With the Outdoors, Inc., Canoe and Kayak Race less than two weeks away, it's time to take another look back at OICK races past.
Looking very young and svelte here are Memphians Kenny Allen (stern) and Jim Wilson (bow), who took fourth place in the men's tandem canoe cruising class in 1991. In that era there was no stronger class than this one, and fourth place was a very respectable finish.
The OICK race hasn't changed a whole lot since its inception in 1982, but there have been little changes here and there. The event's name might be the biggest: when this photo was taken, the race was actually known as The Great Mississippi River Canoe and Kayak Race. It was the first race of its kind on the lower Mississippi River, and that name was a good fit. Outdoors, Inc., didn't become the "title sponsor" until the mid to late 1990s even though it had been the entity putting the event on from the beginning.
The finish line used to be the Mud Island monorail bridge, so Jim and Kenny have at least another hundred meters to go in this photo. The finish line was relocated to its current location next to Mississippi River Park when the Interstate 40 Tennessee Welcome Center was constructed a few years later.
Photo by Katie Wilson.
In 1991, Men's Tandem Open Canoe was the largest and most competitive class. Ken & I were not racers (although we had some friends with racing notoriety). We were avid whitewater boaters who paddled whenever the creeks and rivers were up (any river we could leave after work on Fri and get there by Sat morning was considered - some may recall the Bad Paddler's River Report at Outdoors). When KA said he had loaner kevlar Wenonah and asked if I wanted to race, I said "sure" but was really thinking more about the keg and the annual after party. I never dreamed we would do as well as did. Thanks for posting this memory Elmore!
ReplyDeleteThe great thing about paddling whitewater is you'll get in decent shape even if you're not really trying. There's still beer at the finish if you want to come surprise yourself in the race, Jim!
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