Clark Fork SUP races draw elite paddlers

The growing pains of the Great Montana Stand Up Paddleboard (SUP) Sprint on the Clark Fork River have developed into a sanctioned event that attracted more local enthusiasts, families and professionals from all over the world last Saturday -- with a world champion registering under an alias name to avoid a rush of publicity.  

Christian Anderson, aka Polar Bear, of Klitmøller, Denmark took first place in the Pro Race and then unveiled who he was and said this was a tremendous event at the awards ceremony.

The following are the top centers in the 3rd Annual Great Montana SUP Sprint:

Trail Run (held at 9 a.m. before the water events)

1st: Rainier Acker

2nd: Laura Acker

3rd: Eli Labbe

Amateur Race (18+) 

1st: Manny DeLeon 3 minutes 13:75 seconds winning $200 and qualifying for the Pro race.

2nd: Rob Spence 4 minutes 1:47 seconds winning $150 (donated $50 back to the Rec Club)

3rd: Angelo Ververis 4 min 2:54 seconds winning $100 (donated $50 to the Rec Club and $50 to the Pool in the Park)

Pro Race

1st: Christian Anderson of Denmark 2 min 50:54 seconds winning $300

2nd: Dan Miller 3 min 5 seconds winning $200 (he donated $100 back to the Rec Club)

3rd: Manny DeLeon 3 min 19:34 seconds winning $100

Youth Race (10-17)

1st: Cael Crab 3 min 39:13 seconds winning $200

2nd: Henry Hanson 4 min 4:34 seconds winning $150

3rd: Vincent Giofriddo 4 min 22:14 seconds winning $10

Golden Race (50+)

1st: Travis Prewitt 3 min 32:10 seconds winning Griz Prize 

2nd: Tricia Lyons 3 min 34:10 seconds winning a Griz Prize

3rd Lynda McCoy: 4 min 4:60 seconds winning a Griz Prize

Better Together (2 people on the same board or 1 person and 1 pet on the same board)

1st: Dan Miller and his dog 3 min 51:93 winning a Griz Prize

2nd: Cael Crab and Charlie Quick 4 min 3:40 seconds winning a Griz Prize

3rd: Josie Crab and Rainier Acker 4 min 16:19 seconds winning a Griz Prize

Super Hero Race (wearing a cape and paddling upstream)

*The winner gets the entry fees for this race. There were 10 participants @ $25 each.

Tricia Lyons won with 6 minutes and 16 seconds, winning $250

The last Race was The Kings and/or Queens of Mineral County. 

This was a relay race with four participants on each team. The first paddler goes across the Clark Fork River to pick up the second team member. The two of them paddle back across to retrieve the third team member, then the three of them paddle back across the river to pick up the fourth team member. All four have to paddle or be touching the board when they cross the finish line. There were two teams for this inaugural race. The Merrill's, consisting of Debbie, Jason, Logan, and Dylon. The second team was the Wet Willies consisting of Lily Jasper, Josie Crabb, Rainier Acker, and Kamryn Church.

The Wet Willies won with a time of 12 minutes 58:04 seconds each winning a $30 AMC Movie gift card donated by Networth Financial of Missoula ($120 value).

Derby Ball - ACTUAL time 5 hours 8 minutes 28 seconds (Dropped into the Clark Fork River at the Lozeau Crossing Bridge, and extracted at the Veterans Bridge in Superior by Peggy Temple)

1st: Breklyn Olsen (5h 06m 12s) Winning $165

2nd: Teresa Simpkin (5h 5m 5s) Winning a night stay at Townplace Suites

3rd: Amber Cyr (5h 4m 2s) winning a St. Regis Travel Center Huckleberry Gift Pack

 The Mineral County Rec Club volunteers said again that if it was not for their sponsors, donors, vendors, and community support with participation and unseen charitable work, they could not have had such a wonderful day of laughter, camaraderie, and sunburn. The Annual Community Flotilla on Sunday that began at 1pm at the Big Eddy Fishing Access Site had more representation of community spirit with over 50 people floating in a variety of water devices.

Stats of the Great Montana SUP Sprint

Better Together: 12 teams

Amateur Race: 16 racers

Youth Race: 22 racers

Golden Race: 6 racers

Professional Race: 10 racers

Super Hero Race: 10 racers

Team Relay: 2 teams

3 dogs participated

11 Trail Run participants

    Wet Willie's relay team at the Great Montana Stand Up Paddleboard event Saturday on the Clark Fork River. (Debbie Hanson photo)
  

    Pro winners Dan Miller, Christian Anderson and Manny DeLeon. (Debbie Hanson photo)
  

    Youth winners Vincent Gionfriddo, Cale Crabb and Henry Hanson. (Debbie Hanson photo)
  

    Queens of Mineral County Lily Jasper, Rainier Acker, Josie Crabb and Kamryn Church. (Debbie Hanson photo)