Kipona Canoe Races

Every year they have a Kipona festival here in Harrisburg which include some Canoe races along the shores of the Susquehanna.

Right as we got there, the girls doubles were having their last heat and Heather needed a partner, so a seasoned canoer stepped in and helped her row her way to a Bronze medal! First try!

Heather and G getting their award.

My friend, Brant, and I were hoping to place well in the Novice category, but I wasn't feeling as confident when the guys next to us looked like steroid-pumping thugs with deltoids larger than our heads. But we kept up with them up stream to the turn around point when our superior navigation skills got us turned around and heading to the finish line first place!

The winners circle with Dick Reese--the legend... who couldn't care less.

We then took breaks for some food then came back and raced raced raced. Heather raced in the women's doubles, the novice, the mixed, and war canoe (4 racers). Spencer raced in the men's doubles (x2), mixed, novice, and war canoe. We did the mixed and war canoe together.

Getting into the zone.

And the war canoe, that was fun. That was 4 people in a canoe rowing like crazy and being extra tipsy-prone which we found out as we rounded the buoy and tipped right over. It was our last race of the day and tipping over actually turned out to be the icing on the cake. SO refreshing!

Near the head of the pack right before we tipped...

Just enjoying the cool of the river while we get helped back in the boat.

Rowing the final leg after getting back in the boat. Picture the final scene of

Cool Runnings in the water with non-Jamaicans.

It was a great day of canoeing.

We soggy, victorious few.