The Offical Race Program of the Tour Du Teche II October 7-9, 2011

‘Qukx Caad ki nuudina’ The Offical Race Program of the Tour du Teche II October 7-9, 2011

C’est pas juste une course! It’s not just a race. Or, as Tour du Teche executive director Nicole Patin puts it, “It’s a party interrupted by a race.” Tour du Teche II, which begins in Port Barre on Friday, Oct. 7, and winds its way down the Bayou Teche to Berwick on Sunday, Oct. 9, is a race for canoes, kayaks and pirogues. Partici- pants are coming from both ends of the nation and from all over the state to vie for prize money, bragging rights and adventure. But it’s also celebration of the Teche Country, the bayou with its sultry beauty, the food and music and joie de vivre of the people. Many of the racers who participated in the first Tour du Teche last year said they were bowled over by the enthusiasm of the spectators lining the banks, urging the paddlers on, echoing the refrain “Where y’all from?” from backyard decks, city parks and bridge spans. This year, with the race staged – i.e. starting afresh each morning like the Tour de France – there will be food, music and dancing in the streets in Port Barre, St. Martinville, Franklin, Berwick, and probably two or three other places along the way. Inside you will find a roster of this year’s racers, a schedule of events and guide to watching the race. Let’s give a warm south Louisiana welcome to the paddlers. In the language of the Chitim- acha, who lived on these banks before history was written and whose legend gave the bayou its name, Qukx Caad ki nuudina: “They ride on snake (Qukx, now rendered as “Teche”) bayou.” 2 - Tour du Teche II, Port Barre, La. to Berwick, La. - Official Race Program Tour du Teche II, Port Barre, La. to Berwick, La. - Official Race Program - 3 — Where are y’all from? — Breaux Bridge And, Wright pulled out of the race partner Grady Reed on Saturday at Unlimited on Saturday at 5:55 a.m. Hebert is 10:43 a.m. with a finish time of 26 CDB Kent Hanes new to the race. hours and 30 minutes.

6, Tour du Teche 9, Tour du Teche “Inglorious Bas- “Glory Days” tards” Butch Bailey, 60, Wendell Smith, 43, Little Rock, Arkan- Seguin, Texas 6 sas Ryan Tres, 42, Solo Canoe Seguin, Texas TOURCDB BeckyDUTECHE Bailey Unlimited CDB Mark Miller 10, Tour du Teche 1 “Sadie” 1, Tour du Teche 7, Tour du Teche Martin Clausen, 38, “Illinois Brigade” “Le Launcer de la Breaux Bridge Tave Lamperez, 51, St. Charles, 5 Terre” Solo Canoe Illinois & Wally Werderich, 38, Yor- Lance Bospflug, 56, CDB unknown kville, Illinois Lafayette TOUR DUTECHE USCA C-2 Racing 5, Tour du Teche Terry Butts, 41, 11, Tour du Teche DU CDB Paul Delcambre & George “UnderTaker” TOURLafayette TECHE “No Name” Werderich Andre Pellerin, 35, Breaux Bridge USCA C-2 Racing Keith Guidry, 55, St. TDT veterans, Lamperez and Werd- Steven Wright, 36, Breaux Bridge CDB Judy Bospflug Martinville erich finished on Saturday at 5:36 Dillon Angelle, 18, Breaux Bridge TDT veterans, Bospflug and Butts Solo Canoe a.m. with a finish time of 21 hours Randy Usie, 48, Arnaudville finished on Saturday at 9:42 p.m. CDB Delia Guidry DU and 24 minutes. Michael Hebert, 46, Breaux Bridge with a finish time of 37 hours andT OUR TECHE Unlimited 29 minutes. 2, Tour du Teche CDB Mark Thibodeaux & Monesse 12 “No Name” Dupuis Ginsie Stauss Christian Flottman, TDT veterans, Pellerin and Angelle 29, Denton, Texas finished on Sunday at 12:41 p.m. Unlimited with a finish time of 52 hours and CDB Kristy Woodard 28 minutes. Usie, with partner Ben TOUR DUTECHE Usie, pulled out of the race in New 3, Tour du Teche Iberia on Saturday at 1:56 p.m. “Smoke Monster” Karl Frey, 62, Har- lingen, Texas Sarah Frey, 29, Aus- tin, Texas OUR DU ECHE T Chlesea Rumbo,T Texas 8 12, Tour du Teche Unlimited “Cysgod ar y Dyfroedd” CDB Ken Gordon 8, Tour du Teche Gareth Stevens, 59, Hubertus, “Right D’ere!” Wisconsin 4, Tour du Teche Ginsie Stauss, 52, Austin, Texas Solo Canoe “Pas Bon Couillon” Teddy Gray, 58, Houston, Texas CDB Anita Werderich Gary Latiolais, 40, USCA C-2 Racing Although Stevens did not paddle in Breaux Bridge CDB unknown the inaugural TDT, he is no stranger Ken Hanes, 30, 6 TDT veteran, Stauss finished with to the race. Stevens covered the TOUR DUTECHE 4 - Tour du Teche II, Port Barre, La. to Berwick, La. - Official Race Program TDT for USCA canoe magazine, Ca- 15, Tour du Teche Pennsylvania 21, Tour du Teche noe News and vowed to come back “No Name” Solo Kayak “No Name” this year and paddle it. Marcy Boudreaux, CDB Cresta Castillo David Dupree, 48, Rayville 31, Port Allen TDT veteran, finished on Sunday at Solo Kayak Solo Kayak 12:25 p.m. with a finish time of 52 CDB Julie Dupree CDB Mary Duzan hours and 12 minutes. TDT veteran, Dupree finished on DU TOUR TECHE Saturday at 7:33 p.m. with a finish 16, Tour du Teche 19, Tour du Teche time of 35 hours and 20 minutes. “No Name” “Conundrum” Jason Britt, 39, New Jack Cover, 55, La- 22, Tour du Teche Orleans fayette “Tuna of the Dirt” Solo Kayak Solo Kayak Jeffrey Duzan, 30, CDB Albert Britt CDB Chenette Adler Breaux Bridge DU DU TOURTDT veteran, TECHE having made it to NewT OURTDT veteran, TECHE Cover pulled out of the Solo Kayak Iberia in a solo kayak. race on Saturday, at 6:08 a.m. CDB Tom Duzan 13 TOUR DUTECHE 23, Tour du Teche “No Name” 13, Tour du Teche Jim Faler, 59, Man- “Pogy” sfield Dennis Wise, 53, Cecilia Solo Kayak Tami St. Germain, 49, Arnaudville CDB Vivian Faler DU Tandem Canoe Recreational TOUR TECHE CDB Tad Guidry TDT veterans, Wise and St. Ger- main finished on Saturday at 11:21 p.m. with a finish time of 39 hours and 8 minutes. 17 20 17, Tour du Teche 20, Tour du Teche “Livestrong” “mouche à feu” Carlos Carrere, 34, Crowley Denise D’Abundo, 42, Baton Rouge Solo Kayak Solo Kayak CDB unknown CDB unknown 24 TDT veteran, finished on Sunday at 10:16 a.m. with a finish time of 50 hours and 3 minutes. 24, Tour du Teche “White Rock Navy” Ned Flottman, 59, Shreveport 14 Solo Kayak CDB Sharon Flottman

14, Tour du Teche 25, Tour du Teche “No Name” “Reaux Boat” David Bean, 59, Kemah, Texas Donovan Gary, 38, Youngsville Solo Kayak Solo Kayak CDB Gina Bean 18 CDB Wayne Gary TDT veteran, Bean dropped out of TDT veteran, Gary finished with the race at the New Iberia check- partner Chad Delcambre on Sunday point at 3:47 p.m. on Saturday. at 11:07 a.m. with a finish time of 18, Tour du Teche 21 50 hours and 54 minutes. “No Name” Dennis Castillo, 32, Phoenixville, Tour du Teche II, Port Barre, La. to Berwick, La. - Official Race Program - 5 31, Tour du Teche time of 51 hours and 21 minutes. “EllaWill” Trey Hollingsworth, 34, Lafayette Solo Kayak CDB unknown TOUR DUTECHE 32, Tour du Teche “Feathercraft” Christopher Lucas, 42, Shreveport Solo Kayak CDB, Glenn Brous- 35 25TOUR DUTECHE sard 39 26, Tour du Teche 36, Tour du Teche “Lazzy 1” “Hope Floats” Terry Ginn, 42, Ba- William Prejean, 40, 39, Tour du Teche ton Rouge Breaux Bridge “No Name” Solo Kayak Solo Kayak Joseph Torcivia, 22, Morgan City CDB Kim Ginn CDB Holly Gallegos Solo Kayak DU DU TOURTDT veteran, TECHE finished on Sunday at TOURTDT veteran, TECHE Prejean finished on CDB John Morgan 10:16 a.m. with a finish time of 50 Sunday at 12:49 a.m. with a finish TDT veteran, having made it to New hours and 3 minutes. time of 40 hours and 36 minutes. Iberia with a partner in a recreational canoe. 27, Tour du Teche 37, Tour du Teche “No Name” “Petite Bateau” Tomas Golan, 50, 33 Matthew Rovira, 41, New Iberia Lafayette Solo Kayak Solo Kayak CDB unknown 33, Tour du Teche CDB unknown DU DU TOUR TECHE “Cajun Outlaw” TOUR TECHE 28, Tour du Teche Ryan Manuel, 25, “No Name” Lafayette Christopher Gon- Solo Kayak 33 dran, 38, Youngsville CDB Thomas Man- Solo Kayak uel CDB Shawn Rogers TOUR DUTECHE 34, Tour du Teche 40 29, Tour du Teche “Pungo 12” “No Name” John Markaverich, Mark Hebert, 36, 62, Shreveport 40, Tour du Teche Breaux Bridge Solo Kayak “Hull Speed Racing” Solo Kayak TOUR DUTECHECDB Vikki Markav- Scott Weinert, 43, CDB Marla Hebert erich 38 Dallas, Texas DU TOUR TECHE Solo Kayak 40 30, Tour du Teche 35, Tour du Teche CDB Tina Weinert “Steady As She “No Name” 38, Tour du Teche Goes” Douglas Mequet, 73, Cecilia “No Name” 41, Tour du Teche Suzanne Hicks, 39, Solo Kayak Jeri St. Blanc, 51, Charenton “Bayou Teche Experience” Carencro CDB unknown Solo Kayak Cory Werk, 29, Breaux Bridge Solo Kayak CDB Billy St. Blanc & Madison St. Solo Kayak DU TOURCDB JerryT LevisECHE Blanc CDB Ingo Werk For more info about future races, visit TDT veteran, St. Blanc finished on www.techeproject.com Sunday at 11:34 a.m. with a finish 6 - Tour du Teche II, Port Barre, La. to Berwick, La. - Official Race Program Michael Gordon, 49, Austin, Texas Richard Steppe, 53, Grand Prairie, Joe Giesinger, 44, Austin Texas Texas Unlimited Unlimited 46 CDB Nadine Gordon CDB David Lamb TDT veterans, Gordon and Giesing- TDT veterans, Lamb and Steppe er finished with partner Jason finished on Saturday at 5:30 a.m. Locke on Saturday at 6:04 p.m. with a finish time of 21 hours and with a finish time of 33 hours and 17 minutes. 56 minutes. 51, Tour du Teche “No Name” Stephan Mazzucco, 41 38, Lubbock, Texas Rachel Mazzucco, 42, Tour du Teche 46, Tour du Teche 23, Lubbock, Texas DU “No Name” “No Name” TOURTandem KayakTECHE Gabe Armand, 35, Daniel Frugé, 21, CDB Nancy Lamb Lafayette New Orleans Brennon Ducote, 30, Eric Bospflug, 21, 52, Tour du Teche Lafayette 41 Lafayette 46 “The Magic Bus” Tandem Canoe Rec- Tandem Canoe Rec- Chris Pritchett, 39, reational reational Arnaudville CDB Trey Snyder CDB Clara Little 49 Jake Pritchett, 38, TDT veterans, Frugé and Bospflug Oakland, California DU 43, Tour du Teche finished on Sunday at 2:48 a.m. TOURTandem KayakTECHE “No Name” with a finish time of 42 hours and 49, Tour du Teche CDB Jennifer Pritchett Steve Conlon, 58, 35 minutes. “No Name” TDT veteran, Christopher Pritchett Batavia, Illinois Matt Grissom, 28, Houston, Texas finished on Sunday at 12:13 p.m. Pat Faul, 69, Lake 47, Tour du Teche Megan Cantini, Houston, Texas with a finish time of 52 hours and 0 Zurich, Illinois “Elle flotte Espoir Tandem Kayak minutes. DU TOURTandem CanoeTECHE Recreational (Hope She Floats)” CDB Scott Grissom CDB Alfred Lamperez Jared Perrio, 25, TDT veteran, Grissom finished with Lafayette bank runner Scott Grissom as part- 44, Tour du Teche Brandon Angelle, 25, ner on Sunday at 9:44 a.m. with DU “Slow Children at TOURArnaudville TECHE a finish time of 49 hours and 31 Play” Tandem Canoe Recreational minutes. Kurt D’Augereau, CDB Bryant Angelle 41, Youngsville Scott Thompson, 52, DU TOURLafayette TECHE Tandem Canoe Recreational CDB Will Thompson 53 45, Tour du Teche “No Name” Evan Fontenot, 22, 53, Tour du Teche Baton Rouge “APEX” Jonathan Bourque, Brad Rex, 48, Lafayette 26, Lafayette Robin Lashway, 53, Galveston, OUR DU ECHE 50 T Tandem CanoeT Recreational 48 Texas CDB Richard Fontenot Tandem Kayak 50, Tour du Teche CDB Susan Orgeron 48, Tour du Teche “Steppe Missile” “Raw Hide Racing” Alan Lamb, 25, Lansing, New York Tour du Teche II, Port Barre, La. to Berwick, La. - Official Race Program - 7 Solo Pirogue CDB Missy Courville TDT veteran, Courville pulled out 53 of the race at the Breaux Bridge checkpoint on Friday at 6:45 p.m.

E-2, Écrevisse “Bayou Portage Pil- grim” Kyle Robin, 28, Arn- audville Solo Pirogue TOUR DUTECHE CDB Clint Robin E-4 TDT veteran, Robin dropped out of E-6 54, Tour du Teche the race at the Arnaudville check- “no name” point on Friday at 1:37 p.m. Michael Simon, 58, Breaux Bridge E-3, Écrevisse Keith Simon, 60, “Pont Breaux Breaux Bridge Pirogue” DU TOURTandem KayakTECHE Trey Snyder, 39, St. CDB unknown Martinville OUR DU ECHESolo Pirogue E-1, Écrevisse T CDB AmyT Snyder “Ms. E” TDT veteran, Snyder pulled out of Eric Courville, 43, the race on Friday, at 5:25 p.m. Breaux Bridge E-4 E-6 TOUR DUTECHE E-4, Écrevisse Jason Freyou, 46, “Debbie’s Boat” Breaux Bridge Heather Grissom, 31, Provo, Utah Jacob Freyou, 16, Ken Grissom, 65, Lafayette Breaux Bridge Tandem Pirogue Kayak E-6 CDB Debbie Grissom CDB Cindy Freyou TDT creator, Ken stayed awake for three days cooking for, cheering on, E-7, Écrevisse and talking to paddlers from TDT I. “No Name” Robert Landreneau, The Oldest State Chartered Bank in St. Landry Parish, Est. 1893 E-5, Écrevisse 60, Arnaudville “Deux Feux De Kayak CDB Anne Landre- Full Service Banking Bayou (Two Fools OUR DU ECHE from the Bayou)” T neau T Opelousas Branch Arnaudville Branch Sandra Olivier, 48, (337) 948-4544 (337) 754-5121 Arnaudville E-8, Écrevisse DU TOURShannon T Zerangue,ECHE 31, Arnaud- “No Name” Leonville Branch Palmetto Branch ville Samantha Dore, 20, Breaux Bridge (337) 879-3070 (337) 623-4244 Tandem Pirogue Pedal Drive CDB Darlene Angelle CDB Chelsea Dore (337) 826-3641 TDT veteran, Olivier, with partner Fax (337) 826-5242 Amber Dauphinet, pulled out of the E-9, Écrevisse P.O. Box 129 • 103 North Main race on Friday at 5:33 p.m. “No Name” Washington, LA 70589 Cheri Eichen, 47, Breaux Bridge Pedal Drive www.washingtonstatebankla.com E-6, Écrevisse “No Name” CDB Chelsea Dore 8 - Tour du Teche II, Port Barre, La. to Berwick, La. - Official Race Program Kayak CDB Carol Courville E-8&9 A-5, Acadien H-3 “No Name” Charles DeVille, 62, DU TOURLawtell TECHE Kayak CDB Melissa Carriere TDT veteran, finished on Sunday at 1:09 a.m. with a finish time of 40 hours and 56 minutes. A-7 A-7, Acadian Pedal Drive A-5 “No Name” CDB unknown Patrick L. Landry, 26, Lafayette Kayak CDB unknown A-8, Acadien H-4 “ToBeMa” Chuck Tauzin, 45, Breaux Bridge Kayak CDB Rachel Tauzin A-1 TOUR DUTECHE H-1, Sauce Chaude A-1, Acadien “Friendly Competi- “No Name” tion” David Bean, 59, Kemah, Texas Brian Friend, 52, Kayak New Iberia H-5, Sauce Chaude Casey Friend, 25, “Ms. E” CDB Gina Bean OUR DU ECHE TDT veteran, Bean dropped out of T New Iberia T Eric Courville, 43, the race at the New Iberia check- Canoe Breaux Bridge point at 3:47 p.m. on Saturday. CDB Ralph Friend Pirogue CDB Missy Courville TOUR DUTECHE A-2, Acadian H-2, Sauce Chaude TDT veteran, Courville pulled out “No Name” “No Name” of the race at the Breaux Bridge Marcus Burdick, 26, A-6 Jimmy Guidry, 60, checkpoint on Friday at 6:45 p.m. Port Barre Lafayette Kayak A-6, Tour du Teche Kayak S-1, Sucre “No Name” CDB Sharon Hen- “Easy Goes It” CDB unknown DU TOUR DUTECHE Elmer W. Landry, 60, Lafayette TOURderson TECHE Ryan Hebert, 29, A-3, Acadian Solo Kayak New Iberia “No Name” CDB unknown H-3, Sauce Chaude Jesse Guidry, 28, TDT veteran, having made it to St. “Krispix 624” Lafayette Thomas Burdick, 59, OUR DU ECHE Port Barre Martinville with a partner in a recre- Beau Stiles, 31, St. Martinville T Canoe T Kayak ational canoe Kayak CDB Jennifer Guidry CDB unknown CDB unknown TOUR DUTECHE A-4, Acadien H-4, Sauce Chaude “Tee Doucé” “Retribution” Amy Courville, 29, Walker Ashley Stiles, 33, St. Martinville Tour du Teche II, Port Barre, La. to Berwick, La. - Official Race Program - 9 S-2, Sucre CDB Missy Courville “No Name” TDT veteran, Courville pulled out Beaux Jones, 26, of the race at the Breaux Bridge How the bayou got its name Baton Rouge checkpoint on Friday at 6:45 p.m. Adam Parker, 25, Roger Stouff Where the great body writhed in [email protected] New Orleans P-2, Pétrole et Es- its death throes and its enormous DU weight compacted the lands, wa- TOURKayak TECHE sence The Chitimacha Tribe of Louisi- ter filled in after the both had de- CDB unknown “Easy Goes It” ana is a sponsor of Tour du Teche for 2011. And fittingly so. composed, and the Chitimacha Ryan Hebert, 29, From the far reaches of tribal called it teche, for snake. S-3, Sucre New Iberia memory comes an intriguing ren- While this story has been told “TBD” Jesse Guidry, 28, and retold for centuries, it must DU dition of how the waterway was Michael O’Niell, 27,T OURLafayette TECHE formed, and how it was named. be noted that the word “teche” Broussard Canoe The story goes that ages ago, does not truly mean “snake” in Kayak CDB Jennifer Guidry long before Columbus stepped Chitimacha. Rather, it is a deri- vation of an original Chitimacha CDB Jacqueline foot on the islands off the south DU word altered and morphed over TOURO’Niell TECHE P-3, Pétrole et Es- east of the North American conti- nent, a monstrous snake attacked the centuries by various Europe- sence the Chitimacha people. an tongues. S-4, Sauce Chaude “No Name” This creature was huge, its tail Still, the power in that old leg- “No Name” Mark Gordon, 51, at what would later be called Port end moves each soul that hears Jason Morvant, 36, Austin, Texas Barre, and its head at the Atcha- it, and imagines the gargantuan New Iberia Kayak falaya River at Morgan City. serpent and the brave indigenous DU Pedal Drive TOURCDB NadineTECHE Gordon Many warriors fought the beast, people fighting it to protect their homelands and their way of life. CDB Allison Morvant and most died. Over time unac- DU TOUR TECHE P-4, Pétrole et Es- counted for, the eventually were victorious and the mighty serpent Roger Stouff, journalist, author and fisherman, is a member of the Chitima- P-1, Pétrole et Es- sence was killed. sence “No Name” cha Tribe. “Ms. E” Kered Parro, 34, Eric Courville, 43, New Iberia Breaux Bridge Kayak OUR DU ECHE TDT twins with race in Canada Pirogue T CDB LanceT Mire TOUR DUTECHE In recognition of our com- mon French heritage and simi- lar formats, Tour du Teche has Laissez les bons temps rouler “twinned” with La Classique de Port Barre Franklin Canots de La Maurice, a three- Thursday, Oct. 6 Saturday, Oct. 8 day, staged, 120-mile race for Cajun Jam avec Mayor Gil Savoy Flashback C-2s on the Saint-Maurice River Johnny Chauvin et Mojo in Quebec in early September. St. Martinville Twinning means the two Friday, Oct. 7 Berwick events are officially cognizant of Mark Willis et Cocodrie Sunday, Oct. 9 each other and will swap repre- Keith Frank Déjà vu sentation, a process begun this month by TDT race director Ray Pellerin. La Classique is one of the jew- els in the Triple Crown of Canoe Racing. The other two are the General Clinton Canoe Regat- ta, a one day non-stop 70 mile ACADIANA POOLS, INC. race on the Susquehanna River Sales • Installation • Service in New York on Memorial Day C-2 racing canoes, which have weekend, and the AuSable Riv- specifications as to length and 2228 B. Rees St. Ext. • Breaux Bridge, LA • 337-332-1861 er Canoe Marathon, a 120-mile width. non-stop race down the AuSable Tour du Teche has a C-2 class River in Michigan the last week- but also admits a wide variety of end in July. canoes and kayaks. All three of the races are for 10 - Tour du Teche II, Port Barre, La. to Berwick, La. - Official Race Program TDT race director has a scare; back on his feet Meet the Ken Grissom [email protected] Two days after having open-heart surgery, Ray Pellerin was sitting up executive director in his room at The Heart Hospital of Lafayette, texting and phoning volun- Ken Grissom teers who will help put on Tour du [email protected] Teche II. A few days later he was home de- The glue that held Tour du Teche signing calipers to help the boat together last year was a pint-sized checkers with the complicated for- strawberry blonde named Nicole Pa- mulae for USCA C-2 boats. tin. Pellerin – who is healing nicely, Nicole oversaw registration and thank you – will seemingly be every- Breaux Bridge Command Center that where during the race. Just don’t let kept track of the paddlers during the him pick up anything heavier than a rigorous, all-in-one-shot ultra-mara- gallon of milk. Doctor’s orders. thon. He was up in Canada earlier this It was a grueling three days for month representing TDT at La Clas- THE GODFATHER – Ray Pellerin rep- her, too. Four days, really, since she sique de Canots de La Maurice, a resenting Tour du Teche during La Clas- was as busy as a traffic cop on the three-day, staged race for C-2s only, sique in Canada. Shortly after this photo Champs-Élysées the Thursday before when he found himself short of was taken, he underwent a double by- the race. breath, having chest pains. pass heart surgery. He’s back on his feet As executive director of Tour du He and the whole Tour du Teche and feeling much better. Just don’t let him Teche, she has continued to work on community are lucky he caught it help you carry your boat. the race all year. Taking registrations, when he did. ordering T-shirts and caps, meeting It’s impossible to overstate the Literally everything grand about with organizers in each community, impact Ray Pellerin has had on this TDT, from its 135-mile length to big obtaining the requisite permits from race. A businessman, entrepreneur, name sponsorship to twinning with the Coast Guard, Louisiana Depart- MULTITASKING – Nicole Patin at the mariner and funeral director, he has our French-speaking cousins in Can- ment of Wildlife and Fisheries, the start of the inaugural Tour du Teche, tak- brought all those skills to bear in or- ada were his ideas. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and ing last minute registrations. Cutting off ganizing Tour du Teche. And he’s thinking all the time. the West St. Mary Parish Levee Board. registration 21 days before the race has That’s not all but get the idea. made the process much smoother this Besides raw talent, Patin has edu- year. (Ken Grissom) cation and experience going for her. and preparation will trump winging She’s a graduate graphics artist, it, and she will not be buried in the TDT II: A change in course writer, photographer, executive direc- dark recesses of the Command Cen- tor of the Cajun French Music Asso- ter while the race proceeds in the Ken Grissom a day without even noticing it. Benign ciation, and longtime barmaid at La merry sunshine. [email protected] neglect at best and flagrant abuse at Poussiere, her family’s Cajun dance She will be out and about. If you worse. Some people still throw house- The Tour du Teche hasn’t turned hall in Breaux Bridge. see her, please give her a pat on the hold trash in the Teche. out anything like I had hoped. This year, Patin vows, planning back. She deserves it. I figured if we could get a few of Thank God. those Texans coming over here, they What I envisioned was a small, very would spread the word and a couple tough ultra marathon for elite canoe of years we might attract, oh, 30 or and kayak racers along the lines of 40 boats from all over the country. Thanks to all the the Texas Water Safari. Round-the- And when local people saw that folks clock, long-distance paddling. would drive from Austin or Atlanta or Of course the Water Safari is hard- even New York City to paddle down Volunteers ly small, but it’s been going on for our bayou, they might see it in a nearly half a century. Texas has a big whole new light. Maybe quit trashing for helping us celebrate population of serious racers with so- it. phisticated boats and rigorous train- I wasn’t the only one thinking like ing programs. Bayou Teche this. Blake Couvillion grew tired of It was a rare thing to see canoes or seeing trash float by his back yard kayaks on Bayou Teche – which was Acadiana Research Conservation near Arnaudville and organized a the whole point of a race. A lot of people who grew up here & Development drive over the bayou numerous times Continued on Page 12 Tour du Teche II, Port Barre, La. to Berwick, La. - Official Race Program - 11 What time will they get here? Good spots to watch Tour du Teche II & a rough estimate of when to view the action – a very rough estimate owing to the variables of cur- rent, wind, hull types & paddling abilities. Yet another unknown is how long teams will stay at the various check points. The time frames listed blow are based on average speeds ranging from 7 to 10 mph for the fastest boats & 2 to 2.5 mph for the slowest ones.

FRI. Port Barre Hwy 103 bridge Boats will be crowded together & pass en masse un- 7 a.m. OCT. 7 der the bridge.

Port Barre Bayou Teche RV Parks The racers turn off Bayou Courtableau into Bayou 7-7:15 a.m. Teche, very narrow at this point. Robin Street Bridge across Bayou Teche Traffic light; birdseye view of the race. 7-7:30 a.m.

Leonville Leonville Bridge (Hwy 31) Wide grassy areas on both sides of the bayou. 8:20 a.m.-1 p.m.

Arnaudville Boat launch (Front Street) Wide grassy area 9:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.

Myron’s Maison de Manger (Hwy 31) Wide grassy area; food & drink available 9:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. TDT, Acadien, Écrevisse check point

Breaux Bridge Parc des Ponts de Pont Breaux Wide grassy area; food & drink available 11:30 a.m.-midnight TDT, Acadien check point Écrevisse finish line

Parks Cecile R. Poché Memorial Park Wide grassy area 1 p.m.-4 a.m. (Sat.) Rest stop

St. Martinville Magnolia Park Wide grassy area; camping, food & drink available 1:45 p.m.-6 a.m. (Sat.) TDT, Acadien finish line

SAT. St. Martinville Evangeline Oak, New Market Street Wide grassy area 7:15-8 a.m. OCT. 8 Keystone Lock & Dam, Hwy 31 Portage on opposite bank 7:40-9:30 a.m.

Loreauville Loreauville Bridge (Hwy 344) Traffic, limited parking 8:45-12:30 p.m.

New Iberia New Iberia City Park Wide grassy area; food & drink available 10:15 a.m.-6:40 p.m. TDT, Sucre check point Sauce Chaud finish line

Jeanerette T.J. Viator Memorial Park Wide grassy area 11:50 a.m.-12:15 a.m. Rest stop (Sun.)

Charenton Chitimacha boat ramp Wide grassy area, food & drink available 1:10 p.m.-3:30 a.m. (Sun.) TDT, Sucre check point

Baldwin Baldwin Park on the Bayou Wide grassy area 2 p.m.-2 a.m. (Sun.) Rest stop

Franklin Park Sur la Teche Wide area mostly paved, camping, 3:30 p.m.- 6 a.m. (Sun.) TDT, Sucre finish line food & drink available

SUN. Franklin Park Sur la Teche Wide area mostly paved, camping, food & drink avail- 7 a.m. OCT. 9 TDT, Huile & Essence start able

Patterson Hayes Memorial Park Wide grassy area 9:15- a.m.-1:15 p.m. TDT, Huile & Essence check point

Berwick Lighthouse Park Wide area, mostly paved; food and drink available 10:45 a.m.-6 p.m. TDT, Huile & Essence finish line 12 - Tour du Teche II, Port Barre, La. to Berwick, La. - Official Race Program Continued from Page 10 grass-roots effort to clean up the bay- education initiatives would change ou. The resulting organization, Ca- habits. She was the one who had the juns for Bayou Teche, has won him vision to put Cajuns for Bayou Teche national recognition. and Tours du Teche under one um- The Acadiana Resource Conserva- brella called the TECHE Project. tion and Development Council, a non- Ray Pellerin and the Kiwanis Club profit organization, had recently put of Breaux Bridge have a long history on a Bayou Teche watershde coordi- of organizing clean-ups – and races. nator, Kristen Kordeki, with the idea They put on pirogue sprints years that talking to kids in school another ago. It was Pellerin’s idea very early

ONE FOR THE BOOKS – Paddlers, coureurs de bois and onlookers gather at the finish line of the inaugural Tour du Teche in September, 2010. Over 70 percent of the racers were from Louisiana, trying their hand at their first ultra marathon. (Ken Grissom) -on to race down the whole length of model. Bayou Teche, which planted in my mind the seed of the Water Safari Continued on Page 13

DOUGLAS MEQUET at home and ready to put Pumkin in the water for the three-day Tour du Teche. (Sally Angelle) Ready for Tour du Teche Sally Angelle tinville.” [email protected] Mequet has been practicing Henderson – At 73 years-old, paddling up and down the Bayou Douglas Mequet will paddle his Teche. The only problem is getting kayak in Tour du Teche II, Oct. 7-9. the seat just right. The three-day Tour du Teche He named his kayak Pumkin, a will consist of three stages and 135 nickname given to him by his wife, miles of paddling the Bayou Teche. Emmalene. Retired from the oil field busi- Laughing, Mequet said, “Some- ness, Mequet decided to enter the times I get wet getting in and out of Tour du Teche. “I signed up for the my Pumkin on the water.” entire competition,” says Mequet, Watch for Mequet in Tour du “but I hope I can make it to St. Mar- Teche II. Tour du Teche II, Port Barre, La. to Berwick, La. - Official Race Program - 13 Continued from Page 12

Couvillion and others tried to show making their way down the bayou money. Last year, the Knott brothers city in honor of its founder, Scholas- me the error of my ways. “No party?” one way or another. of Bayou Teche Brewing donated a tique Pecou Breaux. they said. “Paddlers will not drive all And 65 of the paddlers, over 70 Ron Chapman pirogue to be raffled Teche Federal is back on this year, the way from Austin for a kegger,” I percent, were from Louisiana! off for some prize money, a poten- along with Chevron, Cypress Bayou said. “They got keggers in Austin.” Another big surprise was all the at- tial for a couple thousand dollars to Casino and others. We’re still count- “We need to hold some shorter tention the race got from onlookers. be split among the winners. Then up ing as this goes to press, but we know races so locals can particapate,” they It was the highlight of the event for steps Jason Freyou of Teche Federal we’ve got a minimum of $16,000 to be said. “Locals are not going to paddle some of the out-of-state participants. Bank, a paddler himself, and plunks divvied out with a unique percentage Bayou Teche,” I said. “Otherwise “‘Everybody wants to know where down a $2,500 sponsorship. Then formula devised by Pellerin. they’d be doing it already.” we’re from!” marveled one. along come Berwick Mayor Louis Rat- The unofficial tally for Tour du So we held an ultra marathon, 128 Ergo, we have a very different cliff and city manager Bubba Slaugh- Teche II is 115 paddlers in 83 boats. miles that had to be done inside of race this year. Staging the race, with ter to double the purse. I was expect- Eighty-one of them, just over 70 per- 60 hours – round the clock, pretty a fresh start each morning, gives ing people to race for glory and a ball cent, are from Louisiana. much. folks in Iberia and St. Mary a chance cap, and suddenly we were talking And Bayou Teche never looked And 92 paddlers showed up! Fifty- to watch the racers while they’re about $5,500, not counting another more beautiful. nine boats. By the time you added bunched. $1,300 in “community prizes” like the coureurs de bois and hangers-on, Parties? Not one but four. $100 the City of Breaux Bridge put there were a couple hundredpeople Another big difference is the prize up for the first woman to reach that — Last year’s top teams — Six paddlers from all over the country and beyond in a 43-foot canoe won the inaugural Tour du Teche last year with a time of 18 hours and 29 minutes. The team of boat “314” consisted of Andrew Stephens of New York City, William Russell of San Antonio, An- drew Soles of Arlington, Va., Sam Ritchie and Dan Hammer of Philadel- phia and Amado Cruz of Belize. “Steppe Missile,” Alan Lamb of Lansing, N.Y., and Richard Steppe, Dallas, were second overall and first in tandem kayak composite at 21 hours, 17 minutes. Hot on their heels was “Illinois Bri- gade,” paddled by Wally Werderich and Gustave “Tave” Lamperez, both of Chicago. Adventure racers Laurence Cohen, New Orleans, and Rusty Bernard, Mandeville, paddling “La Madeleine” in tandem kayak recreational, shaved miles off the course by innovative por- tages across the necks of loops above New Iberia and Franklin to finish in 23 hours, 14 minutes. Grady Reed of Lockhart, Texas, and Ginsie Stauss of Austin, a.k.a. “Gatorhead and Da Shrimp,” were first mixed tandem unlimited at 26 hours, 30 minutes. FIRST FINISHERS – Race director Ray Pellerin awards a plaque to the overall winners of the 2010 Tour du Teche. Because At 35 hours and 20 minutes, of the longer course this year, their winning time has been extrapolated to 19 hours, 30 minutes. Any team that breaks the cur- “XMA” paddled by David Dupuis, was rent record gets 6 percent of the purse plus whatever has accumulated in the Bourré Pot by virtue of the record going unbroken. sixth overall and first in solo kayak (Ken Grissom) recreational. “332,” finished in 35 hours, 44 min- “Pogy,” Dennis Wise of Cecilia, and first in mixed canoe recreational at Ted Edinger of Pineville, paddling utes. Tami St. Germain, Arnaudville, were 39 hours and 8 minutes. 14 - Tour du Teche II, Port Barre, La. to Berwick, La. - Official Race Program What kind of boat is that thing? Tour du Teche has very simple boat classifications: Canoes, kayaks, racing canoes, pedal-drive boats, pirogues and, essentially none of the above or “unlimited.” Some races have separate classes for solo and tandem boats of the same type. Canoes in general are paddled with In last year’s race, a pro boat, “Illinois Bri- single-bladed paddles and may not have a rud- gade” paddled by Tave Lamperez and Wally Werd- der. In Tour du Teche II, there are classes for solo erich of Chicago, finished third overall, hitting canoes, tandem canoes and racing canoes. The the finish line at Patterson in 21 hours and 24 shorter races lump all canoes into one class. minutes, turning out an average speed of nearly The racing canoes class is for the United 6 mph. Lamperez and Werderich are teaming up States Canoe Association C-2 or “pro boat” speci- again for this year’s race. fications for the class. The minimum length is 18 The boat at left, “Just Finish,” is an feet, 6 inches, minimum width at the gunwales aluminium cruiser paddled by Matt Grissom of (Roger Stouff) is 33 inches, and minimum width at the 3-inch Houston and Scott Grissom of Provo, Utah. They Canoes waterline (measured 3 inches above the bottom) is finished in 49 hours and 31 minutes, an average 26 inches. speed of a little over 2.5 mph.

In Tour du Teche, any boat paddled exclu- dem kayak, “Steppe Missile,” paddled by Richard sively with double-bladed paddles is a kayak. A Steppe of Dallas and Alan Lamb of Lansing, N.Y., double-bladed paddle is considered more effective came in second last year in 21 hours, 17 minutes, than a single blade. averaging over 6 mph. Kayaks may have rudders and there’s no The boat at left is “La Madeleine,” paddled length limit for Tour du Teche. by Laurence Cohen of New Orleans and Rusty Whether it’s a decked kayak like the one Bernard of Mandeville. They came in fourth over- in the photo at left or a sit-on-top, the paddler all last year, averaging about 5.5 mph. (However, sits close to the waterline with legs outstretched. the pair took a couple of shortcuts overland – per- Initially it’s a comfortable seat complete with back fectly legal last year but not this year.) (Ken Grissom) support but it can become wearing over the long Of 82 boats entered this year, 53 are haul. kayaks of one type or another. And 40 of them are Kayaks Kayaks are unquestionably fast. A tan- solo kayaks.

The distinguishing feature of a pirogue is in the three shorter races with pirogue classes that it has a flat bottom that meets the sides in a –the 34-mile Crawfish, 25 mile Hot Sauce, and hard angle rather than a curve. They’re designed 27-mile Oil & Gas. for plying shallow water with a stack of crawfish One determined racer who dropped out of cages or a sack of decoys and a wet Labrador the race at Breaux Bridge last year, Eric Courville retriever. Not especially suited for long trips, of Breaux Bridge, has entered his “Ms. E” in all however. You sit low in a pirogue like a kayak but three. without the benefits of the sleek hull or double- Pictured at left is “Deux Feux de Bayou,” bladed paddle. (To compete in the pirogue class, Sandra Olivier of Arnaudville and Amber Dau- the racer must use a single-bladed paddle.) phinet of Breaux Bridge. They dropped out at (Ken Grissom) No pirogue got much further than Breaux Arnaudville, but Olivier is back again this year Bridge last year, let alone finish the race. with a new partner, Shannon Zerangue, to try the Pirogues This year there are seven pirogues entered Écrevisse.

Pedal drive boats are kayaks with spe- sausages in his aluminum canoe! cial propulsion gear, either a screw propeller or However, “Shaw Moving” made it all the flapping fins, engaged by foot pedals. All of the way in 49 hours, 48 minutes, a good 2.5 mph av- side races of Tour du Teche have a class for pedal erage. (Paddling chef Pellerin’s “Trippple Trouble,” boats. with partner Dillon Angelle, made it in 52 hours, The boat at left, “Shaw Moving,” Josef 28 minutes, averaging 2.4 mph while barbecuing.) Shaw and Jason Guillory of Lafayette, was the There are four pedal drive boats entered only pedal boat entered last year and they weren’t this year, two in the Écrevisse (a race!) and one taken very seriously because – well, look at them, each in the Sauce Chaud and Sucre. they’re having too much fun. A catamaran equipped with pedals and (Gareth Stevens) The only other entrant with that kind of a propeller has set the world speed record for a nonchalance was Andre Pellerin of Breaux Bridge, human-powered watercraft, so who knows what Pedal Drives who paddled through St. Landry Parish grilling the future holds. Tour du Teche II, Port Barre, La. to Berwick, La. - Official Race Program - 15 In Tour du Teche, the Unlimited Class is Pellerin’s “Undertaker,” a stretched cruiser with a primarily for boats with more than two paddlers. crew of five. The others are Steven Wright, Dillon Grady Reed of Lockhart, Texas, and Ginsie Angelle and Michael Hebert, all of Breaux Bridge, Stauss of Austin, at left, paddled in an unlimited and Randy Usie of Arnaudville. class last year, but they could paddle that same Last year’s overall winner was “314,” a boat in Tour du Teche II as a tandem kayak as six-man boat that averaged very close to 7 mph to long as they stick with double-bladed paddles. finish in 18 hours, 29 minutes. (Stauss is in fact back this year paddling a pro Any team breaking that record, extrapolat- boat with Teddy Gray of Houston.) ed to 19 hours, 30 minutes because of the longer There are four boats registered as unlimit- distance this year, wins the Bourré Pot, 6 per- (Gareth Stevens) ed this year but some will undoubtedly be reclas- cent of the total purse (not counting community sified as tandem kayaks. prizes). If nobody breaks the record, the money Unlimited One that is clearly unlimited is Andre carries over and is added to the following year.

The start of the inaugural TDT 16 - Tour du Teche II, Port Barre, La. to Berwick, La. - Official Race Program