all like in torque and rotations. So you use the strong, upper body muscles. Your lets, your stomach your legs. You don?t want to use your arms. Its all in the twist 12 137
Marathon canoeists came to the ?nationals? in Hanover from all over the country and Canada. There are no cash prizes for most of the dozens of men?s and women?s races. But one solo canoe race will pay one thousand dollars each to the male and female winners.
29 100 water lapping on the dock
It?s a sunny, but cool day for the races. Despite the mild temperature, a winner from a non prize category pulls up to the dock at the boathouse. Tired and sweaty, Erin McGhee of Martindale, Texas has come in far ahead of her nearest competitor. Despite winning, McGhee is not entirely pleased with her performance.
27 49 it was wonderful but it was ugly. That bad, huh? It was wonderful but it was ugly. (clumping sound as boat is pulled onto the dock) all the way from texas. I got the boat. Don?t worry about it. (more sounds)
McGhee?s legs shake as she carefully steps out of the boat and onto the dock.
27 153 it?s a good race. A good way to go. Get totally exhausted. (panting)
29 100 water lapping on the dock
Out on the river, two people from the New England Canoe Racing Association ensure the safety of participants seventeen years and younger. Their motorboat follows canoes from a distance, to minimize disruptions on the paddlers. A group of boats with 2 men aboard approach. One can hear their voices call out one word repeatedly.
13 sounds of water, brief. 13 17 hut hut hut hut 13 30 swishing water, hut hut hut go larry and jim
Dede Herlihy explains that the calling helps the paddlers.
12 15 ?One is paddling on one side and one is paddling on the other. The paddler in the stern of the boat is the one keeping the boat going straight. The power person is in the bow of the boat. And they have to go ?hut hut?. When they go, ?hut?, that means, change sides. 12 35 put your paddle on the other side. And that?s how you keep the boat going straight, by doing that. 12 40
11 33 hut hut hut 12 hut hut (bird)
Paddlers move the canoes through the water at speeds of about 7 miles per hour. One canoe passing the motorboat closely follows another, the first boat essentially clearing the way for the second. Race official Jim Miller says the men in the second boat know exactly what they?re doing.
SOUND: 21 hut hut hut (motor on the road) 21 32 hut hut splash, (can hear the water splashing) hut hut hut 21 57 sound of a camera shutter
15 38 guy in the back of the second boat is a master tactitian at this. He knows right where to be. He?s going to ride these guys, it?s a long way to the finish. And then he?ll make a decision as to when they?re going to go. The other guys will have to respond. 15 55
This is the second time in 35 years of the marathon that the Nationals have come to Hanover. The last time was in 1988. Jim Miller says the first day of racing was very windy, when sprint races were held for young women. Miller says the stiff breeze was rough on the young paddlers.
15 425 ?these juniors have a hard time because they don?t weigh very much. And they?re paddling very long boats, they?re usually mom and dad?s boats. They?re a little to long for them. So, there?s very little boat in the water. And when the wind comes up, it?ll actually blow them sideways. 15 441 luckily today not as windy as it was during the sprint races.
SOUND 15 200 go go alright guys, you?re almost there. 15 240 go glen. Go Laverne. 16 203 go phil. Looking good, almost there.
As they head to the boathouse, Miller and Herlihy encourage all the canoeists to keep pushing, even though everyone is probably feeling pain.
Miller keeps close watch over one girl who is paddling with the juniors. She?s Miller?s daughter. She?s competing in a teenage bracket, but she?s only nine years old.
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