Two Old Town residents made a big splash last month at the 1990 Whitewater Open Canoe National Championships on the Youghiogheny River in western Pennsylvania.

Troy Francis and Scott Phillips won the tandem ABS (Acrylonitrile Butadiene-Styrene) division with a time of 46 minutes, 57 seconds at the race sponsored by the American Canoeing Association on June 10-13. ABS refers to the material which the canoes in that class are made with.

The two men’s time was not only good enough to win their division. It was also the best time, by more than a minute, turned in by any boat in any class at the 7 1/2-mile race

The trip was doubly successful for Francis because he also finished first in the solo ABS class in 52 minutes, 28 seconds.

The 18-year-old Francis won the race with a canoe he borrowed from Old Town Canoe through Phillips. The canoe was the same canoe Phillips used when he won the same race division last year.

“Troy told me I’d have to keep up the winning tradition with that canoe or he’d never let me use it again,” joked Francis. “I guess now he’ll have to let me use it again.”

What happens if they both decide to enter the same race next year as individuals? Who gets the canoe?

“I guess we’ll have to fight each other for it,” said Francis. “I don’t know what we’ll do.”

In the meantime, the two paddlers will team up again for The Maine Event race on the Kennebec River and Dead River Aug. 17-19. Both also plan to compete at the nationals next year.

“We’ve known each other for awhile, but we’ve just started paddling together the last few months,” said Phillips. “I think we’ll definitely be racing again.”

Francis has been racing competitively since just last year. His trip to the national championships this year was his second, his first in the 17-and-over age division.

The Old Town High School senior decided to race canoes after watching a lot of the local races such as the Kenduskeag and Souadabscook Stream races.

In contrast, Phillips has been racing for nearly 10 years and has won several national races. The University of Maine graduate designs boats and works in marketing for Old Town Canoe.

Despite his limited racing experience, Francis is aiming high for his long-term goals.

“I’d like to get a shot to make the U.S. Olympic team,” Francis said. “It’s something I’ve been thinking about since I won the nationals (junior race) last year.

“I know it seems a long way off, but I couldn’t imagine being where I am now two years ago.”

Both Phillips and Francis said they were especially pleased with their time with their canoe since ABS canoes are not considered to be as fast as the lighter Kevlar racing canoes used in other divisions.

But the times turned in by people paddling the Kevlar canoes were significantly slower.

“The water conditions were really good for the race … so that helped,” Phillips said. “But I think it’s because we work together so well that we did so well.”

“This was a very important win to me,” said Francis. “This was a win both of us have wanted for a long time.”