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FLASH RELEASE – 10:30 AM July 26, 2004

 

AuSable Marathon Finish Line – Oscoda, Michigan 

Complete Race Results and Story

 

NEW CHAMPS SPRINT TO FINISH

 

AT 57^th WEYHERHAEUSER AuSABLE RIVER CANOE MARATHON

 

13 seconds was the margin of victory

 

For the first time in eight years the Weyerhaeuser AuSable River Canoe Marathon has new champions. Andrew Triebold of Spring Arbor, Michigan and Steve Lajoie (lah-zwah) of Mirabel, Quebec crossed the finish line in Oscoda  13 seconds ahead of eight time champions Jeff Kolka of Grayling and Serge Corbin of St. Boniface, Quebec. Triebold and Lajoie ended the race with a time of 14:59:46, Kolka and Corbin finished with a time of 14:59:59 Sunday, July 25 at North America’s richest, toughest non-stop canoe race: the Weyerhaeuser AuSable River Canoe Marathon.  The pair claimed the $5000 first place prize from a total purse of $50,000, the richest in North American canoe racing.

 

The race started with a bang at 9 PM Saturday night in Grayling Michigan.  At the sound of the starter’s pistol, 59 two-person teams made a frenzied Le-Mans style 1/8-mile run with their canoes through the streets to the AuSable River for the start of this 120 mile, 14 to 19 hour non-stop race. 

 

Triebold and Lajoie were the first in the river at Ray’s Canoe Livery followed closely by Dave Teddy of Littleton, Colorado and Tim Sheldon of Grayling, Michigan. After the first two teams were in the water the AuSable River was teeming with racers battling for position to place their boats in the river.  Burton’s Landing, the first official timing location and 43 minutes into the race, Andy Triebold [tree-bold], 27, of Spring Arbor, Michigan and Steve Lajoie [lah-zwah], 27, of Mirabel, Quebec, were holding first place. The leaders built a 1 minute and 55 second lead over Mo Harwood of Grayling, Michigan and Matthew Rimer of Horton, Michigan also in the lead pack were the defending champs Kolka/Corbin,  Rick Joy of Silverwood, Michigan and Louis Berthiaume of Bertheville, Quebec, Bill Torongo of Roscommon Michigan and his partner Clark Kent of Lapeer, Michigan.

 

This battle for the top five spots carried through the next three timing points and by McMaster’s Bridge the defending champs were less than a minute behind Triebold and Lajoie. Also at McMaster’s Bridge, Jim Harwood of Grayling, Michigan and Denis Berthiaume of Pre’vost, Quebec moved into the top five, four minutes behind the leaders. 

 

 At the first of six portages of the night, Mio Dam, Triebold and Lajoie were in a dead heat with Kolka and Corbin, followed one minute later by Joy and Berthiaume and Harwood and Rimer. As the evening turned into early morning, Joy and Berthiaume led through McKinley Bridge and 4001 Bridge.  

 

From Alcona Dam to the Finish Line in Oscoda, the lead changed three times between Triebold and Lajoie and Kolka Corbin. The teams were riding each others wake (similar to drafting in car racing) in the last leg of the race, when Triebold and Lajoie took advantage of a mishap by Kolka and Corbin to break away and sprint to the finish.   

 

Rounding out the top five were, third place went to Rick Joy of Silverwood, Michigan and Louie Berthiaume of Berthierville, Quebec crossing the finish line at 15:07:08, fourth place, Jim Harwood of Grayling, Michigan and Denis Berthiaume of Pre’vost Quebec with a time of 15:10:24 and in fifth place was Mo Harwood of Grayling, Michigan and Matthew Rimer of Horton, Michigan finishing at 15:33:44.  

 

Ten mixed teams participated in the 2004 Marathon and the first mixed team to cross the finish line was Matt Streib and Mandy Trudgeon of Bristol, Indiana finished the race in 13th place overall with a time of 16:03:11. Second in the mixed division was Doug Howard of Townshend, Vermont and Gloria Wesley of Pittsfield, Massachusetts, completing the race course in 16:12:09 15th place overall. 

 

The 2004 race featured the youngest person ever to finish the Marathon, 15 year old Theresa Janish of Whittemore, Michigan paddled with her Dad, Jeff, crossing the finish line with a time of 18:36:41.  

 

Of the 59 teams that started the 57^th Weyerhaeuser AuSable River Canoe Marathon, 45 teams completed the race within the qualifying time of 19 hours. Fog and cold temperatures played a role in a number of teams dropping or being disqualified.  Fourteen teams withdrew from the race due to illness, injury, damage to the canoe or due to missing mandatory cut-offs at timing stations.

The Weyerhaeuser AuSable River Canoe Marathon, the middle jewel of prestigious Triple Crown of Canoe Racing, is considered to be one of North America’s most extreme endurance events.  The two-person teams must paddle 120 miles and over 50,000 paddle strokes non-stop through darkness, inclement weather, and portage six hydroelectric dams while battling the sheer mental and physical torture of up to 19 hours paddling at 50 to 80 paddle strokes per minute. 

 

Extensive information including complete race results, photographs and entry information for the Weyerhaeuser AuSable River Canoe Marathon is available on the web at:              http://www.ausablecanoemarathon.org