The Bridges of Essex County 2023 Summary
As the final race of the New England season, The Bridges of Essex County race attracted a robust crowd of 30 never-say-die paddlers. Inaugurated in 2021, Bill Kuklinski’s 6 mile out-and-back race on the Danvers River (a tidal estuary leading into Beverly Harbor) has in the past drawn only a modest field of locals. This […]
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Narrow River II 2023 Summary
On a spectacular late October morning in Rhode Island, 23 competitors met for the fall edition of Tim Dwyer’s Narrow River Race. A core crew of surfskis (and one ICF K1) were joined by a handful of outriggers, rowing craft, and SUPs to race the 8 mile course on the winding tidal estuary. Competitors would […]
Read More2023 Nahant Bay Race Summary
The Nahant Bay surfski competition, located just north of Boston, recently concluded with a thrilling race featuring a small yet robust field of 10 competitors, including eight single surfskis and sea kayaks, and one double surfski. The challenging 9.5-mile course involved two extensive stretches of open water. Paddlers began the first open water leg, approximately […]
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Blackburn Challenge 2023 Summary
As always, the Blackburn Challenge in Gloucester, MA lived up to its name. With moderate, but persistent, tide, wind, and chop working against competitors, this was one of the slowest Blackburn’s in recent memory. Twenty single and a half-dozen tandem surfskis lined up for the 19.5 mile race around Cape Ann. They’d be fighting a […]
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Jamestown Double Beaver 2023 Summary
Under a sun softened by a light haze, twenty-five paddlers met in Jamestown, Rhode Island on Saturday to compete in the 10 mile Jamestown Double Beaver race – the last ocean warm-up before the 20 mile Blackburn Challenge in mid-July. With race director Tim Dwyer inviting paddlers of all ilk, a field of 13 surfskis […]
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Ride the Bull 2023 Summary
Despite questionable weather forecasts, a small but dedicated group of paddlers met this weekend in Jamestown, Rhode Island to compete in the 11th annual Ride the Bull race. As a light rain slackened to a mist and then stopped altogether, co-directors Tim Dwyer and Greg Lesher reviewed the course with the field. The 8.8 mile […]
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Narrow River 2023 Summary
After a weather-induced delay of one week, New England surfskiers once again kicked off their season in Kingstown, Rhode Island at the Narrow River Race. Fourteen paddlers answered co-hosts Tim Dwyer’s and Bob Wright’s call to paddle the familiar 8 mile course on this winding estuary leading into Narragansett Bay. For the first time ever, […]
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Narrow River Race II 2022 Summary
Unfortunately, our usual correspondent was unable to attend the Narrow River Race II. Race director Tim Dwyer was kind enough to submit a report of his own… The Fall edition of the 8 mile Narrow River Race in South Kingston, RI had some notable similarities and differences vs the Spring edition. Similarities were the flat […]
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Great Stone Dam Classic 2022 Summary
For the last few years, the Great Stone Dam Classic (GSDC) has drawn some of New England’s largest surfski fields, despite being a flatwater race. This past Sunday was no exception, as 26 kayaks (the vast majority surfskis) competed on the Merrimack River alongside canoes and SUPs. Co-directors Francisco Urena and Shawn Burke, in concert […]
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Nahant Bay Race 2022 Summary
After a two year hiatus, Mike McDonough revived his popular Nahant Bay Race for 2022. With a 7-10 mph north wind forecast to swing to the northeast during the race, Mike decided to reuse a course he plotted for the 2014 race. From Fisherman’s Beach in Swampscott, MA, paddlers would exit Nahant Bay via the […]
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