60th Annual Manchester Canoe & Kayak Race results

2026 Annual Canoe & Kayak Race. Photo by Fritz Swanson.

by Sara & Fritz Swanson

The 60th Annual Manchester Canoe & Kayak Race was held on Sunday, May 17. The weather was beautiful and hot for the first year under the organization of the Manchester Mens Club.

Daniella Kippnick, an organizer of previous races with the Robotics Team stated, “The Men’s Club did a wonderful job stepping up to continue this fun community tradition. The Robotics Team and parents, along with a couple of long-time community volunteers, helped support and pass info to the Men’s Club for their first very successful organization of the race! The Boy Scouts also helped with canoe use and a few stellar scouts really stepped up helping at the finish line in the hot sun.” 

60th Annual Manchester Canoe & Kayak Race winners:

Teen Canoe

1. Garrett Smith & Caleb Savage 0:40:59
2. Nico Sark & Noah Sark 0:44:36
3. Caleb Weidmayer & Aiden Hall 0:53:02

Adult Child Canoe

1. Lauren Foley & Reid Foley 0:43:56
2. Eric Walter & Luca Walter 0:44:01
3. Eric Claus & Owen Claus 0:45:02

Men’s Canoe

1. Case Kittel & Ross Kittel 0:36:19
2. Silas Bialecki & Stas Bialecki 0:39:54
3. Richard Ensley & Rick Gilling 0:41:32

Women’s Canoe

1. Sara Andrews & Sam Tank 0:49:31
2. Sybil Kolon & Margaret Bialecki 0:50:38
3. Gianna Turek & Ella Turek 0:56:33

Man/Woman Canoe

1. Dave Foley & Cyndy Foley 0:39:24
2. Marcel van der Elst & Gisele van der Elst 0:40:37
3. Mark Irish & Sophia Irish 0:40:44

Single Canoe

1. Shawn Mullaly 0:44:26
2. August Christensen 0:51:39

Corporate Challenge

1. Riteway Pallet — Rick Ensley & Rick Gilling 0:41:29
2. Di-Coat — Joshua Grutza & Chris Ackerman 0:45:29

Single Kayak Woman

1. Katie Bonner 0:39:45
2. Gwenn Stevenson 0:41:53
3. Stephanie Pridmore-Rineir 0:42:03

Single Kayak Man

1. Robert Michalec 0:35:56
2. David Ives 0:37:23
3. Jonathan Cardona 0:39:01

Teen Kayak

1. Lain Earhart 0:44:32
2. Cody Hicks 0:48:51
3. Elena Houttekier 0:52:03

Double Kayak

1. Peter Knox & Abigail Knox 0:44:28
2. Julie Curtis & Kristin Sample 0:45:22
3. Dave Perry & Erik Curtis 0:49:17

Sprint

1. Ross Kittel & Case Kittel 41.84
2. Eoin Flaherty & Sully Flaherty 49.22
3. Carol Khan & Peter Knox 51.19

Click here to view all of the results. 

Kippnick concluded, “The day was beautiful and there was a great turnout for a day of fun on our beautiful stretch of river. Huge thanks to everyone involved in racing and helping, especially the Men’s Club for stepping up to keep this 60 year tradition alive in Manchester!”

Photo by Fritz Swanson.

Photo by Fritz Swanson.

Photo by Fritz Swanson.

Photo by Fritz Swanson.

Photo by Fritz Swanson.

Photo by Fritz Swanson.

by Fritz Swanson

Fritz Swanson has written for The Believer, the Christian Science Monitor, Print Magazine, McSweeney's, Esopus, LSA Magazine, and The Mid-American Review. He serves as a trustee on the Manchester District Library Board. He's the designer and publisher of The Manchester Mirror.

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