Ludwig takes third Fun Run title
WASHBURN — Houlton’s Fred Ludwig made it a “three-peat” May 22 when he laid down the fastest time in Aroostook River Fun Run, paddling the 8-mile course in 59:11 minutes. More than 50 kayakers and canoeists participated in the Rotary Club-sponsored event.
New this year to the Fun Run was a Wildlife-themed bicycle poker run along the riverside railroad trail. Both events began at Washburn’s Thomas Brewer Park and ended with a barbecue and awards ceremony at the Presque Isle Fish and Game Club.
Other divisional winners in the charity river race were:
Open Class: Dave Conley of Weston and Andrew Gilman of Danforth, 1:16:12 minutes; Skip and Scott Fletcher of Fort Kent, 1:25:28; and Leigh and Alex Morrow, both of Washburn, 1:26:18. Conley and Gilman also won the Two Men Experienced Canoe and Senior/Junior Canoe categories. The Morrows won the Two Men Novice Canoe division.
Senior Class (age 65 and over): Ron Bomberger of Manheim, Penn., 1:10:57 minutes and Norman Page of Limestone, 1:23:51. Bomberger also won the One Man Experienced Canoe division, edging out Francis Cyr of Caribou, 1:12:03 and Jim Park of Presque Isle, 1:12:34.
Century Division (paddling pairs with combined age of over 100): S. Harold Pierce of Blaine and S. Hume Pierce of PI, 1:26:43 minutes; Linda and Henry Staples of Connor TWP, 1:34:34; and Charles Namur of Presque Isle and Jenny Karp of Silver Spring, Md., 2:04:28. The Staples won the Couple Novice Canoe category.
Student (high school and college) Division: William Popov of Presque Isle, 1:21:59 minutes; Devon Cote of Connor TWP, 1:22:22; Lucas Butler and Adam Davis, both of Caribou, 1:29:29; and Mitchell Bartlett of Danforth and Connie Dowie of St. Thomas, N.B., 1:32:22. Popov also won the One Man Novice Kayak division.
Two Women Novice Canoe: Pat Allen of Limestone and Andrea Drabek of Presque Isle, 1:38:40 minutes.
Two Women Experienced Canoe: Fran Bomberger and Whitney Clugston, both of Manheim, Penn., 1:33:48 minutes.
One Woman Novice Kayak: Glenda Capps of Presque Isle, 1:32:48 minutes.
One Woman Experienced Kayak: Christa Galipeau of Presque Isle, 1:32:07 minutes; and Michelle Andersen of Presque Isle, 1:36:55.
Couple Novice Canoe: Tim Ring and Heidi Cote, both of Caribou, 1:52 minutes.
One Man Experienced Kayak: Ludwig, 59:11 minutes; David McCrossin, Caribou, 1:16:42; and Brent Andersen of Presque Isle, 1:21:46.
Two Men Experienced Kayak: Brian Hamel and Nathan King, both of PI, 1:24:17 minutes.
Mitchell Bartlett of Danforth won the Old Town Otter kayak doorprize.
Zach Rice of Bridgewater won the Wildlife poker run bike event and claimed a Family Ski Package donated by BigRock Ski Area.
Proceeds from the third annual Aroostook River Fun Run canoe, kayak and bicycle race benefit Girl Scouts Troop 241 of Ashland, who helped again with this year’s event. Co-chairmen of this year’s event were Gretchen Morse and Mark Putnam, of the PI Rotary Club, and Keith Brown of Washburn Rotary.
THREE GENERATIONS of Pierces, from left, Sylvanus of Blaine, his 5-year-old grandson Alex, and son Hume, both of Presque Isle, shared a canoe during the Aroostook River Fun Run.
ASHLAND AREA GIRL SCOUTS from Troop 241 were a welcomed sight at the finish line where they assisted paddle weary Aroostook River Fun Run participants in getting their boats, and bodies, out of the water.
GRILLMASTER Andy Soucier teamed up with TAMC co-workers Joy Barresi-Saucier and Darcy Nadeau (and family members) to feed the 75 to 80 Fun Run participants.
ON THE TRAIL during the May 22 Aroostook River Fun Run were participants in the wildlife-themed poker run, from front, Zach Rice of Bridgewater, Valerie Antonio of Presque Isle and volunteers from the University of Maine at Presque Isle, Shanin Cote and Amanda Gagnon.
FUN RUN VOLUNTEER Michael Gudreau of Presque Isle came dowriver at the back of the pack as one of several safety sweepers.
FIRST-TIME Fun Run participant, Glenda Capps of Presque Isle, paddled hard enough to win the women’s novice division.
ALEX MORROW of Washburn teamed up with his father Leigh, for this year’s race and they won the two man novice division.
MAKING HER MOVE is Presque Isle kayaker Christa Galipeau who passed the canoe team Mitchell Bartlett of Danforth and Connie Dowie of St. Thomas, N.B. with less than a half mile to go in the May 22 event.
GIVING THE DUCKS AND GEESE a run for their money, over 50 Fun Run participants, depart Washburn via the Aroostook River May 22, bound for the finish line in Presque Isle.
KAYAKS are growing in popularity and now come is a wide variety of colors and styles.
