On Sunday, November 2nd the 2nd annual Paddle in the Park Race took place at Maho Beach. There were over 50 paddlers competing in the race. The weather was great and the day started with a fantastic rainbow. It was calm with little wind inside Maho Bay, but outside at Whistling Cay the wind was howling, so the race was quite challenging for those competing in the Open and Elite Course. It was not an easy paddle, since most of the course was cross-wind (with only a small upwind/downwind leg behind Whistling Cay).

Been there? You might find yourself on TV. The event was been filmed for Facing Waves, a 30-minute cable television series that showcases paddling destinations on Outside Television (to 8 million TV households) and NBC’s Universal Sports (to 48 million homes)! The production company has guaranteed at least three airings of the USVI episode on both channels as a part of the series’ 2015 third season!

Congratulations to all winners and finishers!

paddle-in-the-park-2014-photos-stjohn-usvi

There were three courses:

  • Short Course from Maho Beach to the NPS floating fee station and back – about 1 mile
  • Open Course from Maho Beach to Whistling Cay and back – about 3 miles
  • Elite Course from Maho Beach to Whistling Cay, then to and around Cinnamon Cay, back behind Whistling Cay and back to Maho – about 5.5 miles

paddle-in-the-park-2014-results-stjohn-usvi

PADDLE THE PARK
2014 RESULTS

Elite Course — Women

1. Isabelle Picard St. Croix 1:16:56
2. Thais Taylor St. John 1:33:54
3. Jude Woodcock St. John 1:49:12

Elite Course — Men

1. Bill Kraft St. Croix 1:05:51
2. John Ford St. John 1:09:38
3. Lee Donovan Los Floric, CA 1:18:20
4. Adam Thill St. John 1:24:43
5. Matthew Hite Jacksonville Beach, FL 1:25:35
6. Arthur Jones St. John 1:26:52
7. Mathew Jarvis St. John 1:27:16
8. Lee Richter St. John 1:29:05
9. Andy Morrell Tortola, BVI 1:31:08
10. Jeff Miller St. John 1:37:46

Open Course — Women

1. Nikki Samuel St. Thomas 1:02:52
2. Ginny Walters Rocky River, OH 1:05:44
3. Alisa Niehuser St. Thomas 1:06:36

Open Course — Men

1. John Linnborn St. Thomas 0:38:47
2. Todd Clements St. Thomas 0:41:17
3. Nathan Hatfield St. Thomas 0:42:00

Short Course — Women

1. Sharie Smyth (Seibert) St. Thomas 0:14:47
2. Louanne Schechter St. Thomas 0:15:28
3. Sandra Loeffler St. John 0:15:49

Short Course — Men

1. Mark Lonski St. John 0:12:55
2. Wyatt Bracy St. Croix 0:13:43
3. Manny Horsford St. Thomas 0:15:26

Paddle in the Park 2014 Photos

Check out this great photos by Steve Simonsen Photography. More photos are on his website:
http://simonsen.photoshelter.com/gallery/Paddle-the-Park-2014/G00003Ei5p_OiosQ