NEW LIMERICK – After months of cold, damp weather, the sun came out on Saturday just long enough for the 27th annual Meduxnekeag River Canoe Race.

“God smiled on us,” said Peter Blood of Houlton, who, along with Clint Cushman of Houlton, has been running the 8-mile race for seven years.

“We have the best day we’ve had in months,” Blood continued as he eyed racers at the registration table. “The water is perfect.”

Seventy-nine canoes and kayaks were entered in the event, with the team of veteran competitors Fred Ludwig and Kenny Cushman coming in as the overall winners in a tandem kayak, with a time of 58 minutes, 10 seconds.

Started in 1977 by students at the former Ricker College in Houlton, the race has gone from being a local event to one that attracts participants from all over the state, as well as parts of New Brunswick.

In the last few years, members of the Maine Canoe and Kayak Racing Organization (MaCKRO) have made the Meduxnekeag a part of their circuit. More than half of this year’s racers were club members.

The race nearly died in 1997 after only about 30 boats entered the year before. Avid racers themselves, Blood and Cushman took the helm to keep it alive.

While many participants in the race are experienced, the two men take care to preserve the local flavor of the event and work to make sure that local people have a chance at the prizes, too.

There are a wide range of classes – more than any other canoe race in Maine, according to Blood – which allows people to participate in a class that fits them best.

“We try not to overwhelm the locals,” Blood said, adding that keeping the family atmosphere has helped the race regain popularity.

Door prizes, a 5-pound bag of potatoes for racers from outside the County, and a free lunch also help to add to the race’s popularity.

The friendly atmosphere was what appealed to Rick Tidd of Hodgdon.

“The camaraderie among the racers is a blast,” he said as he stood along the water’s edge at the Wellington Farm in New Limerick and eyed the swift current.

“It’s a fun race,” he said. “There’s a couple of good spots where you can get in trouble, if you’re not paying attention.”

One of those spots is the Devil’s Elbow, which each year manages to swallow two or three boats.

“It’s not as bad as Six Mile Falls in Bangor, but it’s a nasty little spot,” said Tidd.

The trick at Devil’s Elbow is to not let the river deceive you, Blood cautioned racers at the mandatory briefing a half hour before the 10 a.m. start.

“You’ll see a rock and it looks good to the right,” he told the group. “It’s a trap!”

“The current will push you sideways and you’ll upset,” he said as he reminded racers to stay to the left.

“This is known as the fun race,” Blood said, describing the event. “We keep the fun in it and that’s what we tried to do.”