1. Trevor d Koekkeok 45 6:39.8
2. Mike Van Beuren 55lwt 6:47.6
3. Rick Martin 52 6:51.8
4. Paul Flack 51 6:52.8
5. Will Haskell 41lwt 6:54.6
6. Chad Goss 45 6:54.7
7. Gary Passler 53lwt 7:04.9
8. Jonathon Moore 39 7:05.2
9. Doug Snell 39 7:05.4
10. Fred Dickie 52 7:09.3
11. Ron Pellitier 49 7:10.7
12 Frank Knight 62 7:15.3
13. Rick Bayko 60lwt 7:21.0
14. Bill Burke 50lwt 7:23.2
15. Jim Keating 60 7:29.3
16. Carla Stein 47 7:29.9
17. Gene Burnham 33 7:55.7
18. Kinley Gregg 43 8:09.0
19. Dave Nock 69 8:12.0
20. Yvette Knight 62 8:51.8
21. Mary Van Beuren 50lwt 9:05.2
The day started early with Doug Snell getting a special dispensation to come by at 7:00am and do his race. To the reverberating sounds of Meatloaf singing 'Bat Out Of Hell' Snell blasted a PB 7:05.4 to establish the time to beat. When Heat 1(a) went off on time at 9:00am there was the full complement of four for the heat, and a second PB with Bill Burke (kipkeino68) stroking a 7:23.2.
Heat 2 had some serious action as Jonathan Moore, age 39 same as Doug Snell, grabbed the lead in his division by a skinny 0.2 second with his 7:05.2. When informed that he had beaten Doug he commented "I never even saw the guy." Further down the line Will Haskell took over the lead for lightweights with a 6:54.6 to beat Gary Passler's 7:04.9 from the previous heat, and Trevor de Koekkoek (tdekoekkoek)
hammered out a 6:39.8 to take the fastest time of the day lead.
In Heat 3 Chad Goss (chgoss) knocked off a 6:54.7 while Frank Knight (FrankJ) continued his NE2KC dominance in the 60+ division. Young Gene Burnham (youngest competitor of the day at only 33) broke 8:00 for the first time ever.
It was the Women's turn in Heat 4, and more fireworks. Once Carla Stein (seat5) got the monitor off elapsed time and onto the average/500m that she was looking for she smoked a new Newburyport Women's record of 7:29.9, breaking her own 7:32.6 of last year and setting up for another good CRASH-B's next month. Kinley Gregg (kinley) rowed with the monitor set to Watts and finished strongly with 8:09. Yvette Knight won her division for a third straight year.
The Big Boys in Heat 5 featured a lightweight for the first time in the person of Mike Van Beuren. Fresh off his fine showings in the French and European Opens last month Van Beuren spanked everyone in his heat and came out with the second fastest time of the day. The 6:47.6 also set a new all-time lightweight record surpassing Will Haskell's 6:50.6 from 2006. Rick Martin finally found a way to beat the legendary Paul Flack (three sledgehammers) but alas they were both off the pace for the biggest prize.
Coveted NE2KC ice scrapers for winning their division went home with de Koekkoek, Haskell, Van Beuren (X2), Bayko, Moore, Martin, Knight (X2), & Stein.
The Bridge Street Toys Mini-Sledge for the fastest Women's time of the day was won by Carla Stein
The Bridge Street Toys Tackhammer for the fastest lightweight time of the day was won by Mike Van Beuren.
The PaulS Sledgehammer award for the fastest time regardless of age, gender, or weight went to Trevor de Koekkoek.
The hammers were awarded during the playing of Giuseppe Verdi's loud and exciting Anvil Chorus from Il Trovatore.
Trevor de Koekkoek
Later a few competitors and spectators retired to the world famous Agawam Diner in Rowley, Massachusetts for late breakfasts. As in past years it was a darn good day.
Rick Bayko,
Grand Poobah of the NE2KC
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