06/14/25

What memories were etched into each Warriors soul, while visiting and racing in historic Montgomery, Alabama last Saturday. 
The history of the South, from magnificent to tragic, was on display and meaningful to everyone.

Practice Day:

The team scheduled a practice at 3:45 pm on Friday the 13th. That should tell you what's coming. As Lee began to announce the lineups the skies opened. And an  unbelievable “ southern” rainstorm slammed the regatta venue. It was  40 minutes of winds, torrential rains, puddles and cold winds.

Lee cancelled practice and, as if on cue, the storm passed and the sun came out.

Race Day: 

What a terrific river venue. With all races set for 200m. South to north ( into the current). 
This was an OPEN event. Meaning there were no restrictions on age, or men to women in the  mixed boat. The Warriors entered one 10, and one 20 mixed boat. 

Starts were suggested to be DRY. That proved to be a hindrance to the Warriors.  In race three, the finals, Lee had both Warrior boats return to a WET start. It was the correct call.

The 10 won its 1st two races. And registered solid times. In the final, the paddlers chosen to race that boat competed well, but lost to the Lanier team.  The 10 earned the  Silver Medal.

The 20 raced well and posted very strong times, with only one time being posted faster than the Warrior 20, after two heats had been run.
In the championship race, the 20 gave it their all and stayed with the Fire and Rescue team, right down the course, posting less than a 2.5 second differential.

 But because it was an OPEN event, the Fire and Rescue boat paddled with 18 men out of 20 seats. The 20 earned the Silver Medal. 

The average age of that gold medal boat was 32 years. While the Warriors had substantially fewer men paddling, and had an average age of 72.  So with a 40 year age disadvantage, we gave them a true sprinter-run and never backed off. Again, less than 2.5 seconds gold to silver.

We saluted the victors and they us. As they passed us walking the VICTORS PADDLE TUNNEL, we saw what later some Warriors called  “ Monsters”. They were young, tall, fit and true athletes. 

Post race Lee said he was proud of each of his Warriors: “ To a woman and a man, no one let down, no one gave less than their best. Be proud,”

And then it went from the “thrill of the race”, to a memory.