By Laura Caldwell, Expeditionary Programs Manager
This past Saturday, local youth rowing teams gathered at Vergennes Falls Park in historic Vergennes, VT for the Otter Creek Challenge Race, the festive finale to the Vermont chapter of our Youth Open-Water Rowing fall season, all while donning their Halloween costumes! Participating teams from Mount Abraham High School, Vergennes Union High School and Middle School, Champlain Valley Union High School, Lake Champlain Waldorf School, and Burlington High School competed in an exciting down-and-back race along the beautiful Otter Creek. This year, we were also thrilled to welcome visiting members from the Ardglass Coastal Rowing Club Junior Team from Ardglass, Ireland, who joined the Burlington High School rowers for this unforgettable event.
The racecourse began at Vergennes Falls Park, featuring a 2-mile round trip for Novice rowers and a challenging 3 miles for Intermediate and Experienced rowers. The Novices kicked off the day with five entries in the six-oared gig category and one in the four-oared category. Following them, the Intermediate rowers took to the water, competing with seven boats in total.
In a thrilling display of teamwork and skill, Champlain Valley Union High School dominated the Six-Oared Novice and Six-Oared Intermediate categories, clinching first place in both! The CVU Novices finished strong with a remarkable time of 22:31 in their boat, Frank Beckett, while the Intermediate team rowed to victory with a time of 32:14 in their vessel, Maple. And in a heartwarming collaboration, combined teams of BHS and Ardglass rowers also made waves, winning both the Four-Oared Novice and Four-Oared Intermediate categories.
The Experienced rowers were the last to hit the water for the day, navigating the challenging 3-mile course, which included a tight turn to cross the finish line. With two four-oared skiffs and three six-oared gigs competing, a team from Vergennes High School triumphed in the six-oared category, while Mt. Abraham took home the win and the fastest time on the 3-mile course in the four-oared category with an impressive time of 27:24!
After the races, the excitement continued with an awards ceremony and a lively costume contest. Thanks to our generous sponsors, Cookie Love, Lake Champlain Chocolates, Ben & Jerry’s, and Leonardo’s Pizza, all participants had a chance to showcase their creativity. The competition was fierce, but the best team costume was undoubtedly from Vergennes Middle School, where each rower dressed as a different beloved cereal character! Other standout costumes included a flock of crows, a Ratatouille-themed boat, a Spirit HallROWween store, and Snow White with her Seven Dwarfs.
The Otter Creek Challenge is not only an annual celebration of rowing but also a vibrant showcase of community spirit and creativity. We are looking forward the final race of the fall season with the annual Icebreaker Northeast Regional Youth Open-Water Rowing Championships race in Hull, MA on November 23. Enjoy these photos from this year’s Otter Creek Challenge Race thanks to Buzz Kuhns:
