BELLEFONTE — The Pennsylvania Cup Championship Slalom Race Series visited Spring Creek through Sunnyside Paddling Park on Sunday, Aug. 25. The event was organized by Alden Henrie of Snow Shoe and saw racers compete from all over the country.
Henrie is a former Bald Eagle Area School District Eagle who competed for the United States in the Under-23 world championship following his gold medal in the U.S. team trials in 2019. Henrie designed the course and helped organize sponsors for the event.
The fastest boat of the day came from the singles canoe class, C1 Men’s Open, thanks to Henrie. His time of 125.9 beat the second-place finisher in his class, John Koeppe of Fitchburg, Wisconsin, by almost 100 seconds.
The second fastest time of the day came from Ethan Van Horn of Bellefonte in the K1 Men’s Open division. Henrie also raced in this event but his time of 128 seconds was 1.9 seconds slower than Van Horn’s.
In the K1 Men’s REC Master class, Jon Nelson from State College took gold, finishing in 192 seconds. This was followed by the K1Men’s REC Open, where Zach Frankowski of Landenberg took gold.
Centre County continued its dominance over the local course in the women’s events. Seasoned paddler and Bellefonte native Evelyn Eicher swept the K1 Women’s Open with a time of 145 seconds. Then she teamed up with her husband, Van Horn, to win the C2 Mixed Open in 194 seconds.
Finally, the K1 Men’s U16 Class and OC2 Men’s Open took place. In the K1 Men’s U16 event, two Pennsylvania teenagers placed first and second. Dominic Morrell of Pequea finished in 152 seconds and Avery Fairchild of Conestoga in 223. Only one boat competed in the OC2 Men’s Open and it finished in 380 seconds.
The Pennsylvania Cup Championship Slalom Race Series continues in Little Lehigh River near Allentown in a few weeks before a potential return to Sunnyside Paddling Park in the coming months.
