Cole brothers earn victory in Marsh Stream Downriver race

FRANKFORT – Jon Wescott took his kayak out on Marsh Stream a week ago Sunday.

But on that day he was all by himself, because the water was at flood stage and the annual Marsh Stream Downriver Race already had been postponed.

A week later, Mother Nature provided a sun-splashed, 60-degree day, the water level of the stream was just moderately higher than normal, and the 29 entries in Sunday’s rescheduled Marsh Stream race had a grand time – save for the few who took a spill near Pine Island along the eight-mile route.

“Today’s water level was a little higher than normal, so that made it a more interesting race, especially in the bottom half where more of the rapids are,” said Paul Cole of Groveland, Mass. “The higher level made it wetter – a lot of people got water in their boats – but I think for the most part everyone was successful.”

Cole and his brother, Clayton Cole of Corinth, posted the fastest time of the day as they won the OC2 medium class in 44 minutes, 31 seconds. That just edged OC2 medium recreational champs Chad Nickerson and Dan Wagner of Searsmont, who were timed in 44:42.

The OC2 mixed duo of Sarah and Matt Dingle of Newburgh were next at 47:09, while OC2 mixed recreational champs Greg Dorr of Bangor and Bronwen Pierson of Brewer (49:04) and OC1 winner Scott Nelson of Belmont (49:19) also finished in less than 50 minutes.

The eight-mile race was accompanied by a one-mile sprint held Sunday morning.

The Cole brothers also posted the fastest time in that event, winning the OC2-M medium class in 6:33.

Sunday’s stream depth was measured at about 21/2 feet near a railroad trestle midway along the route, said race director Bill Deighan, who along with his son Andrew won the OC2 junior-senior class in 50:54.

That compared with about seven feet last Sunday when Wescott, a veteran kayaker from Newburgh, took a turn on an upstream section of the waterway, and five feet a day later when Deighan checked the water depth.

“The difference between last week and this week was that last week it was obviously at a flood stage and had a totally different feel to it,” said Wescott, who won the K1 long division in 50:25. “There were just major swirling currents and it was very unpredictable as to exactly what was going to happen. Today it was more channelized, and even though the water was up compared to other years, it was more predictable and steady.”

That meant there was a lane for canoeists and kayakers of all levels to make their way downstream, as well as more challenging options for the more veteran competitors.

“We had a better level today than we’ve had for quite a few years,” said Deighan. “With the extra water, you get faster times, but you get a lot more bailing, too – the key is when do you bail.

“You’re more apt to dump when you have water like this. I swam a rapid I’ve never swam before here today, but that’s part of it. Things can go wrong on a course like this, but if you hang in there and keep going, a lot of times you’re still be in the money because a lot of things happen to a lot of people in conditions like this.

“But it’s fun.”