Racing returns to the river
June 30, 2021 at 5:52 p.m.
Racing returns to the river
By Will Fehlinger-
Fastest time overall in the championship races went to Tom Thomas from the Greene County town of Jasonville; he paddled in at 1:08.32. Putting their names on the biggest trophy were Greg Bechtel and Bernie Moller of Cincinnati; the team calling itself Mill Creek Yacht Club notched a winning time of 1:08.52. Local favorites Jeff Siebert and Chuck Grimes (Chuck E. Cheese) placed runner-up in the duo competition, paddling through at 1:13.1.
The top mixed team had the moniker Why Did the Fried Chicken Cross the River; Noel and Nicholas Josefik of St. Joseph, Illinois posted a time of 1:16.29. The fastest mixed locals called themselves M & H Plumbing and consisted of Staci Hernandez and Mike Mullins (1:34.19).
The championship division started at the Brookville Lake Tailwaters, as did all races, and traveled down to the Morgan’s exit near Cedar Grove for a total of 8.4 miles.
Winning the 2021 Biathlon, were Katie McElveen, 22, and Mason Jobst, 27, both of Indianapolis, with the combined time of 4:53.4. The race involves an 8.4-mile canoe jaunt to Cedar Grove and a 7.2-mile run on the winding and scenic River Road; this year, the finish line was just inside Morgan Canoe’s front gate.
McElveen was the fastest among five female entrants, turning in a 2:26.5, while Jobst led three male biathletes with a 2:26.5. Lawrence Coogan, 34, Lawrenceburg, finished in a time of 2:30.36, though his racing partner required medical attention along the running route and was unable to finish. Another Lawrenceburger, Daniel Engel, 37, came through at 2:32.48. West Harrison’s Faith Henderson, 16, and Taylor McDonough, 29, were 5th and 7th, respectively (3:05.53 & 3:27.09).
In the recreational races, 28 teams of two and one soloist finished the roughly 2-mile route Saturday morning from the put-in point to the Franklin County Conservation Club. Terry Sintz and Jeff Blakley (Paddle to Paradise) had a winning time of 16:58.6. MiKaiyla Erfman and Brandt Meyers were the top mixed team, coming in at 18:24.6. Brookville native Andy Derenski came back to town for the weekend and enjoyed a time of 19:39.7 with 10-year-old son Abe. The Batesville team of Meghan and Adalynn Fledderman (Water You Looking At) was first across in the adult/youth female category (19:52.6). Kristin Smith and Monica Huber finished in 20:57 as the top women’s team. Brookville’s Doug Ralph and daughter Olivia, 8, were in the top 10 as they floated in at 21:37.4.
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Fastest time overall in the championship races went to Tom Thomas from the Greene County town of Jasonville; he paddled in at 1:08.32. Putting their names on the biggest trophy were Greg Bechtel and Bernie Moller of Cincinnati; the team calling itself Mill Creek Yacht Club notched a winning time of 1:08.52. Local favorites Jeff Siebert and Chuck Grimes (Chuck E. Cheese) placed runner-up in the duo competition, paddling through at 1:13.1.
The top mixed team had the moniker Why Did the Fried Chicken Cross the River; Noel and Nicholas Josefik of St. Joseph, Illinois posted a time of 1:16.29. The fastest mixed locals called themselves M & H Plumbing and consisted of Staci Hernandez and Mike Mullins (1:34.19).
The championship division started at the Brookville Lake Tailwaters, as did all races, and traveled down to the Morgan’s exit near Cedar Grove for a total of 8.4 miles.
Winning the 2021 Biathlon, were Katie McElveen, 22, and Mason Jobst, 27, both of Indianapolis, with the combined time of 4:53.4. The race involves an 8.4-mile canoe jaunt to Cedar Grove and a 7.2-mile run on the winding and scenic River Road; this year, the finish line was just inside Morgan Canoe’s front gate.
McElveen was the fastest among five female entrants, turning in a 2:26.5, while Jobst led three male biathletes with a 2:26.5. Lawrence Coogan, 34, Lawrenceburg, finished in a time of 2:30.36, though his racing partner required medical attention along the running route and was unable to finish. Another Lawrenceburger, Daniel Engel, 37, came through at 2:32.48. West Harrison’s Faith Henderson, 16, and Taylor McDonough, 29, were 5th and 7th, respectively (3:05.53 & 3:27.09).
In the recreational races, 28 teams of two and one soloist finished the roughly 2-mile route Saturday morning from the put-in point to the Franklin County Conservation Club. Terry Sintz and Jeff Blakley (Paddle to Paradise) had a winning time of 16:58.6. MiKaiyla Erfman and Brandt Meyers were the top mixed team, coming in at 18:24.6. Brookville native Andy Derenski came back to town for the weekend and enjoyed a time of 19:39.7 with 10-year-old son Abe. The Batesville team of Meghan and Adalynn Fledderman (Water You Looking At) was first across in the adult/youth female category (19:52.6). Kristin Smith and Monica Huber finished in 20:57 as the top women’s team. Brookville’s Doug Ralph and daughter Olivia, 8, were in the top 10 as they floated in at 21:37.4.
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