SARANAC LAKE — A late ice-out had local paddlers yearning for the season-opening canoe and kayak races in Saranac Lake. The ‘Round the Mountain Canoe and Kayak Races took place Saturday under light winds and sunny skies.

Nearly 100 paddlers entered in guide boats, solo, tandem and four-person canoes and a variety of kayaks. The event was sanctioned as a New York State Marathon Canoe Racing Association points race and drew many competitive paddlers from across the state.

The fastest time of the day went to Jim Mallory, of West Henrietta, in an unlimited kayak crossing the finish line at 1:23:08.  The fastest canoe was Mark Winter of Bloomingdale and Shane MacDowell of Lake Placid. Their time was 1:26:03.

Other local winners included Jennifer Okonuk, of Owls Head, in the One Person Guide Boat class (2:12:41), Allison Doty, of Saranac Lake, in the Solo Recreation class (2:03:30), Doug Roode, of Lake Placid, in the C-1 Stock Class (1:56:23), Janet Findlay and Dave Hunter, of Lake Placid, in the C-2 Amateur mixed over 50 class (1:32:54), Roger Gocking, of Saranac Lake, in the Touring Kayak over 50 class (1:35:13), Royal McDonnell of Paul Smiths in the Unlimited Kayak under 50 class (1:25:59), and the Blue Crusher Flower team of Beth Donnelly, Heidi Kretser, Jen Perry and Nancy Bernstein winning the C-4 Women’s Class in 1:46:36. 

PFDs were mandatory as water temperatures were only in the low 50s. Paddlers headed out of Ampersand Bay, past Eagle Island and turned right in front of Bluff Island down the Saranac River and over the carry around the Lower Locks. After the carry participants paddled through Oseetah Lake to the finish line on Lake Flower in Saranac Lake.

The Adirondack Watershed Alliance will contribute a portion of the proceeds of the event to the local Ham Radio Association.

The next paddle sport activities on the calendar include the Tupper Lake Races on June 2 and the Celebrate Paddling Adirondacks programs going on the entire month of June. For details, go to www.celebratepaddlingadk.com. The next AWA event will be the Adirondack Canoe Classic, the three-day, 90-mile paddling adventure from Old Forge to Saranac Lake, Sept. 7-9. Entry forms go out in the mail in mid-June and entry is limited to 250 boats. For more information, visit www.macscanoeadk.com or call the canoe race hotline at 518-891-2744.

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‘Round The Mountain Canoe & Kayak Race

Saturday’s Results

OPEN TOURING

Lorraine Tuturro, Jim Mattingly (Watertown, Theresa) 2:01:52

David Casey (Burlington VT) 2:08:20

GUIDEBOATS

1 PERSON

Jennifer Okonuk (Owls Head) 2:12:41

Gerhard Munger (Lowville) DNF

2 PERSON

Elie Rochon, Benjamin Rochon (Senneville, QC) 2:01:45

John Homer, Chris Hoyt (North Creek, Blue River, CO) 2:09:23

C -2 FAMILY

Michael Creamer, Ryan Creamer (Dorval)

2:01:51

Eva and Mike Archambault (Pointe-Claire)

2:10:42

SOLO RECREATION

WOMEN

Allison Doty (Saranac Lake) 2:03:30

MEN OVER 50

Jim Townsend (Rochester) 1:57:05

MEN UNDER 50

Morgan Hoven (Clifton Springs) 1:38:32

C-1 STOCK

MEN

Doug Roode (Lake Placid) 1:56:23

C-2 STOCK

WOMEN

Lia Call, Lauren Smith (Theresa) 2:03:25

MEN OVER 50

Ken Streb, Peter Ross (Inlet, Ontario) 1:36:15

Roy Keats, Jim Amell (Schenectady,Gansevoort)

1:41:32

Gene Pratt, Geoff Moore (Hadley, Loudonville)

1:43:21

Glen Vandewinckel, Joe Garso (Webster, Saranac Lake)

1:48:15

Chas Goodnough, Brian Watson (Theresa, Watertown)

1:54:23

MIXED

Christopher Murphy, Shauna Murphy (Franklin) 1:38:06

C-2 AMATEUR

MEN OVER 50

Roger Henry, Alec Davis (Rexford, Ballston Lake)

1:38:04

MEN UNDER 50

Shane MacDowell, Mark Winter (Lake Placid, Bloomingdale) 1:26:03

Dylan Kirk, Neal Sand (Memphis, Milton) 1:28:29

MIXED OVER 50

Janet Findlay, David Hunter (Lake Placid)

1:32:54

Linda Cooley, Bob Cooley (Scotia) 1:40:44

Ed Greiner, Kim Greiner (Esperance) 1:42:48

Don Jones, Cindy Jones (Sayre, PA) 1:50:19

MIXED UNDER 50

JoAnn Olney, Paul Olney (Westernville) 1:27:06

Chad Staubach, Samantha Staubach (Altamont)

1:45:03

TOURING KAYAK

WOMEN

Pam Kidder (White River Jct. VT) 1:53:04

MEN OVER 50

Roger Gocking (Saranac Lake) 1:35:13

Geoge Bellerose (Weybridge) 1:44:32

James Phillips (Bergen) 1:48:38

Bill Short (Madrid ) 1:51:20

Bill Kidder (White River Jct. VT) 1:52:25

Steve Buzzell (Lake Clear) 2:05:35

MEN UNDER 50

Eric Young (Mooers Forks) 1:30:55

Peter Jaworski (Utica) 1:45:19

Chris Legard (Williamstown) 1:52:12

Michael Sinsobaugh (Cazenovia) 1:55:23

UNLIMITED KAYAK

WOMEN

Nadia Drapeau (Dorval) 1:45:12

MEN OVER 50

Jim Mallery (W.Henrietta) 1:23:08

Peter Gugel (Rochester) 1:32:53

Marc Pilon (Long Sault) 1:33:07

Paul Tomblin (Rochester) 1:35:39

MEN UNDER 50

Royal McDonnell (Paul Smiths) 1:25:59

Scott Visser (Potsdam) 1:35:50

Anthony Tramontano (Lake Placid) 2:02:39

C-4

WOMEN

Blue Crusher Flowers (Saranac Lake) 1:46:36

Hamilton College II (Clinton) 2:17:24

MEN

Yarnell, Vincent,McAndrew,Malley (Vermont)

1:30:40

MIXED

Crouch, Repack,Visser, Lincoln 1:36:48

Mozdzier, Munn, Glennon,Marcuson (Saranac Lake) 1:38:32

Hudak, Hudak,Bradley, Hadley (Lake Placid, Saranac Lake) 1:50:26

Hamilton College I (Clinton) 2:03:26