Great Falls race results
Paul Schelp
Below are the results for the 1997 Great Falls race, one of the events
that make up the annual Potomac Whitewater Festival, held May 31 and
June 1 this year. Thanks to Steve Taylor for tabulating the finish
list.
This year's race was held on the very demanding route known as the
Center Line of Great Falls. This line was explored and opened up only
in recent years by Chris Good, Gil Rocha, and other local hair dogs.
The level at race time was moderately frothy for the Center Line, 3.60
feet on Little Falls gage or 6,500 cfs.
The class 5+ course drops about 55 vertical feet through 3 major
sections in quick succession. By far the hardest move is the approach
drop leading into the first rapid (alternately called 'Grace Under
Pressure' or 'Big Tomko'). In the approach, the paddler needs to punch
left across a sideways hydraulic with just the right amount of angle
to line up for a gushing 15-foot waterfall that is only 1 or 2 strokes
(if any) downstream.
Next is an un-named series of ledges heading downhill fast toward a
wide horizon line punctuated by multiple slots (the 'Streamers'). A
few boaters got thrown off line in here as they were spit out of the
backwash from the first drop. But all managed to resolve the issue
before plunging into the class 6 death zones, known as 'Subway' and
'Twist and Shout,' that lie in waiting just off to the river left from
the desired chute through the Streamers.
Eric Jackson once again demonstrated his mastery of the local waters,
but his pursuers seem to inch closer every year... this year shaving
EJ's margin down to about one second.
In C-1, Ryan Bahn rocketed down the course like a stampeding
wildebeast, handily capturing first place in the small but
distinguished canoe class.
By the way, interested contenders will have another shot at becoming
Top Dog at Great Falls this September at the WKF Extreme World
Championships, which feature a unique head-to-head elimination format
to separate the men from the boys at dawn on Sunday.
This year's Great Falls race was also an historic milestone, in that
women participated for the first time. Hats off to Deb Ruehle and
Harriet Taylor for this distinction. It was also the first year for a
Masters class, including the greatfallsguru himself, Tom McEwan.
As always, the juniors were out in force and extremely competitive, as
is quite obvious from their finish times below.
Now for the detail:
MENS KAYAK TIME IN SECONDS
Eric Jackson 45.73
Jason Beakes 46.85
Brent Weisel 47.60
Chris Hipgrave 47.64
Brian Homberg 50.25
Gil Rocha 51.80
Clem Newbold 52.13
Silas Treadway 53.25
Kurt Braunlich 53.54
Paul Schelp 54.11
Dustin Knapp 54.36
Brandon Knapp 54.50
Kevin O'Neill 54.53
Chris Good 55.45
Brian Totten 55.66
Rainey Hoffman 55.75
Timmy Blakeney 55.90
Harris Hayne 56.88
Dave Collins 57.54
Alex Markoff 59.21
Dave Bruton 59.84
Tom DeCuir 59.92
Steve Heanue 60.29
Gabb Newton 60.52
Bria. Christensen 61.29
Jim Forbes 67.58
Danny Inman 71.63
Chris Emery 71.91
Ricky Rodriguez 90.68
JUNIOR KAYAK
Sebastn. Zimmer 50.34
Andrw. McEwan 51.98
Kyle Marinello 52.26
Brad Ludden 53.41
Nejc Poberaj 53.46
Fred Coriell 54.30
Ryan Goodrow 55.23
Ethan Winger 57.02
Nate LaBrecque 58.37
Carleton Gould 58.71
Middy Tilghman 61.40
L. Wannamaker 72.91
C-1
Ryan Bahn 52.41
Andy Bridge 59.25
Adam Boyd 60.13
WOMEN
Deb Ruehle 64.33 (aka Deb rules)
Harriet Taylor 108.43
MASTERS
Mike Hipsher 56.70
Tom McEwan 58.70
Jerry Lechowick 61.15
Skip Brown 69.20
Paul Schelp
I wrote previously:
>...JUNIOR KAYAK
>Sebastn. Zimmer 50.34
>Andrw. McEwan 51.98
>Kyle Marinello 52.26
>Brad Ludden 53.41
>Nejc Poberaj 53.46
>Fred Coriell 54.30
>Ryan Goodrow 55.23
>Ethan Winger 57.02
>Nate LaBrecque 58.37
>Carleton Gould 58.71
>Middy Tilghman 61.40
I forgot to mention in my original post that junior Louis Geltman
recorded a time of 49.84 (which would have earned him 1st in class and
5th overall) but was disqualified since he failed to provide the
required parental waiver. Not a bad run, though, Louis.
Paul S