1999 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 & Kurt Begue for their support of the 1999 Three Rivers Festival Canoe & Kayak Marathon Races, on Saturday July 17, 1999.

This years race course was changed from years past and proved to be very good.  Racing from the IPFW boat ramp upstream to the Washington Center Road Bridge and back, the recreational participants made one loop, while the USCA competition events ran two loops.

The water level was nice, deep with virtually no current. The weather was hot, 92 degrees with 70% RH.

The results of the races are as follows:

Saturday July 17, 1999
Morning Races

Recreational Kayak: 3 miles
John Van Lopik - 0:36:34
Bob Staley - 0:36:36
Deb Andrzejewski - 0:36:37


Adult / Youth Canoe: 3 miles
Patrick Horney & Steven Horney - 0:35:07
Gabe Miller & Bill Miller - 0:40:53
Joshua Meyerchick & Jim Meyerchick - 0:54:37


Adult Canoe Open: 3 miles
Todd Higgins & Mike Spaulding - 0:29:03
Jeff Switzer & Tom Switzer - 0:29:28
Ryan Myers & Joel Myers - 0:30:02
David Stombaugh & Jarrod Staley - 0:32:29
Jim Hacker & Tim Hawkins - 0:33:16
Ed Bobay & John Fecher - 0:36:43


Aluminum Canoe: 3 miles
Hilman Culp & George Tinsley - 0:29:55
Erin Jackson & Rob Jackson - 0:41:19


C-2 Standard (SCR): 7 miles
Terry Pontius & Roger Crisp - 0:57:52
Kris Mesman & Jerry Begue - 1:00:51
Earl Metzler & Chris Helvey - 1:01:08


C-2 Cruiser: 7 miles
Brian Benson & Jim Anderson - 0:55:29


Afternoon Races

C-1 Men's Cruiser: 7 miles
Bill Kanost - 0:56:52
Richard Osting - 0:58:57
Terry Pontius - 1:01:15
Kurt Begue - 1:02:27
Steve Evertson - 1:03:37
Jerry Begue - 1:08:28
Chris Helvey - 1:09:24
Kris Mesman - 1:11:27
Hilman Culp - 1:28:56
George Tinsley - 1:28:57


K-1 Down River Kayak: 7 miles
Earl Metzler - 0:56:39
Deb Andrzejewski - honorable


C-2 Mixed Cruiser: 7 miles
Holly Ritchie & Jim Anderson - 0:55:24
Devann Benson & Brian Benson - honorable

The race participation was higher this year and we plan on having an even better race next year. We urge all people who enjoy canoeing to come out next year and join in the fun. We would really like to start developing a larger recreation group of paddlers to supplement the hardcore paddlers that come to every race. The more boats that we can put out on the river, the better time everyone has.
Kurt Begue


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