John Raymaakers and his mother Laurie Raymaakers present a check for $5,000 to Race Director Harry Rock from Roar, inc. Landscaping Supply, a subsidiary of J. L. Raymaakers & Sons, for the 70th running of the Westfield River Wildwater Races.
Reminder Publishing photo by Amy Porter
WESTFIELD — On March 28, Race Director Harry Rock met up with John and Laurie Raymaakers at Half-Mile Park in Westfield to accept a check for $5,000 from ROAR Landscaping Supply, a subsidiary of J. L. Raymaakers & Sons, the top sponsor for the 70th running of the Westfield River Wildwater Races on April 19.
ROAR Landscaping supply is opening a second brand new store in Wilbraham on Route 20, said John Raymaakers.
“Our family have been lifelong participants,” Raymaakers said about the races. He will be wearing bib no. 1 and racing again this year in a canoe with Bobby Wippert. His brother also used to race, he said, and this year all seven of his nieces and nephews will come out and watch, along with his parents.
“We do a lot to support the community, since the beginning, when we used to make dinner for the shelter. Since the kids were little, we’ve always given back,” said Laurie Raymaakers, John’s mother, as she presented the check to Rock. She said her husband used to race also.
Rock urged everyone who plans to participate in the race to come to one of the free clinics on Saturday, April 5 and 12 at 11 a.m.
Participants can park in Woronoco, and shuttles will bring them to the starting place of the conventional race at the green bridge in Huntington.
Rock said people don’t need to register for the clinics, they can just show up with their boats and gear.
“We’ll be talking about how to dress with wetsuits, dry suits and booties. The water is 35 degrees,” he said, adding that hypothermia is his worst fear.
At the clinic, race guides will also talk about how to paddle and swim the rapids when, not if, you’re going to go in the water. “Don’t try to stand up. Feet up downstream, head up upstream, backstroking to shore — holding on to your paddle.”
The expert guides will then guide clinic participants down the river, showing them how to navigate it and how to select a bypass. “You have got to know what you’re doing. People look at it like a Disney ride — it’s not,” he said.
Rock said he has raced the Westfield River Wildwater Races many times with his brother, winning every category they entered, he said. This year though, as race director and chair of the volunteer board, he will be making sure all goes well.
