ATHOL — As of 8 p.m. Thursday 211 canoes were signed up for Saturday’s 55th annual River Rat Race. Final preparations are being made and help is coming from all quarters. Jeremy Chase from Spectrum (formerly Time Warner Cable) will be assisting the Athol Lions Club with the stringing of the “finish” banner across Millers River at the River Front Park in Orange.
Tonight’s post position drawing at the Athol Town Hall will feature a few special “perks.”
River Rat Race Director Dave Flint, owner of Flint’s Garage/Sales, is celebrating his 40th year in business. He has donated a $40 gift certificate to give out to the team drawing the number 40 post position. Craig Twohey, owner of the King Phillip Restaurant, has donated a $55 gift certificate (the denomination goes up a dollar each year). A $40 gift certificate has been donated by 1-Stop Liquors on New Athol Road in Orange, designated for the 128th canoe. The first number drawn registered under the 200 mark will win a pair of racing paddles from ZRE. There will be other prizes, sweatshirts and T-shirt give-aways which have been donated by various businesses and individuals.
Jeff Mangum, project manager at Tully and Birch Hill Dams, reports release of water from the dams began today. The Athol Lions requested a level of one foot on the ladder marker at the South Main Street bridge. “It may be a little less than that,” said Mangum, who has worked full time with the Army Corps of Engineers during the last 24 races, “the natural flow of water is low, but there will be adequate water for the race. Some years there is a high natural flow; years like this are fairly low. There won’t be optimum water, but there will be adequate flow.” Which means the finish times may not be as fast as in some years. Last year, the winning time was 34 minutes 50 seconds.
River Rat Weekend schedule:
Friday
7:30 p.m. – Post positions drawing, Athol Town Hall
Saturday
Pancake Breakfast, Athol Congregational Church, 7-11 a.m.
Big Cheese 5K, 9:30 a.m.
River Rat Parade, 9:30 a.m.
River Rat Race, 1 p.m.
Trophy Presentation, 5 p.m., River Front Park, Orange
Sunday
Pro-Amateur Races, River Front Park 10 a.m. (registration 8 a.m.)
Latest entrants are:
Phil Stevens of Barre and Molly Stevens of Barre; Roland Jean of New Salem and Roger Ballard of Orange; Florian Leopaldi of Athol and Sara Leopaldi of Athol; Paul Hake of Leyden and Russ Thomas of Greenfield; David Gatautis of Northampton and Shannon McKeon of Northampton; Justin Starbach of Delmar, N.Y., and Lucas Starbach of Altamont N.Y.; Chad Starbach of Altamont NY and Samantha Starbach of Altamont NY; Jason Avant of Athol and David Ballard of Orange; Kate Lanou of Athol and Tyson Neukirch of Petersham; Will Stevens of Barre and Justin Noodle of Barre; Sarah Schouler of Athol and Steph Divito of Winchendon; Matt Payne of Watertown and Nathan Payne of Watertown; Samantha Hutchins of East Windsor, Conn. and Josie Giardina of Ashby; Nick Scribner of Orange and Kyle Killay of Athol; Jason Gauthier of Athol and Jason Lichtenberger of Athol; Kena Vescovi of Orange and Tina McIntosh of Athol; James Clune of Gardner and Beth Price of Gardner; Josh Heinemann of Wendell and Katie Nolon of Wendell; Dave Argy of Turners Falls and Ella Argy of Turners Falls; Josh Chittenden of Adams and Darryl Lipinski of Williamstown; Dylan Kirk of Memphis, N.Y., and Luc Mercier of Trois Riveres, Q.C.; Jeffrey Whyte of Hampden and Steve Foster of Bolton, Conn.; Bob Allen of Westfield and Tim Allen of Westfield; Jim Calabrese of East Longmeadow and Jennifer Underwood of Belchertown; Joseph Arce of Orange and Ben Lindo of Orange; Brian Newton of Orange and Chris Jellison of Orange; Emma Ellsworth of Orange and Jack Morse; Tom Ellsworth of Orange and Tim Garland of New Hampshire; Jaret Thiem and Timmy Allen both of Athol; Corey Harris of Athol and James Brennan of Orange; Jonathan Corbett of Barrington, N.H., and Margo Martin of Barrington; Jennifer Landry of Athol and Katelyn Ellis of Worcester; Clyde Willey Jr. and Michela Willey both of Athol; Emilee Melanson of Orange and Angelica Pelletier of Lunenburg; Andrea Brooks and Amy Brooks both of Templeton; Clinton Daniels and Alexis Daniels both of Orange; Brian McNamara and Aiden McNamara both of Athol; Brandon J. Carpenter of Athol and Anthony Carpenter of Gardner; Jason Gobar of Hubbardston and Richard Ciaschini of Barre; Galen Nelson of Boston and Nathaniel Belmont of Boston; Matthew Cody and Lauren Cody both of Enfield, Ct.; Valerie Hamlet of Athol and Dianna Dugas of Orange; John Casale of Southampton and Jim Roberts of Easthampton; Priscilla Reinertsen of New Hampshire and Cheyenne Voudren of Orange; Jamie LaJoie of Athol and Nate Pelletier of Orange; Tim Jaillet and Beth Jaillet both of Athol; Mike Butler and Jeff Roberts both of Athol; Joel Shaughnessy of Athol and Henry Shaughnessey of Turners Falls; Sabrina Vaitkevicius and Danielle Kreider both of Delaware; Zachary Tomer and Alexander Lyman both of Baldwinville; Paul Landry III and Brent Landry both of Athol; Joe Bullock of Gardner and Jason Preneveau of Haverhill; Dustin Guyer and Dana Guyer both of Athol; Kyle MacEwen of Boston and Michael Butler of Athol; Joseph Schweitzer and Stacy Schweitzer both of Athol; Graeme Richard of Phillipston and Trett Collins of Athol; Travis Perrett of Ashburnham and Ryan Marceau of Westminster; Lew Rose and Ian Rose both of Worcester; Corey Chauvette and Josh Talbot both of Athol; Artie Billings and Bobby Koonz both of Orange.
The complete list of the post positions will be printed in Saturday’s edition of the Athol Daily News.