In a field of 16 coed pairs, Emily Chenel '04 and Andy Hunter '04 finished Sunday's Dartmouth Outing Club Challenge atop the podium. The duo defied the weather and the efforts of their competitors in Dartmouth's spring endurance race.
The race consisted of three legs: a mass canoe start to a three mile whitewater paddle down the White River to West Hartford, followed by nine miles of blood, sweat and tears in running along the Appalachian Trail to the Ledyard Canoe Club. The race was capped off by another paddle, traversing the Connecticut River to circumscribe Gilman Island.
As much of America enjoyed the federal holiday to bask in the spring weather, 32 of the Dartmouth faithful fought through the weather that brought over a half-inch of rain to Hanover over the weekend and the fatigues of a three-legged endurance race.
Inspiration varied among the teams, but a thirst to conquer the route and a competitive drive among the mandatory coed teams kept the racers focused despite the uncooperative weather and the conditions of the trail.
"Really, with our friends in the race, there was no choice but to finish as long as we could move," Peter Brewitt '03 reflected after completing the race. "I thought of the toughness of my Finnish ancestors, muttered 'Sisu' to myself, and continued to churn uphill."
The white water of the White River capsized a handful of competitors during the first leg of the competition, and because of the cold spring temperatures and the rain, some teams had the added difficulty of regaining core warmth before embarking on the remainder of the Challenge.
Already moist from a spring thaw, the nine miles of the Appalachian Trail that greeted the participants on the second segment were the most daunting of the three legs. Due to the dampness from a weekend of showers, the leg required not just aerobic endurance, but creativity to overcome the miserable conditions. Methods of combating the tough footing, blisters and muscle cramps included mud fights, back massages and the complete recitation of Don McLean's "American Pie."
The slippery dock of the Ledyard Canoe Club proved to be the most treacherous part of the third leg, causing Kristen Ettersohn '05 to lose her footing and dislocate her shoulder. Citing her distaste for the moniker of DNF (did not finish) and in the true spirit of endurance racing, Ettersohn shook off the injury and, with teammate Zack Strong '05, navigated the Connecticut en route to a second place finish, just eight minutes out of first.
When asked about the injury and their race, Ettersohn responded, "Not finishing is never any fun, especially when it's after two hours of hard work and you have an amazing teammate."
Rounding out the podium finishes were the Alaskan Assassin duo of Zach Hall '06 and Danielle Pratt '06, who utilized strong transitions between the legs to finish 13 minutes off the winners' pace in the third spot.
Nine teams then followed within the subsequent thirty minutes and, just before search teams were dispatched, the "Bink and Bod" team of Kristian Lau '04 and Ashley McCaughan '04 claimed their canoe for the third leg. A wrong turn on the AT cost the pair precious minutes and energy that resulted in over four hours of racing.
With team names such as "Moldy Pitas" and "Das Booties" coupled with racing apparel that included a fluorescent yellow tutu, an elegant silk slip and a leopard skin thong, the Challenge wasn't just about out-racing opponents, it was also about having the best style. As the competitors crossed the Ledyard Bridge linking the AT with the Canoe Club, more than one head turned as passers-by witnessed how some Dartmouth students deal with their pre-finals angst.
Organizer Christina May '05 was enthused by the interest in race and by the determination of the competitors. Nine teams were placed on the waiting list due to a limit on the number of canoes and for safety reasons on the racecourse.
"It was super fun to have it all happen even though it was a crazy, adventuresome and long race on a rainy, nasty day," May said. "People still brought their A-game, made a race of it, but also seemed to have loads of fun."
The competitors that aren't receiving diplomas from President Wright on June 7 are already making their strategy for next year and looking forward to improving on their time from this year and conquering the course and weather by answering the annual Challenge.
