2006 Cheat Race Results

2006 Cheat Race

Individual Results Class Winners Team Results


Geoff Calhoun--2006 Cheat Race Winner	Team Mountain Streams wins the Club Team Cup

2006 Cheat Race Summary

May 5th, 2006.
Article by Rick Gusic

Under almost perfect racing conditions, blue skies and 69 degrees, the 11th annual Cheat Canyon Downriver Race kicked off at 5:29pm. 126 racers represented and fired off at once in the traditional 'mass start' beginning. This year we got some video footage of the start (and finish line) and the link is right above this recap. This year's water level was a low 1.75. Not as low as 2001's race which was 1.2 but still plenty of rocks exposed for a demanding race.

Thanks to all of you who showed up and helped the race get over 120 participants for the second straight year. Nearly everything went off without a problem. Starting a race at 5:30pm in the evening and then trying to get over 200 some people back to town by 8:30pm isn't always easy. We couldn't have done it without you so thanks for the patience.

To the best of our knowledge, the Cheat Race is still one of the the largest kayak races in the United States...and still getting better!!!

We would also like to give a special thanks for the continued support of a few sponsors who help keep our race affordable and fun. PLEASE say thanks or give support to these groups, this race takes a ton of time, effort and money to make happen: Jeff Prycl at Rocky Mountain Kayak, who donated over 60 prizes and helped with logistics. Mountain Streams Outfitters, run by Dave Hough, Steve Geissler, Steve Andraka, Keith Heasley, John Jeffries and Kevin Kurcina,....who hosted our party, let us use their takeout, donated vans, buses, ran safety rafts and so much other support I couldn't even begin to list it all. This race doesn't happen if those MST guys don't help out....PLEASE tell them thanks if you see them.

Thanks also to some others. Cheat River Outfitters, Wendy and Paul who helped out with busing. Laurel Highlands who let us use their booth and gave us a van. Can't forget Friends of the Cheat, who donated kegs, time and a load of Festival passes to the race. Thank you Keith and Sally. Thanks also to the many individuals who donated their time with race safety and coordination; Judy, Chris, Jim, Keith, MC Micah (the drunk loudmouth at the finish line with the bullhorn) and Rich Yester, safety boater and cattle herder, getting people to the finish line. I'm probably missing a few other people, as I don't remember your names. Sorry.

Oh yeah, last but not least, I have to thank my wife Michelle for doing this website and myself, Rick Gusic. If you see me out there, buy me a beer or hot dog or something. I didn't get to race for the second straight year because of race organizing, but I think we are getting the handle on how to run 100+ racers under a mass start....next year I hope to be back racing.

This year's results are posted up above but in terms of a quick recap.....it was pretty much historyrepeating itself for many of the titles.

Geoff Calhoun entered into historic territory by claiming his THIRD Cheat Race title, the same number as Andrew McEwan (98,99,02) Geoff had to work a little harder this year, as Middy Tilghman, Ben Ledewitz and Rodney Rice were all less than a minute behind. Impressive job by Geoff, no if's, and's or but's about it. The Cheat Race is one of the tougher races in the country, dealing with over an hour's worth of paddling, mass start of boaters and tough rapids, the above isn't easy. Congratulations Geoff.

We had a new winner in the 'B' class, Joe Stumpfel who beat over 21 other boats to claim that title, and also finish 6th overall. Nice job. The 'C' class winner was claimed by Justin Venerable, who powered his old school Perception Mirage over 41 other boats for his win. The 'D' class (Short boats under 10') was won by Steve Greybill, his THIRD short boat title. Steve hauled ass down the river in a time of 1:27:22, finishing in 36th place overall, right up there with boats 4 feet longer than his.

Congratulations are in order to the women's class too. Two time overall winner Heather Rau would return to glory, overtaking last year's overall champ, Robin Betz, by a little over a minute. Heather would finish in 1:26:43 to Robin's 1:27:59. These two ladies have a hell of a fun rivalry going on as they have battled it out now for a few years!

Other winners. Congrats to Holli Noble for winning the women's 'D' class. Alden Bird for winning the C1 division. Alden would also finish a very high 28th place overall, proving yet again a man's heart should not be measured solely by the number of his paddle blades. Last by not least, the K2 division was won by Melanie and Pat Hamlin!!

Before we close things out, have to mention the TEAM COMPETITION. Geoff Calhoun's pro WW boaters from DC would win the Pro team class, somewhat easily over teams from All Makes Cleaners (led by MoTown super star Rodney 'Ricochet' Rice) and the Penn State Outing club. In the corporate/club (C/C) divisions, long time ass kickers Mountain Streams would win their 4th straight team title, with new schooler Travis Cowles and old schooler, MST owner Steve Geissler leading the way. Oh yeah, with help from Dan Herring (the proverbial longtime '4th' boater on the MST teams)

Second place turned out to be pretty heated, with Virginia Tech Wildwater Club (2nd place) just
barely edging out the Three Rivers Paddling Club (3rd place)...103 to 104.

Thanks to all the other teams who made a trip up to the race. Kent State Paddling club...America's longest running students. The KeelHaulers, who slipped a bit this year in terms of performance, but still fielded two teams. Thanks! Tom McEwan's Liquid Adventures Kayak School, who brought up TEN boaters on two teams. Thanks Tom!. Thanks to all the others who came up too, very much appreciated.

With this year's race in the books, please do send us suggestions for how to make improvements for next year. Any thoughts, ideas or crazy schemes are appreciated. We are considering adding a 'Masters Division'. Any thoughts? As with before, please send all the ideas to me.

Stay tuned to the web site in the following week or so, we'll be adding and updating the Hall of Fame section with this year's results.

See you next year!!!!

Sincerely,

Race Director, Rick Gusic