Congratulations to the New York Outrigger mixed team for a fantastic Kent Island relay race! It was a gorgeous clear day on Chesapeake Bay, great visibility to the horizon across open water. Our crew ultimately did not medal, but each member paddled their hearts out, and we had some sizzling split times that rivaled even the fiercest competition.

The field was extremely intimidating, with some teams cherry-picking their elite crews. In the spirit of New York Outrigger, we approached this race with an open invitation to the entire club, and a real team of committed club members working their tails off, weathering last-minute injuries, dedicated substitutes, and on-the-fly adjustments.

The race start was tough, and the team handled a few minor bumps, but then settled in and we drove through the subsequent legs reeling in and passing boats that weren’t even visible at each change point.

We had 2 crews alternating through the 4 legs. Here are the preliminary split times per leg:

• Leg 1: 1:28:12 - 7 Miles
• Leg 2: 1:15:01 - 9 Miles
• Leg 3: 1:45:32 - 10 Miles
• Leg 4: 1:27:03 - 9 Miles

The New York Outrigger Novice Crew also had a very strong showing. Congratulations for many in their first race.

A special thanks to our friends at Kent Island Outrigger Canoe Club for organizing yet another amazing race.