Owen cheers young paddlers

    Editor’s note: This letter was written by Jeff Owen, who is the president of the Maine Canoe and Kayak Racing Organization better known as MaCKRO.
    If one were to judge success by the looks on the students’ faces, the first race of the 2010 High School Canoe Racing Challenge was a huge success. There were those who paddled hard, and those who paddled steadily. Those who joined the swim team, those who didn’t, and those who, after teetering sideways on a rock, gunnel pushed down to the waterline by the current, thought they were going to and were very surprised not to.
    I had the opportunity to paddle with the two teams who led the whole race—Andrew Gilman and Aaron Henn from East Grand and Schuyler Collett and Alex Introne from Orono. Both teams paddled very well and very hard the whole way, with Andrew and Aaron leading and Schuyler and Alex never more than (and often much less than) 10 boat lengths behind. In the lead going into the final half-mile of whitewater, a boat they were trying to pass, bumped Andrew and Aaron. The bump gave them a swim, as well as allowing a clear shot to victory for Schuyler and Alex. I enjoyed paddling beside these teams as much as I’ve ever enjoyed a day on the water.
    There are other great stories from other teams in the race, but they will have to be told by others. Special thanks to the short course escorts — Dave Conley, Bucky Owen, Tom Cronkite and Laurie Stearns — and to the race director, Bill Deighan, for providing for safety and timing for this special event.