Blackburn Challenge 2007

August 8th, 9th and 10th -- Come see us at the Maine Boats Homes and Harbors Show in Rockland Maine.

29 shells divided into classes started at Fort Foster in Kittery Point at 1 minute intervals per class. 11 shells raced the 4.5 mile course while the other 18 raced the 8 mile course. Pepperrel Cove and Spruce Creek were mostly flat conditions except for some tide rips and motor boat wakes at the turn to Spruce Creek. With clases divided by age and boat length most everyone becomes a winner. There were 11 Aldens , 10 Echos, 4 Maas, and 4 Wintech. For complete results go to the IROW site at <www.irow.org>.

Kent Bloomer arrived the day before the race with Barnacle, Arthur Martin's design and personal boat in the 80's.

What a wonderful surprise!!!!

Ray Panek in his Ace cruising to the fastest elapsed time in a single.

Blake Doyle powering to the second fastest elapsed time on the short course only to be beaten by the great Craig Wolfe.

Kathy Martell smiling her way to first in class.

Mark Allen cruising to first in class again after the same results in the Essex River Race and the Blackburn Challenge.

Merry Fogg powering to first in class.

Laura Cleminson rowing her Islander to first in class.

Bill Phillips cruising to first in class.

The Blackburn Challenge is the east coast's premier open-water human-powered boat competition. This 20 mile challenge sends rowers, kayakers and canoeist around Cape Ann Massachusetts

Of the 208 entries for this race Echo had 10 shells participating. In the sliding seat racing division were Rich Klajnscek finishing in 2nd place with a time of 2:38:46. Ray Panek finished in 6th place in 2:50:01. Both were in Aces.

In the sliding seat touring division were 8 Echos. Mark Allen finished 1st in 3:15:31 followed by Tom Hanson in 2nd in 3:24:47. Next was Jack Tatelman in 4th with a time of 3:44:20 followed bty Paul Mazonson in 6th with a time of 4:07:36 and Pat Loftus finishing 7th with a time of 4:24:20 followed by Brad Sagona finishing 9th in 4:43:09. The womans sliding seat touring division was won by Deborah Olsen in an Echo in a time of 4:02:37.

Rich Klajnscek

Ray Panek

Mark Allen

Tom Hanson

Jack Tatelman & Paul Mazonson

Pat Loftus

J. Brad Sagona

Deborah Olsen

The Essex River Race is open to all seaworthy human-powered rowing and paddle boats. Participants' crafts usually include Banks dories, fixed seat singles, doubles, multi-oars with cox, multi-oars without cox, sliding seat singles & doubles, single & double touring kayaks.

106 Boats of all shapes and sizes, powered by paddle and oar showed up for the race. Echo was represented by 2 Aces in the sliding seat racing class and 3 Echos in the sliding seat touring class.

Rich Klajnscek was 1st in his Ace in the sliding seat racing class and fastest boat of the day followed closely by Ray Panek in his Ace to take 2nd place.

Mark Allen was 1st in the sliding seat touring division followed by Roy McCauley in 4th place and Don Libby in 6th place with Pat Loftus finishing in 8th place.

Don Libby getting ready

What a cluster of boats

Rich Klajnscek finishing

Ray Panek finishing

Mark Allen finishing

Pat Loftus finishing

Roy McCauley finishing

In the days precedeing this years Snow Row, one of New England's premier open water rowing events, it looked as though rough conditions would be the order of the day but by race time the skies cleared and the water smoothed for some great racing conditions.

Echo Rowing was well represented with five Echo's out of a field of 57 boats. Team Echo's Rich Klajncek finished first overall with a time of 31:19, Ray Panek came in second overall with a 31:51, Lorna Perry was 16th overall at 38:12, Don Libbey 24th at 40:54 and Pat Loftus 39th at 45:07. We would like to thank all who attended and organized this years race and especially Team Echo for another excellent performance.