STRATHMERE — The Upper Township Beach Patrol and Deauville Inn teamed up to raise more than $22,000 for multiple sclerosis research and treatment during the 33rd annual Upper Township MS Bay Race on July 21.
UTBP Chief Bill Handley said there were 48 boats and more than 60 paddlers in the event who matched the $11,000 raised last year. In addition, he said, a donor who wishes to remain anonymous agreed to match the total, allowing organizers to provide $22,000 to the National MS Society.
“Everybody that goes there who competes brings family and friends. The spectators were explosive, a lot of people,” Handley said.
The event, which now features rowing and paddle races, was started in 1993 and now has raised more than $192,000 since its inception.
Mike McGrath and Sean Duffy of the Longport Beach Patrol won the rowing race in 1:10.52, followed by Gary Nagle and Dave Guilian of the Avalon Beach Patrol in 1:11.03. Hayden Smallwood and Bobby Bechtel of the Margate City Beach Patrol were third in 1:11.08, Chase Brown and Ryan Manning of the Upper Township Beach Patrol were fourth in 1:11.51 and Rob Moran and Pat Kennedy of the Cape May City Beach Patrol were fifth in 1:11.12.
Wayne MacMurray and Jim Gibbons won the alumni heat in 1:16.13, while Zack Devoe and Kiki Fisher of the CMBP took the mixed doubles in 1:14.54 and AP Gray and Jenny Rafter of the CMBP won the women’s heat in 1:13.59.
Andrew Shaw of the Ocean City Beach Patrol won the male 12-foot prone heat in 56:42, followed by Eddie Fucci of the CMBP in 57:15, Kyle Graybill of the Brigantine City Beach Patrol in 57:39, Jackson Price of the CMBP in 58:51 and Dusty Laricks of the Sea Ilse City Beach Patrol in 1:01.55.
Brigantine’s Grace Emig won the female 12-foot prone heat in 57:29, followed by Brynne Gallagher of the OCBP in 1:01.55. Alyssa Sittineri of the Stone Harbor Beach Patrol was third in 1:02.31, Emma Demario of the CMBP was fourth in 1:02.57 and Kylie Fry of the SICBP was fifth in 1:03.50.
Justin Soden of the Wildwood Beach Patrol won the 10-foot, 6-inch prone heat in 1:00.49, followed by Chase Ritter of the OCBP in 1:01.12. Luca Defruscio of the North Wildwood Beach Patrol was third in 1:01.13 and James Carr of the UTBP fourth in 1:01.13. Tony Mehalic of the OCBP was sixth in 1:03.17.
Lexi Santer of the Ocean City Beach Patrol (1:02.59) topped Sara Werner of the CMBP (1:09.02) in the 10-foot, 6-inch female prone heat.
Chad Gallagher won the SUP male heat in 54:29, followed by Andy Giordano in 57:48, Don Finn in 58:03, David Barker in 58:42 and Jim Toolan in 59:40.
The SUP female heat was won by Kate McBridge in 59:52. Jaklyn Sykes was second in 69:39, Jen Jeudy third in 76:04 and Meghan O’Keefe fourth in 88:00.
Brian Pasternak of the OCBP won the open heat in 53:04, followed by Frank Christy of the OCBP in 54:06 and Billy Jenkins of the UTBP in 54:21.
Kip Emig won the surf ski heat in 53:50.
Among the top fundraisers are the North Wildwood Beach Patrol (more than $3,000 in the past two years), Cape May Beach Patrol, Upper Township Beach Patrol and Avalon Beach Patrol (each more than $2,000 in the past two years)
In 1992, Handley was backpacking through Australia with two other Upper Township lifeguards when he hatched a plan for a unique rowing race that would be longer than a typical doubles but shorter than the Around the Island Row.
The plan would need the Deauville Inn to buy into hosting the race. At the time, the restaurant was fully involved with the MS Ugly Bartender Program and the owner loved the idea as long as they could designate the money raised to its MS campaign.
The first race was small in comparison to the modern numbers. There were 17 boats, all from Cape May County.
“The race has always relied on the cooperation of the Deauville, but also support from local boaters, many from the Strathmere Fishing and Environmental Club, to serve as boat officials throughout the course,” Handley said. “Jack Clemens and Dave Townsend have served as boat officials coordinators in the past, and currently Brian Riordan has served as the lead boat official for at least the last five years.”
Boats begin and end on the south side of the popular Strathmere bar and restaurant, while paddlers begin and end on the north end.
Rowers use Van Duyne surfboats, a Jersey shore icon that have been made since the late 1960s. They replaced the wooden Van Sants that had a similar build and look that were used by lifeguards dating back to the 1920s.
They travel south through Strathmere Bay, continue south through Flat Creek, turn north at the Intercostal Waterway, make a turn east before the Rush Chattin Bridge and cross Corson’s Inlet to finish, a distance of about 7 miles.
Paddlers start on the same course as the rowers, but turn east and paddle down the main channel and back through Strathmere Bay about a mile into the Intercostal Waterway.
The course record of 1:10:01 was set in 2001 by Craig Whitehead and John Wachter of the Avalon Beach Patrol.
Brian Pasternak of the Ocean City Patrol holds the record in the paddle, 53:05 set in 2013.
Whitehead and Carl Smallwood Jr. of the Margate City Beach Patrol both have won the race five times with different partners. Ed Schneider of Wildwood had rowed in the race every year since 1993.
The entry fee is $100 per boat and $30 per paddler, all of which is donated to MS research. All participants are encouraged to raise more than the fee and many do so.
Handley said the event draws competitors from beach patrols from Brigantine to Cape May Point, many who may not be familiar with Strathmere. He said the South Jersey Lifeguard Chiefs Association has chosen the Deauville for its end-of-season dinner for several years, noting that it is geographically in the center.
Handley said while the racers start and end at the Deauville, people living along the route cheer as competitors pass.
“I think the community takes pride in the fact that for that night we are the focus of the South Jersey lifeguard scene,” he said. “Bigger patrols come to Strathmere and see what smaller patrols look like.”
By CRAIG D. SCHENCK/Sentinel staff
