10th annual Fall Pairs Racing League concludes with Championship

Nov. 6, 2004
MARIETTA, Ohio - The Pioneer Navy's Fall Racing League came to an end Saturday (Nov. 6) with the Fall Pairs Championships. The 2003 champion pair of Chuck Gowdy (Egg Harbor, NJ/Holy Spirit) and Rob Johnson (Margate, NJ/Atlantic City) defended its title with a first place finish in the Grand Final.

The seniors tackled the course, which had to be shortened by 150 meters due to unsafe conditions below the bridge, in 6:16 to win the Heavyweight championship.

Race conditions included a light to moderate current, wind light at the start, building to a strong headwind.

David McIntire (Parkersburg, WV/South) and Pete Lorenz (Danville, CA/The Gunnery) took lightweight title, finishing second in the Grand Final with a time of 6:31.

The pair of Evan Tsourtsoulas (Kastoria, Greece) and Karl Biermann (Akron/St. Vincent) took home third place, crossing the line in 6:33.

Seth Avery (Vienna, WV/Parkersburg) and Chase Graham (Mineral Wells, WV/Parkersburg South) won the Petite Final to capture seventh place with a time of 6:40, while Eric Dowler (Washington, WV/Parkersburg South) and Chris Luciano (Orlando, FL/Central FL Prep) took 13th place by winning the 3rd Level Final with a time of 7:22. The course was not shortened until after the 3rd Level Final.

Marietta's men will split of this weekend (Nov. 13-14); the Lightweight Eight is scheduled to compete at the Frostbite/Braxton Regatta in Philadelphia, PA, while the rest of the team will remain in Marietta to race Grand Valley (MI) State.