CANADA’S TOUGHEST BAREFOOT CHALLENGE


The title says is all! The Grand River Barefoot Endurance Race is 17 miles long through all kinds of water conditions with other boats and barefooters around you. Teams of 4 or 5 footers are in each boat and must ski at least once throughout the race. Skiing only once is not usually an option since the grueling conditions and speed will take their toll on any barefooter, irregardless of their skill level.

This year’s race was held on October 2nd. Organized once again by Larry Covre, the endurance race continues to attract more participants each year. The event took on even more of a National and International flavour with footers from Ontario, Manitoba, New York State, Florida and Colorado.

The boats started upriver to familiarize themselves with the course. The wind was fairly strong which gave a 2 to 6 inch chop as the river wound around. We kept going further, and further and further, then to top things off the rain started and the visibility dropped. We all arrived at the start line in time to see 2 dragon boat teams on the river practicing. They did not know what to make of 8 tournament ski boats descending on them but they disappeared pretty quickly. This year we ran 2 heats of 4 boats each in order to ensure safe starts. The winner would be determined by the best time posted.

The first heat consisted of Chaos & Carnage, Team No Fear, FTG Choppers and Team Footloose and they took off dead even. As the race went on footers began to tire and drop off. Switches were made and the pack began to spread out. While this was going on the second heat started 10 minutes after the first heat. The second heat consisted of Athletes Foot, The Barrie Bad Boys, Buckhorn Footers and The Foot Doctors. Around each corner of the river the wind direction affected the water differently and boats turning around to pick up fallen footers just added to the rough water. Some of the second heat boats began to catch up with the first heat boats. The river was getting busier and the conditions were worsening.

The boats crossed the finish line one by one and their times were recorded. After all the spray had cleared the Barrie Bad Boys were the winners with a time of 25:25, followed by the Buckhorn Footers at 27:07 & in third place The FTG Choppers at 29:13. Finishing this race is enough of a challenge, but winning it is a phenomenal accomplishment.

While all the barefooters need to be recognized for participating in this race, it is remarkable that so many people traveled so far just to compete. Wayne Robinson from Colorado, Garry Askin, Dwayne Rowland, Wayne Bosse, Danny Letain, Dan Van Vliet from Manitoba, Ernie Mailo, Larry Lewis, Bruce bell from New York State and Paul Macdonald & Dave Richter coming up from Florida.

Some notable quotes from first time racers and passengers:




Special awards were given to Larry Bouchard, who received the Hamburger Foot award for the most mangled feet after the race. Chaos & Carnage driver Jennifer Adamson, who at 5 months pregnant, drove in her first race was presented with a trophy from the rest of her team. The 2005 race is tentatively scheduled for October 1st. Plan on being part of it.

By Mike Spence
VP Barefoot