Times Globe - Monday, August 26, 1996

Great Victory

Thousands enjoy the rematch - and its result - as our team edges its rival of 125 years ago

By Glen Allen Aboard the Seafox

For the Times Globe

The Moment had arrived. To port, a bustling flotilla of 70 sailboats, launches, cabin cruisers, houseboats and other assorted vessels strained at their anchors, while a glorious rose-coloured sun settled over Renforth and the wide swath of the Kennebecasis River.

To starboard, the shore, the wharf and the roads above were painted in the faces of thousands of people, flags, bunting and balloons. The spectators had been gathering for hours to see the re-enactment of the race held 125 years and one day before that had given Renforth its name.

Kids on a raft paused to watch, and backyard volleyball games and barbecues were put on hold as the two four-man rowing sculls bearing teams from the host Kennebecasis Rowing and Canoe Club and the team from Newcastle-on-Tyne, England, eased towards the starting line opposite the teeming Renforth wharf.

The starter’s pistol cracked out at 7:45 p.m., and the Seafox, a 44-foot cabin cruiser in gentle pursuit of the two crews on the grueling course, fell in behind as the Canadians sprinted to an early lead.

It was a lead that was challenged many times over the six kilometers but the smaller, lighter Kennebecasis four never quite gave it up, making especially quick time on the three turns involved. They finished in the astonishingly quick time of 22 minutes and 10 seconds, just six seconds ahead.

A weary and perspiring Chris Flood, second seat of the victorious crew, said after the race, "We got the lead and our race plan fit us to a T. It’s better to be looking ahead, though they took a pretty scary run at us a couple of times."

Mr. Flood, who had just flown in from Yellowknife on Friday night to join his teammates Wayne MacFarlane (bow), Ed Winchester (stroke), and Sean Moore (third seat), said, "The race was a real burn. You’re hurting all the way."

But Al Johnston, the 32-year-old, 6 foot-5 inch second seat in the heavier Newcastle craft, borrowed from the Fredericton Boating Club for the occasion, was anything but dejected when it was over.

"We gave it our best and it was a good hard race. They got us on the turns and then we reeled them in a bit on the straightaway. We just didn’t quite make it."

The Kennebecasis crew and the Tynesiders - besides Mr. Johnston, they were David Harsthorne (bow), Brian Nuttall (third seat) and stroke Brad Hardwick - lined up to get pewter mementos from a jubilant Greg Zed, chairman of the event who was wearing, under his straw boater, a Union Jack painted on one cheek and the Maple Leaf on the other. He said, "It was just great right down to the weather. It went off without a hitch. I’m speechless - the spirit, the community, the history here. It was just fantastic."

Arthur Irving of Irving Oil Ltd., a major sponsor of the event, then awarded a magnificent silver trophy to the race winner.

There were worries earlier that the strong north breeze that bedeviled earlier singles-sculls races would affect the re-enactment of the 1871 race that cost the great British oarsmen James Renforth his life. And the crowd was slow in coming. But by 7 p.m., less than an hour before the race began, the foreshore was chock-a block with people from Saint John and all over the continent, for that matter. There were 15,000 there, according to the organizers of the event, considerably fewer judging by the estimates of more dispassionate observers.

Among their number was 89-year-old Edward Curran from Arcadia, Cal., a former Saint Johner who had ridden out to Renforth on his bicycle to see another similar great race 75 years ago, on the 50th anniversary of the fateful 1871 race.

"This is just a great day," said Mr. Curran, who left Saint John for the U.S. in 1950. "It’s wonderful. And the place has changed so much."

Others came from points closer to home. Glendon and Eloise Caulfield, standing on a high point of ground in Renforth’s little riverside park, arrived from Westfield.

"This is a real treat," said Mrs. Caulfield.

Jack Montgomery, a retired insurance agent from West Saint John who had lived in Renforth for more than 30 years, was only too glad to "come home" to see the Great Race.

The race itself was preceded by a demonstration race of two eights crews and two sets of singles sculls head races, both men and women competitors. Coming one-two in the men’s singles 3,000-metres test were Todd Hallett and Richard Fader of the Micmac Club in Dartmouth. Greg Lewis of Boston came third. Mr. Hallet crossed the line in 12 minutes and 53 seconds.

Genevieve Tetrault took first place in the women’s singles in a time of 13 minutes and one second, with Jennifer Skaling placing second.

Pat Carson of the Kennebecasis Club was awarded the Wallace Ross Memorial Cup for being the fastest rower under 21 in the singles event.

Rowers taking part in the 1871 re-enactment race showed up to trim and fit their sculls more than an hour before race time. And both teams predicted that it would be a close race indeed.

"I’ve no idea who is going to win," said Chris Flood as he fitted an oarlock onto his team’s craft. "But this is not just a re-enactment. This is a real race and we’re taking this very seriously. We want to win. The English guys are stronger and bigger without question, but technically we may be a little better and we just hope our endurance is there. We’re going to start to burn 50 seconds out and it’s going to be a burn all the way."

Canadian Sean Moore confessed to a healthy case of nerves before the race. "The trick is to turn them to our advantage - to turn them around," he said. "I think the crews are fairly evenly matched."

Brian Nuttall, a towering Tynesider interviewed as he was watching the singles race before his own centerpiece event, said, "It’s going to be a real battle.

"We haven’t been training as hard as we’d like - there have been a lot of social functions this week."

Echoed teammate Al Johnston, "There always seemed to be some activity to keep us of the water but that’s no excuse if we don’t win. And we’ve had a grand time here."

The British crew arrived a week ago and members have been billeted with local families. They met Mayor Shirley McAlary and toured the city before the big day. They leave for home today. All expenses of the British crew were covered by the organizing committee.

Among the happiest in the huge crowd Saturday was Renforth Mayor Terry Kilfoil. Between snapping pictures of the festivities, he said, "This is the biggest celebration we’ve had in a long time. It’s been a wonderful week."

The Regatta 125 committee organized chowder feeds, a dinner and an auction, a post-race corn boil, walks in the area, gymnastics demonstrations, an antique car show and a barbecue during the week.

The strong historical connection to the re-enactment race stems from the race of the so-called Canadian Paris Crew against a Tyneside crew led by the legendary James Renforth. The Paris Crew had startled the world by winning the world championship in 1867. In 1870, they were beaten by Mr. Renforth and his crew. An 1871 date on the Kennebecasis was settled on for the rematch, so on Aug. 23, 1871, the two crews lined up for a six-mile test of endurance. Sadly, Mr. Renforth himself collapsed not long into the race and was dead of pulmonary apoplexy an hour later.

Saturday’s Regatta 125; An Anniversary of Victory, was, besides a race, all about history and connections renewed.

There are no immediate plans for another rematch, race organizers said Saturday.