Participants in this year’s 90-Miler Adirondack Canoe Classic, the annual three-day paddling race from Old Forge to Saranac Lake, launched from the Old Forge lakefront under sunny skies on Friday morning September 9.
The paddlers enjoyed mild temperatures and rainless conditions as they made their way towards the finish line at Lake Flower on Sunday.
According to race organizer Brian McDonnell, 263 boats were registered for the race, but there were five no-shows.
McDonnell speculated that their absence was possibly related to road closures due to the recent flooding in surrounding areas.
After 29 years of organizing and directing the Canoe Classic, McDonnell admitted it doesn’t get any easier, but on Friday he said, “So far everything is going fine and we’ve got a gorgeous day.”
McDonnell’s wife Grace, and their 12-year-old son, Royal, and 14-year-old daughter, Amelia all participated in the race and were in the first boat launched.
He said Grace has raced in the Classic for a number of years. It was Royal’s third race and Amelia’s fifth.
With the help of a fourth person in their canoe, they ended the three-day race with a decent time of 15:35:33.
The Open Touring Class was well represented by area paddlers this year.
They included Erica Murray, Elizabeth Russell, Charlie Swanton, Peter Shannon, Deke Morrison, Kristen and Korie Helmer, Brian Morgan, Tina Olson, Lawrence Bartel, Olin Eddy, Jeff Livingstone, Natalie Tickner, Jim Kiefer, Steve Young, Ann Garbarino, Janice Walter Ferrick, Janine Phaneuf, and Katie Boesché Kiefer.
Local first place winners in the Open Touring Class were Joanne Maly, Jim Williams, Rich Nelson and Brian Schoen with a time of 14:22:56.
The overall winner of Open Touring was Dave Thomas, Gene Newman, Johnny Newman, and Steve Coffin of Canton, with a total time of 13:10:50 in the 3-day event.
Other local paddlers included: A. Trevett, Dan and West Tickner, Matt Mitchell, Keving and Ethan Kress, Nathan Smith, Kevin Birtle, Brian Vandelinder, Greg and Sara Van Slyke, Natalie Tickner,
Pierre and Sandy Tetreault, Ryan and Catherine Thompson, Sam Phaneuf, Andrew Getty, Colin Criss, and Robert Zimmerman.
