VCB’s East River Flier, crewed by Rob Buchanan, VCB board member and Ormando Watson, captain of the Banneker High crew placed first in the Gowanus Challenge out of a multifarious fleet of 30 human powered watercraft. The VCB Honeydippers, rowing Warrior, a stretch gunning dory, appeared to have finished second but the 94 year old timekeeper was uncertain of the exact times.
This was the first regatta ever to be held in US Government Superfund Site. The objective of the 2.5 mile race, organized by two Brooklyn paddling groups, the Gowanus Dredgers and the Red Hook Boaters was to raise money for the Gowanus Dredgers Canoe Club, and the point of the Dredgers is to see the Gowanus Canal cleaned up.
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| From Gowanus Challenge-61513 |
Winners Rob Buchanan and Ormando Watson, the Wallabout Channelers, rowed the East River Flyer, a Don Betts design based on a Finnish racing skiff.
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| From Gowanus Challenge-61513 |
The winning Wallabout Channelers and The East River Flier
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| From Gowanus Challenge-61513 |
The Honeydippers with protective gear- Deborah Clearman, Emily Pierrel, David Shehigian, Emily Travis, Hua Joe Fung
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| From Gowanus Challenge-61513 |
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| From Gowanus Challenge-61513 |
The Honeydippers at the finishline in Warrior, the stretch gunning dory designed by Don Betts
Click here for link to WPIX Channel 11 News report featuring interview with VCB board member David Shehigian
