ATHOL — It may be a race to the finish line, but for some participants, it is the journey down the Millers River that may be more meaningful. John Richardson III of Orange will be bringing his 10-year-old son, John Richardson IV into Saturday’s Athol to Orange River Rat Race for the first time, continuing a family tradition. John III and his father had previously done the race together a number of times, and he is well aware of the cannon start that sets off the aqueous traffic jam of canoes competing for space beneath the South Main Street bridge.
“We laugh a lot. We have so much fun,” says Kena Vescovi of Orange, who along with her identical twin sister Tina McIntosh of Athol first entered the race in 2006 because “we thought we should try it once.” Other than one year when a sister-in-law had to fill in for Tina, the sisters haven’t missed a race since. While the lighthearted ladies don’t don costumes like some teams do, they enjoy talking with the other paddlers and jokingly call those who practice “amateurs” because the sisters only hit the water the day of the race. “The race last year was our practice,” Vescovi said. Not being “diehard” paddlers, they like to be in it because “it is part of the culture of the Athol and Orange area.” The two also run in the Big Cheese 5K Road Race prior to hitting the river. One year the twins unexpectedly received what they described as a “good-sized trophy” and a $25 prize for placing 3rd in the women’s recreational division, and their reaction was both disbelief and laughter. Vescovi said that at age 45, “we’re very proud that we’re both still pretty active, and we will keep paddling in the race until we can no longer breathe.”
As of press time, 120 teams have registered for the race which starts at 1 p.m. Race Director Dave Flint noted that “some of the local favorites are starting to come in,” including past winners John Berry, Brent Lyesiuk, Bill and Tom Ellsworth, Emma Ellsworth and Jack Morse.
Recent teams to sign up are: Mark Brower of Athol and Brian Prosser of Worcester, trumpeter Bill Kessler and Nick Rumke of Athol, Susan Piro and Jeff Anderson of Orange, Robert Woodard of Orange and Tyler Woodard of Athol, Colin Fish and Zach Fish of Athol, Keith Woodbury and Brandon Woodbury of Winchendon, Terry Coyne of North Adams and Mike Coyne of Storrs, CT., and from Ware, MA, Ryan Krasnecky and Paul Krasnecky. Also registered are Roy Wiberg of Charlton and Jeff Kokocinski of West Brookfield, Jerry Madore and Gus Madore of Wales, MA, and returning race vets Bob Zaveral of Mt. Upton, NY and Jeff Shultis of Otego, NY. From Port Crane, NY, Bruce Lee and Tom Yarosh of Windsor, NY, Phoebe Reese of Oneonta, NY and Todd LeFever of Unadilla, NY, Terese Wheeler and Travis Wheeler of Clinton, MA, and Amy Thornton of Florence and Eric Jones of Granby, CT. Also entered, from Granville, MA, Ana Hull and Adam Hull, Tyler Chaplin and Sam Adams of Orange, Molly Bremner of New Salem and Ethan Bremner of Norwood, and the 100th team to be registered, Andrew Fisk of Holyoke and Dave King of Amherst. Also signed up, from Berlin, MA, Cory MacKay and Connor Meoli of Northborough, Matthew Shults of Gardner and Timothy Coe of Baldwinville, Dale Coffin of Blackstone and Addam Shewcou of Millville, Brian Johnston and Scott Hunter of Hopkinton, Bob Allen and Tim Allen of Westfield, and Raymond Dexter and Austin Bornstein of Fitchburg. Also registered, Jonathan Sweeney and Jordan Smith of Fitchburg, John Richardson III of Orange and John Richardson IV of Athol, Brent Lyesiuk of Orange and John Berry of Petersham, Danny Donnelly of Fitchburg and MaryAnn Freeman of Pembroke. From Westminster, Jeff Donnelly and James James of Fitchburg, Ellen Martin of Erving and Liz Warder of Orange, Mary Hamilton of Keene, NH and Katie Lin of New York, NY, Bill Ellsworth of Orange and Phil Stevens of Barre, Emma Ellsworth of Orange and Jack Morse of Chester, Tom Ellsworth of Orange and Tim Garland of Keene, NH, longtime race “rats” Dennis Carey of Orange and Dale Persons of Bainbridge, NY, Kevin Boss of Swansea, MA and Andy Hall of Lexington, Kyra Celata and Abigayle Celata of Baldwinville, and Kevin Bezio and Stephen Leger, Jr. of Orange.
The River Rat Race is open to all, from professional paddlers to newcomers. The entry fee is $42 per canoe. The deadline to register is 8 p.m. on Thursday, April 11. Athol Lions will be at the Athol Daily News office, 225 Exchange Street to take the final registrations to be included in the post positions drawing on Friday, April 12 at 7:30 p.m. in the Athol Town Hall. Registration forms can be found at www.riverratrace.com.