by Gordon Dalton

Over ten years ago sixteen local paddlers held the first downriver race in Goshen Pass of the Maury River, near Lexington, VA. Since that time the Goshen Race has grown into an annual tradition that has included up to 50 racers and a symbolic “kick-off” for the Virginia spring paddling season.

This year the spring kick-off was especially appropriate as the race occurred along with some of the first flow that local rivers and creeks have had since last fall. Goshen Race always starts off with a bang as all racers start together in a visually-spectacular mass-start of wind-milling paddles and bobbing helmets. It was a beautiful, sunny, warm day in Goshen Pass last Sunday as 23 kayakers and canoeists battled their way down the two-mile long, class III-IV course. In the end it was Tate Huffman of Charlottesville who took home the coveted golden paddle trophy. Last year’s Goshen Race champ, Adam Freeman, went home with the 2nd place “Not Gordon Dalton” trophy. Ciaran Brown rounded out the podium with third place. Everyone who raced and volunteered took home some kind of prize or goodie thanks to the generous support of Appomattox River Company and Pyranha Kayaks, faithful supporters of the Virginia paddling community and the annual Goshen Race.

10th Annual 4/2/2017 900 cfs ~Time Boat

1 Tate Huffman 12:05   - (Perception Wavehopper)     *1st Place overall Trophy

2 Andrew Freeman 12:35 - (Dagger Green Boat)        * 2nd place "Not Gordon Dalton" trophy

3 Ciaran Brown 12:38  -    (Dagger Green Boat)           * 3rd place overall

4 Brandon Reynolds 12:53  - (Perception Mirage)       * ("Off the couch to 4th place")

5 Cameron Hall 12:57  - (Dagger Green Boat)

6 Jeremy Hutchins 13:12 -  (LL Stinger XP)

7 Stephen Sabo 13:20 - (Dagger Green Boat)

8 Andrew Lex 13:21  - (Dagger Green Boat)

9 Nick Milo 13:38 - (Dagger Green Boat)

10 Josh Taylor 13:51 - (LL Stinger)

11 Todd Spence 13:52 - (Dagger Green Boat)

12 Sean Plott 13:59 - (Dagger Nomad 8.5)                        * First "Creek Boat"

13 Zander Herring 14:00 - (Perception Corsica)

14 Will Hagy 14:27 -  (Fluid Bazooka)

15 Erik Bailey 14:37 - (LL Jefe)

16 Andrew Koehn 14:38 - (Wave Sport Diesel 65)

17 Sam Carter 14:47 - (Pyranha Loki)                                 * First "Play Boat"

18 Preston Huffman 14:55 - (Jackson Karma M)

19 Steve Wiegandt 15:00 - (Dagger Mamba)

20 Carter Koehn 15:11 - (Wave Sport Diesel 65)

21 Phillip "Flip" Merica 16:26 - (OC-1)                               *First Canoe

22 Lee Williams ~17:00 - (OC-1)

23 Andrew Epperly 23:36 - (Perception Pirouette S)       * Carnage Thong!