SEARSMONT ? Todd Winchester sat in the passenger seat of a truck with the door open looking apprehensively at a canoe on the ground next to the truck.

“I’m nervous,” he said. “Nervous as hell. ”

Standing next to the canoe with a smile on his face was Winchester’s brother-in-law, J.R. Mabee, who a few minutes later would climb into the canoe with Winchester for the second St. George River Race in two weeks.

With Saturday’s scheduled Passagassawakeag River Race in Belfast cancelled due to ice conditions, the race had been moved to the St. George.

Same river, same results one week later. Kayaker Jeff Sands of Kenduskeag, who won the St. George River Race on March 31, edged out Fred Ludwig of Houlton, cutting through the six-mile course in a time of 39 minutes, 24 seconds. Ludwig was just seven seconds slower.

But prior to the race the 28-year-old Winchester was concerned about being a substitute for his sister Leslie, Mabee’s wife. Winchester’s expectations weren’t very high.

“It’s [my] first race of the year. I just started racing,” Winchester explained.

The Mabees, are active in river and stream racing and often team up for the races. Just the week before, the Bangor residents won the OC2 mixed division on the St. George in a time of 49:27.

J.R. Mabee is a professional guide. His summers are spent taking people fishing on Grand Lake Stream. Leslie Mabee is a physical education teacher in the Orono school system. She is pursuing a recreational guide certificate.

Mabee said he was first put in a canoe at 4 or 5 years of age. His father, John, a Bangor dentist, has long been involved with the outdoors. The Mabees have been regular participants in the Kenduskeag Stream Race and annually receive the number one bib in the open class for that race.

“They’ve given us that number for, I want to say, 20 years now. That was through my father and Bob Kellogg, Zipp Kellogg’s brother. They sorta masterminded the whole thing,” Mabee said.

But with his sister at a recreational guide school for the weekend, Winchester was filling in.

“He hasn’t done a lot of this,” Mabee said. “But he’ll be all right. I think we’ll need about an hour out there. ”

While Winchester, of Clifton, contemplated the coming events, others took advantage of the great weather and the chance to say hello to friends.

In a somewhat comical scene, a competitor spent his before-race moments catching some rays while stretched out on his kayak, which sat in the still deep snow.

And there was the not-so-comical sight of Mike Murphy of Brooks being supported by crutches. Murphy, along with his nephew Justin Reynolds of Belfast, made up one of the top senior-junior teams in the state last year. Known as a jokester, Murphy mustered up some humor despite the obvious pain he was in.

“I’m a gimp,” he said. “I got into an accident at my house. I was working on my motorcycle up on a stand and it fell over and I went right with it. Got a titanium rod in my right leg that cost about two grand.”

Mabee and Winchester crossed under a bridge on Camden Road in Hope that marked the end of the race in less than the hour Mabee predicted.

Initially told their time was 44:10, Mabee laughed and shook his head in disbelief.

“That’s sounds awful fast to me. That would be a national champion and another fast racer, a former national champion’s time.”

Eventually the time business was sorted out and the pair officially completed the race in 54:10.

Mabee said that Winchester had done just fine.

“I’m just glad it’s over,” Winchester said. “We got a little wet. I need a beer.”

His brother-in-law said he would buy.

Canoe Racing

LOCAL

Passagassawaukeag River Race

On the St. George River, 6 miles

At Searsmont

Overall (top 20 finishers): 1. Jeff Sands, Kenduskeag, 39:24; 2. Fred Ludwig, Houlton, 39:31; 3. Chris Francis-Troy Francis, Indian Island/Hampden, 41:52; 4. Clayton Cole-Paul Cole, Corinth/Groveland, Mass., 42:47; 5. Lori Dana-Barry Dana, Solon, 43:00; 6. Jamie Hannon-Chip Loring, Bangor/Old Town, 43:54; 7. Al Paradis-Priscilla Reinertsen, Pittsfield, N.H./Dunbarton, N.H., 44:02; 8. Paul Brown-Greg McMorrow, Swanville/Thorndike, 44:07; 9. Brad Nightingale-Tom Cronkite, Garland/Etna, 45:36;10. Rich Bartlett-Bob Martin, Hampden/Holden, 45:50; 11. Peter Blood-Clint Cushman, Houlton, 46:09; 12. Donny Doolan-Cliff Littlefield, Morrill/Waldo, 46:15; 13. Justin Wardwell-Greg Dorr, Holden/Bangor, 46:16; 14. Matthew Levin, Warren, 46:17; 15. Michael Burke-Raymond Chabot, Kents Hill/Livermore, 46:26; 16. Brad Helfer-Terje Reinertsen, New Durham, N.H./Dunbarton, N.H., 46:27; 17. (tie) John Alsop, Skowhegan, 46:30 and J.D. Burke-Chris Bartlett, Newburgh/Bangor 46:30; 19. Dan Wagner-Shane Whitcomb, Belfast/Morrill, 46:56; 20. Aaron Cross-Dale Cross, Morrill, 47:13

Top Finishers by class

Anything Goes: John Berglund-Quincy Berglund-Nick Lunt, Tenants Harbor, 54:53; Century: Peter Blood-Clint Cushman, Houlton, 46:09; Brad Helfer-Terje Reinertsen, New Durham, N.H/Dunbarton, N.H., 46:27; Don Wescott -John Wescott, , Sydney/Winterport, 48:38; Norman Kalloch-Paul Hughes, Hampden/Skowhegan, 59:09; K: Jeff Sands, Kenduskeag, 39:24; Fred Ludwig, Houlton, 39:31; Matthew Levin, Warren, 46:17; Larry Merrill, Orrington, 50:32; KS: Dick Hanson, Orrington, 47:43, Dan Kelley, Dexter, 48:09, Mark Bamford, Bucksport, 48:11, Dick Kelley, Brewer, 49:00; Greg Gwecco, Unity, 49:12; KW: Cheryl Levin, Warren, 47:36, Paula Lunt, Tenants Harbor, 51:30; Hope Hyde, Albion, 1:00.14; OC1: John Alsop, Skowhegan, 46:30; OC1Rec: Angus Deighan, Newburgh, 50:32; Greg Shute, Alna, 50:55; D.W. Smith, Lamoine, 51:05; Doug Lakin, Newcastle, 54:51; Bob Winslow, Belfast, 56:36; Robert Smith, Greenville, 57:02; OC1W: Lynn Flaccus, Alna, 56:43; OC2Jr/Sr: Zeb Hillis-Dan Littlefield, Belmont/Waldo, 48:33; Josh O?Donald-Rick O?Donald, Newburgh, 49:54; OC2Jr/Sr Rec: Aaron Cross-Dale Cross, Morrill, 47:13; River Robertson-Ralph Robertson, Swanville, 49:14; OC2M: Chris Francis-Troy Francis, Indian Island/Hampden, 41:52; Clayton Cole-Paul Cole, Corinth/Groveland, Mass., 42:47; Paul Brown-Greg McMorrow, Swanville/Thorndike, 44:07; Art Taylor-Brian Stuart, Milford/Bangor, 47:50; OC2Mix: Lori Dana-Barry Dana, Solon, 43:00; Al Paradis-Priscilla Reinertsen, Pittsfield, N.H./Dunbarton, N.H., 44:02; OC2MixRec: Dawn Williams-Brad Krog, Winterport/Bowdoin, 48:13; Irving Gilbert-Mary Hartt, Newport/Dixmont, 49:06; Lizzy Anderson-Bill Anderson, Morrill, 49:24; Hank Walker-Maureen Barnard, Union/Rockland, 50:52; Marcus Rogers-Betty Parson, Lincoln, 56:38; OC2N: chad Nickerson-Brad Lindelof, Searsmont/Belfast, 49:14; Alden Robbins-Erik Olson, Searsmont, 50:59; Justin Doan-George Haselton, Lincolnville/rockport, 51:27, Joe Holmes-Aaron O?Donnell, Belfast, 54:21; Brad Houston-Evan Eichorn, Poland/South Boston, Mass., 56:45; OC2RM: Jamie Hannon-Chip Loring, Bangor/Old Town, 43:54; Brad Nightingale-Tom Cronkite, Garland/Etna, 45:36; Donny Doolan-Cliff Littlefield, Morrill/Waldo, 46:15; Justin Wardwell-Greg Dorr, Holden/Bangor, 46:16; Michael Burke-Raymond Chabot, Kents Hill/Livermore, 46:26; J.D. Burke-Chris Bartlett, Newburgh/Bangor 46:30; Dan Wagner-Shane Whitcomb, Belfast/Morrill, 46:56; OC2RS: Mike Eckel-Kirk Niese, Montpeelier, Vt.-Bath, 51:15; Tim Brooks-Dan Stover, Holden/Hampden, 51:20; Terry Wescott-Joel Cox, Brooksville/Searsmont, 51:55; J.R. Mabee-Todd Winchester, Bangor/Clifton, 54:10; Katie Berglund-Adam Monroy, Bar Harbor, 1:02.41; OC2S: Rich Bartlett-Bob Martin, Hampden/Holden, 45:50; OC2W: Tammy Kelley-Bronwen Pierson, Lamoine/Bucksport, 51:29; Christy Stout-Ander Thebaud, Holden/Southwest Harbor, 52:37; Kate Judy-Jane Brann, Dedham/Enfield, 1:00.26