Traverse City Record-Eagle

Archive: Saturday

July 28, 2012

AuSable champs Triebold-LaJoie face tough test

Paddlers must deal with low water levels on AuSable

By Mike Dunn Special to the Record-Eagle

GRAYLING — The field won't be quite as big when the 65th annual AuSable River Canoe Marathon kicks off here tonight at 9, but five-time winners and four-time defending champs Andy Triebold and Steve LaJoie will still have a strong group of challengers to contend with.

There are 72 two-person teams registered for the race when it begins with the traditional LeMans-style sprint to the water at the Old AuSable Canoe Livery. The marathon, billed as "North America's toughest, richest canoe race," extends 120 miles from Grayling to Oscoda along the winding contours of the AuSable River.

Though the number is down from a record field of 92 a year ago, race spokesman Phil Weiler said the field is rich with talent.

"It's one of those years where some of the teams that normally compete had weddings or other obligations and couldn't make it," Weiler said. "The good news is we have a great field with 72 teams entered. Our defending champs are back with us but they'll be facing some very tough challengers."

One of the top contenders is the duo of Ryan Halstead, 25, and Josh Sheldon, 30, both of Grayling. Halstead has been runner-up twice before while paddling with brother Rodney and Sheldon has also been among the top finishers in the past, including a third-place finish last year with then-partner Steve Kolonich.

After the first two days of time trials this week, defending champs Triebold, 36, of Mirable, Quebec and LaJoie, 36, of Grayling had the best time, covering the measured distance in 5:29.15 with Halstead and Sheldon next on the list in 5:45.74. That strong time assured Halstead and Sheldon of being in the No. 2 pole position or at least somewhere very near the front for the sprint to the water. The favorable pole position carries even more significance this year with the water level being at one of the lowest points it's ever been for the canoe race.

"Our first goal was to make sure we were near the top (for the sprint to the water)," Sheldon said following Thursday's time trial. "For us to have a shot, we have to get out of town cleanly. We can't afford to get caught behind other boats in the shallow water. We need to get in the boat and get it going."

Sheldon and Halstead are first-time partners for the AuSable race but know each other well. They have competed together in about a dozen shorter races in recent weeks and months, with good success.

Halstead said he and Sheldon both understand the demands of the event and what it takes to be in a position to push the champs for the top spot down the stretch.

"The race is won in Oscoda, not here in Grayling," he said. "We know we need to get out fast and not be lulled into a slow pace at the start but we also know it's a long race and we have to be mentally and physically prepared for whatever comes."

Halstead acknowledged that Triebold and LaJoie will be tough to unseat.

"They had a great time in New York and they're at the top of their game right now," he said. "They rank right up there with (AuSable record-holders) Serge Corbin and Solomon Carriere. They're the best and we know to beat them we have to be at our best."

Two Indiana racers, 48-year-old Matt Strieb of Bristol and Matt Meersman, 35, of South Bend, are also strong contenders, as are veteran racers Steve Corlew, 31, of Grayling and Bill Torongo, 50, of Roscommon. Strieb and Meersman were the third fastest team going into Friday's final day of time trials with Corlew and Torongo fourth.

One of the top East Coast duos from last year, fifth-place finishers Mike Schlimmer, 25, and Ben Schlimmer, 23, of Cortland, New York, are back for their fifth marathon race. Other strong contenders include Jason Hatfield, 34, of Grayling and Colin Hunter, 31, of Grayling; Nick Walton, 39, of Eaton Rapids and Matt Rudnitsky, 25, of East Rochester, N.Y.; Ted Smutek, 44, of Luzerne and Pete Mead, 31, of Traverse City; and Mo Harwood, 33, of Grayling and Erich Padjaske, 30, of Grayling.

Weiler said the low water will cause the racers to stick to the middle of the river as much as possible in the early going and bide their time until they reach McMasters Bridge and the water gets a little deeper.

The early portion of the race will be crucial for some of the racers, he added.

"You can't win the race in the first three hours but you can darn sure lose it," he said. "You run your tail off to get into the river and then you have to set down and scale back about 50 percent so you don't waste all your energy. There won't be a lot of passing until Burton's Landing so you have to settle in and let the river dictate your strategy."

Wieler said the lower water level could make for a slower winning time this year but that also depends on how hard the other racers want to push Triebold and LaJoie.

"If the pack wants to push Andy and Steve, they could have a good pace," Weiler said. "For the first hour-and-a-half, the river will be two or three (canoes) wide and still navigable. If the other paddlers want to make a run for it, they could set a good early pace and force everybody to go faster or they could decide to stay back and let Andy and Steve dictate the pace. That will be more of a factor in determining the winning time than the water level."

Weiler said the challengers will need to coordinate their efforts to stay in contention.

"They need to work together and say you pull for 30 minutes and then I'll pull for 30 minutes," he said. "If they can do that, it could be a great pace and a very exciting race. If Andy and Steve get out of town and have a 1 minute lead by Wakeley (Bridge), you'll see the rest of the pack go into conservation mode and then fight it out at the end for runner-up."

The 2012 field includes "Iron Man" Al Widing Sr. once again. Widing, an AuSable legend who is 87 years young and hails from Mio, will be participating in his 40th marathon race. He will be teaming this year with 21-year-old rookie racer Hailey McMahon of Grayling.

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