News & Stories
2011 Recap
A day (mostly) without rain – hard to come by this year. The 2011 event was one of the best ever.
More than 500 competitors gathered at the North Beach of Lake Calhoun. Kayakers, canoeists, and even stand-up paddlers headed off at 9 a.m., on their journey through the Minneapolis Parks system. North Minneapolis resident Zach Handler won on the men’s side in a time of 1:34:43, while Plymouth resident Kim Rudd took the women’s crown in a time of 1:45:11.
“My husband Craig and I had a great paddle,” commented Rudd after the race. “We were the second canoe out of the water (behind Craig Stolen and Allan Shuros) and we never really looked back.”
In a day of repeat winners, defending champions Team Skillicorn won the family competition once again – with the whole family paddling, Mom Kelly running and Dad Brad and daughter Annie pedaling together on a tandem bike – turning in a blistering time of 31:53!
The Minnesota National Guard Team of Scott Hawks and Matt Pease won the True North Adventures Corporate Relay category, holding off two UCare teams for the title.
Team Fulton Brewing took the men’s title, with Team LOL (Ladies of the Loppet) taking the women’s relay title, and Team Cam-Lind-Oft taking the mixed team championship (note that Sam Oftedahl had the fastest overall bike time on the day – coming in at 28:52).
Some 25 kids 15 and under competed, with many of them completing the entire race. Eight-year-old Jasper Johnstone was the youngest competitor to complete the whole event – and received a chocolate bar for his efforts.