By Fred Stabbert III
CALLICOON — July 13, 2010 — They came to conquer the Upper Delaware.
Some won, some lost, but they all had fun.
“It was a great regatta,” a smiling Tom Freda said after Sunday’s 12th Annual Callicoon Canoe Regatta.
Freda, who has been organizing the race since its inception, said that 71 boats competed in this year’s 7-mile race from Callicoon to Skinner’s Falls, which made it one of the best ever.
“What we have here [in Callicoon] in the recreation classes, very few other canoe regattas have,” Freda said. “We have people just starting out and the race seems to get new blood every year.
“The competition in the youth classes is fantastic,” he said.
With lower than normal water conditions, local knowledge seemed to help many racers.
Bruce Leet, who has been racing several years in the Callicoon Regatta, took home the fastest time in 1 hour, 4 minutes.
Brett Cucci of River Road, Callicoon, had one of the fastest kayak times of the day as he raced to first place in the Men’s Rec Division.
And while the race pitted brother against brother, father against son, it was also for a good cause, to raise money for the Delaware Youth Center. Last year the event raised $5,000 and Freda again thanked the racers and sponsors for a wonderful day.
“We couldn’t have done it without our sponsors, they deserve a round of applause,” he said.
Sponsors for the 2010 Callicoon Canoe Regatta included: Matthew’s On Main, Schumacher Systems, Electro-Kinetics, Environspec Home Inspections, Sullivan County Democrat, Mike Preis Insurance, Lander’s River Trips, Clear-Rite Pools & Spas, Callicoon Supply, Clemente Law Offices, Roche’s Garage and Matthew J. Freda Real Estate.