There was sunshine, there was a torrent of rain and most important of all, participants had a blast as the River Rat Race from Athol to Orange returned for its 57th running on Saturday after two years off due to the pandemic.
Despite those two years off, the River Rat Race didn’t miss a beat, with chaos erupting at the starting cannon. The more than 360 racers — in approximately 180 boats — furiously paddled at the firing of the cannon. Many quickly shifted into evasive maneuvers as they navigated between the number of unfortunate competitors who took a dip in the Millers River.
And rising through the chaos, not without a few slip-ups of their own, were Patrick Madden of Scotia, New York, and Adam Gelinas, an Athol native and Leominster resident. The two battled through collisions, a lost hat and at one point came to a dead stop, but were able to quickly recover as they cut in front of boats throughout the race and won in a mad dash at the finish line in Orange. Madden and Gelinas finished the race in 35 minutes, 36 seconds. Jake Crotser and Ryan Zaveral were hot on their heels.
“I don’t think either of us (were confident),” Madden said about the duo’s start. “We kept picking boats off. … Adam probably knows the river better than anyone.”
“I paddled here every Wednesday night in the summer,” Gelinas said, adding that he’s done about two-thirds of the course hundreds of times.
This is Madden’s first River Rat Race win and Gelinas’ second win after winning about nine years ago.
Both of them said they’d be more than happy to defend their title next year.
“This is one of my favorite races,” Madden said. “There’s no race like this that I’ve been in.”
For other competitors, it was a chance to get their feet wet as they prepare for the summer racing season.
“It’s the first race of the year,” said Harold Walker, who traveled from Ottawa, Canada. “It’s a very well-organized race.”
Walker said he and his partner had a great race and they were able to battle through the weather to earn a strong finish.
“You don’t feel it,” he said of the rain that began pouring down toward the end of the race. “We’re coming back next year.”
For others, like Longmeadow resident David Fromm, it was a family activity as he and his son, Leo, competed together.
David Fromm said they had a “fantastic” race and that he was so glad the race came back this year, as he missed it “terribly” over the last two years.
“We were signed up both years,” he said, adding that it was “very sad” to lose a “legend” of the River Rat Race, the longtime organizer David Flint, who died in December.
Spectators take it all in Folks lined up on the South Main Street bridge in Athol and all along the banks of the Millers River as they eagerly awaited the return of the River Rat Race.
For longtime Athol resident Nancy Ferron, it was a chance to come back and celebrate the event she’s watched dozens of times and participated in twice.
“I love it,” Ferron said. “It’s a real sort of community, Americana event.”
In the past two years, she said she felt like something was missing in the community as spring came without hundreds of boats paddling down the Millers River.
I’m very happy,” Ferron said. “Rain or shine … it’s perfect.”
For Chris Pylypink, a new Athol resident who just moved from the South Shore, it was his first chance to experience the beloved community event and all of the events that come with it.
“I was surprised to see the size of the parade,” Pylypink said. “It’s a fun weekend for the family.”
As the greater North Quabbin, Franklin and Worcester county communities descended on Athol and Orange for the River Rat Race, Scott Gendron said it’s almost akin to the holiday season.
“It’s like Christmastime,” the Athol resident said. “It’s not just about the River Rat Race — friends come back to see each other.”
And even if there was rain throughout Saturday, it did little to stop Gendron or the hundreds of other people around from having a blast.
“We had some rain,” he said, “but it didn’t dampen their spirits.”
The full results of the River Rat Race will be posted on the Athol Orange River Rat Race Facebook page in the coming days as the River Rat Race Committee finalizes placements.
Chris Larabee can be reached at clarabee@recorder.com or 413-930-4081.