The Adirondack Arc 9 Mile Canoe and Kayak Races to Tupper Lake were held Saturday, June 4. Paddlers from across New York State, Vermont and New Hampshire came to the Tip Top Town to paddle the Raquette River in the first of a series of paddle sport events sponsored by The Adirondack Arc. The Adirondack Arc is a non – profit grass roots organization that enriches the lives of people with developmental disabilities. People from the Arc community are involved in all aspects of the race series from registration and timing to safety boats and the post race barbeque.

The start line for the Arc 9 Miler is the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Fishing Access on Routes 3 & 30 East of Tupper Lake (known locally as “The Crusher”). Paddlers went off in waves according to class. Guideboats and recreational canoes were first, followed by 1 and 2 person recreation or sea kayaks. Wave 3 included all of the solo stock canoes and Wave 4 had all of the faster, winged Amateur solo canoes. The tandem stock canoes, boats designed to be stable and big enough to carry gear, yet light enough to portage on a wilderness canoe trip, went off in Wave 5. The sleek, built specifically for racing, Tandem Amateur canoe teams were in Wave 6. Wave 7 featured touring kayaks up to 20 feet long and the Unlimited solo kayakers – typically the fastest boats in the event – went off last.

Participants left the Crusher and followed the Raquette River downstream around to the Route 30 Bridge before they turned left into Simond Pond and paddled to the Finish line at the Tupper Lake Rod and Gun Club. The Adirondack Arc community hosted a post race barbeque and handed out awards to the top three finishers in each category.

In addition to the Adirondack Arc, The series is sponsored by: Tupper Lake Chamber of Commerce, We No Nah Canoe, Franklin County Tourism, Tops Friendly Market, GRB, The Blue Moon Café, Hyde Fuel’s Nice ‘n Easy Shops, Duofold, Ace Kayaks, Mississippi Kayaks, Gauthier’s Saranac Lake Motor Lodge and MAC’S Canoe Livery in Lake Clear. The organizers would like to thank the members Tupper Lake Rod and Gun Club for the use of their terrific facility on Simond Pond.

Pictures of the event taken by Newt Greiner, can be seen on his website www.Greinerphotography.com

Other races in the Adirondack Canoe Race Series include: August 14 - The 30 mile Adirondack Arc Marathon from Saranac Inn to Tupper Lake; and September 9, 10 &11 The 90 mile Adirondack Canoe Classic from Old Forge to Saranac Lake. . For more information about the race series call MAC’S Canoe Race Hotline at 518 – 891 - 2744

GUIDEBOATS      

253 Greg Burker Glenfield 1:27:20

  C-2 RECREATION - FAMILY      

201 Amelia/Grace McDonnell Lake Clear 1:36:33

C-2 RECREATION - MIXED

202 Bob Rogers/Stephanie O'Brien Potsdam 1:15:57

213 Priscilla Brooks/Philip Prince Hudson,Que 1:32:33

C-2 RECREATION - MEN

234 Anthony Giampietro/Russ Rayot Mahwah/Ringwood,NJ 1:13:47

258 Jim Minnie/Jim Tucker Paul Smiths College 1:15:53

222 Kent Kinsey/Bruce Coon Morris/Gilbertsville 1:23:03

SEA KAYAK RECREATION MEN OVER 50      

204 Burdette Parks Tupper Lake 1:18:01

SEA KAYAK RECREATION MEN UNDER 50

254 Brian Waters Bloomingdale 1:23:55

SEA KAYAK RECREATION WOMEN OVER 50

203 Fran Yardley Tupper Lake 1:27:17

SEA KAYAK RECREATION WOMEN UNDER 50

252 Joy Burker Glenfield 1:33:21

C-1 STOCK MEN OVER 50      

215 David Sennett Auburn 1:13:50

207 Chas Billingsley Jericho,VT 1:13:54

217 Fred Goodnough Theresa 1:15:27

257 Kerry Newell Heuvelton 1:39:18

C-1 STOCK MEN UNDER 50

238 Jeff Shenberger Hanover,NH 1:09:47

218 David Thomas Watertown 1:10:40

214 Gene Pratt Amsterdam 1:13:14

224 Ken Ely Saranac Lake 1:27:41

C-1 STOCK WOMEN OVER 50

101 June Pollack Ithaca 1:39:12

C-1 STOCK WOMEN UNDER 50

259 Becky Sutter Paul Smiths College 1:15:42

223 Diana McIsaac Jericho,VT 1:39:19

  C-1 AMATEUR MEN OVER 50      

219 Jim Genkos Auburn 1:07:39

225 Laszlo Botos Groton 1:08:55

232 Michael Irving Middleburgh 1:12:00

247 Jim Cunningham Ticonderoga 1:12:15

C-1 AMATEUR MEN UNDER 50

248 Jim Cunningham Jr. Ticonderoga 1:16:07

C-1 AMATEUR WOMEN OVER 50

230 Nancy Plouffe Pittsfield,MA 1:15:23

C-2 STOCK MEN OVER 50      

233 Don LaFever/George Genung Norwich 1:09:33

250 John Jackson/Jim Lord Queensbury/Delanson 1:13:02

211 Craig Hadden/Harold Stata Bethel, VT/ Waterford, NY 1:13:20

C-2 STOCK MEN OVER 50

210 Andy Keefe/Jim Amell Saratoga Springs/Scotia 1:12:00

C-2 STOCK WOMEN

260 Celia Evans/Martha Pickard Paul Smiths College 1:21:40

C-2 STOCK MIXED OVER 50

235 Sue Bolesh/Chuck Bolesh Potsdam 1:14:45

209 Anya Bickford/Doug Chamberlain Indian Lake 1:34:12

C-2 STOCK MIXED UNDER 50

251 Rodger/Nancy Dempster Saranac Lake 1:13:15

245 Mike Brennan/Laura Dame Lake Placid/Saranac Lake 1:13:37

C-2 AMATEUR MEN     

236 A.Giambartoimei/Jon Vermilyea Skaneateles/Oswego 1:11:08

C-2 AMATEUR WOMEN

226 Julie Baum/Mary Houck Utica/Clinton 1:22:38

C-2 AMATEUR MIXED OVER 50

231 Roger Henry/Joan Henry Rexford 1:06:26

229 Bob Cooley/Linda Cooley Scotia 1:08:00

C-2 AMATEUR MIXED UNDER 50

208 Bill Robinson/Pam Fitzgerald Canandaigua/Scotia 1:03:21

  TOURING KAYAK MEN OVER 50      

237 George Bellerose Weybridge,VT 1:05:45

256 Egon Nickel Roxboro,Que 1:06:49

255 Don Roy Fine 1:08:41

244 Larry Crook Auburn 1:11:00

205 Steve Buzzell Saranac Lake 1:30:49

246 Robert Hunter Fairborn,OH 1:42:28

TOURING KAYAK MEN UNDER 50

249 Matthew Skeels Richville 1:16:41

TOURING KAYAK WOMEN

227 Kristen Merle Oakfield 1:27:59

  UNLIMITED KAYAK MEN      

221 John Ders South Otselic 0:58:58

240 David Hunter Lake Placid 1:00:31

243 Dave McAdoo Ogdensburg 1:02:42

216 David Fay Elbridge 1:04:43

220 Rich Waters Whitesboro 1:04:48

UNLIMITED KAYAK WOMEN

242 Janet Findlay Lake Placid 1:02:42

  TWO PERSON KAYAK WOMEN OVER 50      

228 Paulette M Albone/Cheryl Sills Medina/Knowlesville 1:55:32

TWO PERSON KAYAK WOMEN UNDER 50

239 Anna Rolando/Corry Rodgers Hewitt/Hawley, NJ 1:30:01

The Adirondack Arc is known for its creative approach to providing supports to people with developmental disabilities who live in the North Country. For the past six years the Arc Community has been providing an invaluable service to the region in their support of the Adirondack Canoe and Kayak Race Series. With two named events, The Adirondack Arc 9 Mile Canoe and Kayak Races – June 4 th and the Adirondack Arc Marathon – August 14, and behind the scenes support of other races including the 90 - Mile Adirondack Canoe Classic in September, members of the Arc Community have become a positive part of the paddle sports events in the area.

The Adirondack Arc is a non – profit, grass roots organization based in Tupper Lake, Lake Clear and Malone. The hundreds of employees of “The Arc” quietly provide a broad spectrum of services that enrich the lives of people in communities across Franklin County, Northern Hamilton County and Western Essex County. The Arc offers early childhood intervention programs through its Children’s Corner Education Centers; The Arc assists people with their living needs by managing a number of apartments and community homes throughout the Adirondacks; The Arc professional staff is available for a variety of support services for people with developmental disabilities.

More than one thousand people annually participate in the Adirondack Canoe Race Series. A trademark of the Adirondack Races has historically been willing supportive volunteers. People from the Arc community who volunteer their time make the racers feel welcome through their involvement in all aspects of the events. Arc Volunteers help out with registration, timing, water and food stations, shuttles, safety boats and the post race barbeque. The Arc crews have become a significant part of maintaining our reputation and positive history.

For more information about the Adirondack Canoe Race Series call MAC’S Canoe Race Hotline at 518-891- 2744 or learn more on line at macscanoe.com