This past weekend, a highly anticipated sport made its return to the Hamilton community. That’s right, folks, the 90-mile canoe race kicked off its 36th year of competition this past Friday in the Adirondack Wilderness.
According to the
Adirondack Daily Enterprise
, roughly 600 people pushed 250 various boats off the shores of Old Forge Lake on Friday, Sept. 7, and finished two days later at Saranac Lake Village. Of the 250 boats on the water, five represented Hamilton College. Coming from various on-campus backgrounds with different motivations, each Continental canoer finished with varying levels of success. Most notably, the College’s Director of Outdoor
Leadership Andrew Jillings finished third in the Single Person Kayak division. Regardless of placement or time, each student felt a tangible sense of accomplishment and fun from the experience.
Before even considering the daunting task of finishing 90 nautical miles in three days, it is fair to wonder how such an endeavor ended up on the plate of 22 Hamilton students. Rachel Zuckerman ’19 and Emily Steates ’19 found their way to the canoe race somewhat by accident. According to Zuckerman, “I had always thought those who compete in the 90 [mile race] were absolutely insane. It never occurred to me that it would be something [that] I would complete until my friend and suitemate, Emily Steates, texted me while I was abroad. [She said] that she had more or less signed me and the majority of our suite up for the race and that I had better be stoked about it.”
Steates can neither confirm nor deny dragging her friend along with her, but she did say that the race satisfied her love for the outdoors and she “was looking for a fun challenge this semester. The marathon canoe team provided [her] the opportunity to do both.”
Keith Ruggles ’20 stumbled upon the race via a peer’s suggestion. “I got into canoeing and this race in general because one of my friends paddled in the 90 [mile race] our [first year] fall and told me that I should do it,” he said. “It turned out the next year that she couldn’t do it and by then I was in too deep to [stop], so I followed through.” Keith’s commitment to the team earned him captain honors and he found a lot of positives in the competition.
“The best part about the race is finishing,” said Ruggles. “You’re tired and sore but you just crushed 90 miles through beautiful Adirondack territory. It doesn’t really matter how fast you went because it’s one of those things where even just finishing is impressive.”
Additionally, Ruggles enjoys the camaraderie the intense workouts foster, saying “The other best part about the race is getting other people involved […] I think that more people need to know about the grind that we go through.”
In terms of getting new participants, all three of those students have strong opinions as to why students whose interest may be piqued by the race should consider joining Hamilton’s team. Zuckerman points to a different kind of fun than most students are used to, noting, “You will feel incredibly accomplished at the end. It’s a perfect example of Type 2 Fun in that you (almost) hate every moment of it while you’re on the water, but at the end of the weekend you’re so glad you did it. So I guess if Type 2 Fun gets you going, the ADK Canoe Classic has your name on it.”
Steates focused more on relishing the outdoors experience that the trip provides, citing “the opportunity to bond with your boat-mates [and to] camp with other members of the team” as a factor that makes the race so special. Lastly, Ruggles acknowledged the grueling aspect of the trip, but encouraged newcomers to look at the “ridiculous accomplishment” of completion.
Clearly, the 90-mile canoe race offers more than the casual observer may assume. For anyone looking to get into extreme racing, bond with friends, camp in the Adirondacks, or find a way to stay in shape, this race offers the perfect blend of intense physical exertion and team bonding.
