The annual Missisquoi Paddle-Pedal took place on Saturday, July 13, with over 50 paddlers and cyclists enjoying blue skies and warm temperatures.
The Paddle-Pedal is a family-friendly event that combines a 6.5 mile paddle down a Wild and Scenic section of the Missisquoi River and 5 miles of cycling on the adjacent Missisquoi Valley Rail Trail. The event is hosted annually by the Northern Forest Canoe Trail (NFCT), the Upper Missisquoi and Trout River Wild & Scenic Committee (UMATR) and the town of Richford.
“The Paddle-Pedal is a summer favorite in northern Vermont, with people traveling from New York, New Hampshire, Quebec and Maine to participate,” said Noah Pollock, the NFCT’s trail director. “It’s much less a race than it is an opportunity for paddlers and cyclists to convene and celebrate this beautiful part of the Northern Forest region. We’re so grateful to have had such an enthusiastic crowd turn out this year.”
“This event not only showcases the Missisquoi River, but also the incredible community spirit that exists in this part of Vermont,” said Lindsey Wight, UMATR’s executive director. “The Paddle-Pedal is truly a grassroots gathering, with nonprofits and volunteers teaming up to throw a party in Richford.”
“The Missisquoi Paddle-Pedal in Richford is more than just a race to me,” said Walter Opuszynski, a longtime NFCT and UMATR supporter who pitched the original idea for the event; Opuszynski participated this year with his family.
“I remember sitting in the Richford Town Office representing the NFCT almost 15 years ago, talking to town leaders about how such a race could create a healthy event that could draw people to the town,” Opuszynski said. “Years later, being able to take my family to the Paddle-Pedal and see the great job the NFCT, its partners and volunteers have done to make it happen certainly fills my heart with joy. I love coming back year after year and seeing the investments Richford is making in itself knowing that the NFCT and UMATR are committed to being partners in its growth.”
Joanne Hanowski, competing in the women’s solo kayak class, posted the top overall time this year, completing the course in just over an hour. Other top finishers included: Adrian Owens, men’s solo canoe; Jim Fredericks, men’s solo kayak; Guy Dickson, stand up paddleboard; Clyde Yarnell and Mark McAndrews, men’s tandem canoe; and Johanne Beland and Chris Chapman, mixed tandem canoe.
The Paddle-Pedal course loops between Richford and East Berkshire, where the Wild & Scenic Upper Missisquoi River passes through a stunning pastoral valley, and the Missisquoi Valley Rail Trail offers cyclists a low-grade, traffic-free cycling experience with sweeping mountain vistas.
For a full list of race results, or to learn more about the Paddle-Pedal, visit click here. For more information about UMATR, visit umatrwildandscenic.org.
