Canoe craziness on the Russian River

Vikings, cowgirls and neon hippies raced through Alexander Valley in kayaks and canoes Saturday at the Great Russian River Race.

About 250 paddlers plunged through the river, with 55 competitors starting at Alexander Valley Bridge for a 15-mile race, and the rest starting at Rio Linda Beach, five miles from the finish line.

"Everybody that contributed to this, it's for the river," said kayaker Ursula Mares, 59, of Rio Nido. She placed third in the five-mile single women's category.

Carter Johnson, 35, a distance world record holder from Sebastopol placed first in the long race.

The Bodega Bay Stars, a group of women from the Bodega Marine Lab who paddled under the warm sun in neon yellow and pink spandex and wigs, took the coveted "best dressed" award.

"They must have traveled back in time to the &‘70s, it was quite a stunning and attractive costume," said Don McEnhill, executive director of Russian Riverkeeper. "We wanted to make sure everyone would be included."

McEnhill said he didn't yet know the total dollar amount raised, but he was sure the event made a profit thanks to its sponsors: Marmot, Preston of Dry Creek, and Truett Hurst Vineyards.

Proceeds from the event will be donated to the Sonoma County Regional Parks to help keep Veterans Memorial Beach open and to Riverkeeper's educational programs in local schools.

After disembarking from their vessels racers and spectators hung out in Veterans Memorial Park, dancing to classic rock and blues tunes performed by "Cahoots" and sipping beers on the grass.

"We all had a great time," said John Nagle, environmental manager for Gallo Wineries, whose team of canoers in Viking helmets placed second in the business team category. He had decorated his canoe with a dragon's head and tail.

Matt Moore of Healdsburg, who had bought a $300 kayak off Craigslist, was surprised to place second in the men's single category of the five-mile race. "I was kind of the underdog," he said with a grin.

Aleena Conway, an intern at the Healdsburg Museum and Historical Society, modeled a scalloped 1950s bathing suit and old wooden water ski at the society's booth, which had old Russian River photos on display.

"Historically, that's where people have gone to recreate, is our rivers," said Bob Legge, an intern with the Regional Water Board. "That's how we develop a reconnection with nature which is so lacking now with all the diversions."