Sports
Weather shortens canoe race but Hamilton boats persevere
By Will Kaback ’20
September 15, 2016
Tags sports
The art of canoeing is one of subtlety, poise and determination. Those who associate the sport with leisurely summer days spent intermittently lily-dipping a plastic oar into flat water have never experienced the strain of battling through headwinds, the pressure of navigating a boat through precarious obstacles or the grim awareness of inclement weather in the middle of an unfriendly lake.
Misconceptions about canoeing reach beyond just the environment of the sport. It is common to see an otherwise capable athlete, accustomed to the certainties of solid ground, grasp a paddle fist over fist—as one would a lacrosse stick or tennis racket—and subsequently take a T-grip to the mouth.
Canoeing is also perceived as a rather one-dimensional exercise: move your arms back and forth, over and over, until they take on a feeling of gelatinous ineptitude. However, good paddling recruits the entire body. Proper form dictates that the core is the center of power, while the legs help to propel motion, and the head moves on a swivel so as to facilitate a smooth follow through. When performed correctly, the arms hardly tire at all. Each stroke is a note in a grand symphony: done well and the entire system functions beautifully, but done poorly and the mistakes are plain for all to see.
There are few feelings akin to harmonious paddling, the boat seemingly floating over the water as it slices through glassy waves. The rush of wind around the small craft centers your mind to the task at hand; you are simultaneously present and lost in the act. Above all, though, canoeing—especially canoeing competitively—showcases the remarkable mental fortitude of its performers. It is a rare breed that can stare out across a vast expanse of aqueous mass dotted with faint islands wavering in the distance, knowing the hours of exertion that lie ahead, and still take to the water with a preternatural zeal.
There is no need for a stadium, no need for spectators. The shore is the sideline, holding beyond it a gnarled wilderness of oak and moss, while simultaneously enclosing a humble oasis that serves as the focus of their exertion. The loons, perpetually adverse to their name, observe quietly, dipping in and out of the field of play for concession breaks, where they snack on bluegill and bass—delicacies of the highest order. Although certainly inferior to the guttural bellows of their human counterparts, the seagulls and hawks do offer the occasional squawk and swoop of support. All the while, mountains loom far ahead like grand finish lines made of rock and salitter, beckoning worthy challengers to their primitive laps. Canoeing exists in the rarest of conditions, both serene and alive with life, depending on where your focus lies. Relatively few ever get to experience such a scene, but for those lucky ones that do, it is nearly impossible to escape.
Members of the Canoe Marathon team will say that canoeing, while uniquely rewarding, requires constant, exacting practice. Every year, the team gets on the water of Delta Lake as soon as the ice thaws, and practices at 5:45am for three weeks in preparation for races in the spring and fall.
They race three different kinds of canoes, C4’s (four person), C2’s (two person), and Voyageurs (six to eight person). In past years, the team has competed in the Long Lake Boat Regatta, Canton Canoe Classic, and the famous Adirondack Canoe Classic, in which the team has been a fixture since its inception in 2009.
While canoe racing garners less attention than more traditional sports, there still exist fierce rivalries amongst teams. Most notably, Hamilton and Paul Smith’s College tend to duke it out for the top spot at each race. A friendly but intense and competitive environment has developed between the two teams. In 2014, Hamilton edged out Paul Smith’s for first place at the Long Lake Boat Regatta. The tables turned the next year at the Canton Canoe Classic.
This year, while preparing for the Adirondack Classic, both teams definitely had the rivalry on their minds. Last weekend, Hamilton’s team sent six boats—four C4’s, one C2, and one Voyageur—to compete in the Adirondack Canoe Classic, or “90-Miler.”
With boat names like Ricola, Vertical, and Sweaty Cheese, the team was a standout from the start. Rachel Lannino ’17, a boat captain for the C4 canoe Potpourri, lays out the race as “three days of 35, 30, and 25 miles, respectively.” The race runs “from Old Forge to Blue Mountain Lake, from the South end of Long Lake to ‘The Crusher’ on Raquette River, and from Fish Creek Pond to the town of Saranac Lake.” In layman’s terms, “from Old Forge to Saranac Lake.” Lannino highlights the contributions of team captains Anna Mowat ’18, Anne McGarvey ’17 and Kevin Roback ’17, in addition to the guidance of Andrew Jillings, the college’s Director of Outdoor Leadership. Although the team is student-lead, Jillings is an invaluable mentor, having an abundance of first-hand experience. This year, he even captained the Voyageur canoe (named Todd D. Moore) for the 90-miler.
Already renowned for its difficulty, this year’s 90-miler proved to be especially difficult. Severe weather brought what Lannino describes as “boat-tipping winds,” forcing the competition to be called off on the third day. Still, the team managed to complete around 67 of the 90 total miles despite the harsh conditions, and managed to make the most of their time on the water. They are excited to continue to compete again this spring.
Canoeing is a lifelong pursuit, with numerous offerings and benefits. Some choose to partake casually, while others, like the marathon canoe team, compete and push themselves to the boundaries of speed and precision. As the team wraps up its fall season, the virtues of the sport are once more evident. Camaraderie and teamwork thrive among members of the team, contributing to a resoundingly positive experience for all involved. And, even when the environmental challenges of the sport rear their head (as they did last weekend), the team showcased its ability to persevere and make the best of the situation. A long winter season sits between the team and future races. However, when the ice thaws, and the water opens its welcoming arms to visitors once more, you can be sure they will be ready.