Paddlers take on the Westfield River Wildwater Races

Myles Greenway and Robert Bradley get splashed but avoid the rocks.
Reminder Publishing photo by Marc St. Onge

Race Director Harry Rock said the 71st annual Westfield River Wildwater races on April 18 were a total success.

The 282 racers, hailing from Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Maine, Connecticut, New York, Montana, Alaska, and Montreal, Canada, started and finished with smiles on their faces, and were filled with adventures, memories and stories to share with their families and friends.

Twenty-two boats, including canoes, kayaks and standup paddleboards participated in the expert race, a 5-mile race starting at 9:30 a.m. at Knightville Dam on the east branch of the Westfield River and ending at the Huntington Route 20 pulloff across from the Hilltown Community Health Center.

Fifty boats participated in the classic event, an 8-mile race starting in the center of Huntington on the west branch of the Westfield River next to the MassDOT maintenance yard and ending in the center of Woronoco Village in Russell.

The fastest times of the day were recorded in the expert race by Jeff Parker in K1-Long at 32:54, and in the classic race by Del Cummings and Kevin Chan in OC-2, male, at 58:26.

The official results are available online at tinyurl.com/2fth8z4d.

This event involved two towns and multiple municipal and state agencies requiring cooperation, coordination, and communication to ensure an effective and organized outcome.

“There were no medical emergencies or other issues to have to react to as a result of months of planning and coordination with our community partners and our volunteers,” Rock said, adding that the race could not happen without the support, help and partnership with community partners. Rock gave special thanks to the Russell Select Board, Russell Police, Russell Fire, Huntington Select Board, Huntington Police, Huntington Fire, Hilltown Community Ambulance, Hilltown Community Health Center, Westfield Police Cadets, MassDOT, Army Corps of Engineers, Environmental Police, State Police and the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency.

“We could not be happier and more proud of the relationship we have with our community partners,” Rock said, speaking on behalf of the race organizers.

“The two-race event is totally dependent on the generosity of the many volunteers who cover the myriad of responsibilities that are needed to ensure the entire undertaking is safely run, organized and fun,” he said.

Sixty volunteers gave their time to help make this annual event go off smoothly, from volunteer recruitment and management, treasurer, registration site set up, break down and clean up, registration check in and merchandise sales, starting line timing, finish line timing, in-water starters, parking, Strathmore Park coordination, boat transportation and so many more.

Rock said the race would not be financially sustainable without the generous support of its sponsors. “We are grateful to each and every one of them. Special thanks goes to Westfield Bank as our lead sponsor,” he said.

“Thank you to all of the volunteers, sponsors, community partners, supporters, and participants who made this annual event since 1954 so successful and eagerly anticipated by the families and residents of the Huntington and Russell communities,” Rock said. “Thank you very much to everyone involved because without you this historic undertaking would not happen.”