2003 Three Rivers Festival
Canoe & Kayak Marathon Races
St. Joseph River, Fort Wayne

The Indiana Division of the United States Canoe Association would like to thank Erin Begue, Pam Begue & Jim Anderson for their support of the 2003 Three Rivers Festival Canoe & Kayak Marathon Races, on Saturday, July 19, 2003.

The course started at the IPFW Boat ramp and proceeded upstream to the Washington Center Road bridge, after completing the turn, the racers proceeded back down stream past the boat ramp to the Coliseum Road bridge.  One final turn around this bridge and a 200m sprint back to the finish line at the IPFW boat ramp. Recreational paddlers completed one lap of the 4 mile course and USCA competition classes completed two laps for 8 miles.

The water level was nice, deep with virtually no current. The weather was perfect, 82 degrees, bright and sunny and a gentle breeze to keep the competitors cool.

The results of the races are as follows:

Saturday, July 19, 2003
Morning Races

Recreational Canoe:  4 miles
Steve Begue & Jerry Begue - 0:37:27


Sea Kayak:  8 miles
Billy Hudson - 1:03:22


Aluminum Canoe:  8 miles
Hilman Culp  Jr. & George Tinsley - 1:11:29
Mandie Walker & Kaylin Kopecky - 1:52:01


C-2 Women's Cruiser:  8 miles
Pam Metts & Debbie Kanost - 1:08:07


C-2 Cruiser:  8 miles
Bill Kanost & Gene Bennett - 0:58:04*
Tadd Boman & Kurt Grimm - 1:06:47
*  FASTEST TIME OF THE DAY


C-2 Standard SCR:  8 miles
Brian Benson & Kurt Begue - 1:03:21



Afternoon Races

K-1 Down River Kayak:  8 miles
Earl Metzler - 0:59:34

C-2 Mixed Cruiser:  8 miles
Patt Oakley & Roger Crisp - 1:08:10
Devann Benson & Brian Benson - 1:14:55


C-1 Men's Cruiser:  8 miles
Bill Kanost - 0:59:43
Gene Bennett - 1:00:21
Paul Kane - 1:00:35
Jim Anderson 1:03:26
Richard Osting - 1:04:33
Terry Pontius - 1:07:24
Kurt Begue 1:15:52
Hilman Culp Jr. - 1:22:24
George Tinsley - 1:26:20

Thank you to everyone who participated in this years event.  We hope that you all decide to come back next year and bring your paddling friends! The race couse will be the same format and weather permitting, we will have another wonderful July day.
Kurt Begue


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