2010 Robe Race Results

Congrats to the new kings of the Robe, Aaron Johnson & Brian Fletcher! Training pays off. The coveted Winners' Robes will be staying in Seattle this year .. but I have to wonder if these beautiful, embroidered Robes might end up showing the telltale signs of being in the care of native calf-ropin' Montanans: you know, those "dip can circles" in the back pockets of the Wranglers of every man, woman & child from Montana? Royal Blue satin damages easily, boys, take care of them Robes.

The Robe Gnome (prize for DFL finisher) this year goes to the inaugural race's 2nd place finishers, Chris Tretwold & Ryan Bradley, who both actually SWAM TO THE FINISH LINE trailing their boats .. setting a new standard for slow-ass-slow ..

The Golden Glove award for MVP safety boater goes to Hood River rat Jay Gifford, who bagged like 4 swimmers at Catcher's Mitt.

Shhurdle got the Stein Weasel award, but he always wins that ..


Here are the complete results.

(1) Aaron Johnson / Brian Fletcher (27:56)
(2) Rob McKibbin / Ben Hawthorne (28:45)
(3) Kurt Braunlich / Louis Geltman (29:07)
(4) Jon Prentice / Darren Albright (30:38)
(5) Sean Bozkewycz / Adrian Kiernan (31:59)
(6) Bryan Smith / Todd Gillman (32:52)
(7) Hale Hannaway / Jon Dufay (33:58)
(8) Brad Xanthopoulos / Marco Colella (34:23)
(9) Jonathan Ehlinger / Andrew Oberhardt (36:10)
(10) Scott Waidelich / Nick Hinds (36:41)(S)
(11) Steve Arns / Matt Kompass (36:50)
(12) Fred Norquist / Niko Peha (38:03)(S)
(13) Ken Olivier / Sam the Kiwi (40:27)
(14) Shane Robinson / Brock Gavery (40:54)(S)
(15) Don Beveridge / Darcy Gaechter (41:30)(S)
(16) Chris Tretwold / Ryan Bradley (55:15)(S)

Racer group shot at the starting line. (thanks for the pic, Erin P.)

So, in all the chaos & exhaustion at the end of the race, I totally blew it. I really wanted to pass the hat for our good pal Matt Thomas, who raced in the inaugural Robe Race, but who is now dealing with this pesky paralysis issue. Matt will be heading to San Diego for Project Walk, a spinal cord injury rehab facility. He's excited for the opportunity ... but ... the cost is about $1,200/week, & insurance covers exactly $0.00/week. So that's why we're shaking the tree on his behalf. Please, if you are able, make a PayPal donation through MATT'S BLOG. Thanks!


*** I'll work on a proper recap with lots of photos & stories as soon as I can. Email me your best photos of the day if you want them included. Back to work!***

In Twenty-Ten We Try Again

It's April 1st, fools. Tis the season & the gnomes be hungry.



Last year, Mother Nature didn't comply with the organizing & oversight committee's request for mellow flows, & the race had to be cancelled. This year we're feeling lucky .. & a bit better prepared with a 3-weekend window for the race. So let's get it on.

This year we're targeting the last weekend of April. The flow window will reside somewhere between 4.9 & 6.0. If flows are unacceptable, we'll hold the race the following weekend, & ditto that the following weekend. So, the weekend of April 23rd is first choice, May 1st & May 8th will be the backups. And if in that 3-weekend period we can't pull it off, I'll be over it.

At minimum, what I need to make this happen:

Timekeepers: 2 volunteers to hike trail to start line & stage the starting line

Timekeepers: 2 volunteers to hike trail to finish line to meticulously record finish line times

Racers: 5 teams of 2 racers willing to race at given flow (all racers must have throwbag to race)

Ideally, we'd have some safety boaters at a couple places throughout the canyon, & some spectators to hold bags (& cameras & cowbells) around Tunnel & Sunshine are always welcome .. but the race is contingent upon neither of these. Again, all we really need to pull the race off this year is 2 timekeepers up top, 2 at the bottom, & 5 teams ready to rumble.

The Prizes:

The Winners Robes with custom race embroidery (designed by my brother) will be on the line. Rob McKibbon ("Old Man River"?) & Ben Hawthorne will be aggressively defending the title & the right to have their names added to the sleeves a second time.

For the team that finishes D.F.L., there is the traditional Robe Gnome that will be passed to its new keepers (we hope).

We'll have a party afterward & I'll provide a bunch of beer. Last year, we had a bbq planned with lots of food. That may happen again. At the party we'll have an independent panel of experts crunch the numbers & crown the victors. We will also "pass the hat" & try to raise a bit of cheddar for our pal Effigy -- who many of you know well -- who traveled all the way from Southern OR to race in the inaugural event .. but who is now bound to a wheelchair & facing a pile of medical & rehab bills. Everything about this race is free & grassroots, fools, so please have it in your hearts to dip into your pockets & help out a friend in need.

You want to be a volunteer? Awesome! Get in touch with me or post in the comments. Got a race partner? Aye, que bueno. Let me know asap. Post your team in the comments section or send me an email. We'd love to see some of our downstate, east side, OR & BC friends come out for this. Any forum-hounds, please feel free to cross-post & get the word out on your favorite forum if you want.

And .. as always .. the comments section of this blog are open for shit-slingin' business.



Little Miss Sunshine; Photo courtesy Chris Tretwold


Hillary at Garbage. The gnomes be watchin'. Photo courtesy Leif Embertson


Off Broadway on a low-medium day; Photo courtesy Chris Tretwold


The old Garbage high-water boof (RIP) .. the gnomes be waitin'. Photo courtesy Leif Embertson


Crankenstein on the old Garbage boof. Photo courtesy Chris Tretwold


Is this 20-ft Waterfall? I don't even know. Photo courtesy Leif Embertson

I'm sure I left some details out, & I know that those dates won't be *perfect* for everybody, but that's what I had to work with. Any questions, hit me up or post in the comments. Stoked to make this happen this year!