You know you are on to something special when Big Bear’s 2nd Annual Paddlefest’s oldest and youngest competitors are seven decades apart! Sisters Summer and Shauna, ages 4 and 5, stepped forward to float the Kid’s Fun Paddle crossing the finish line to smiles and cheers, while Jim Nelson, 82, took on the tougher 10k challenge – paddling from Captain John’s Marina to the Dam, around Treasure Island and back - and finished to a shoreline standing ovation.

The achievements didn’t stop there – competition was tough! Big Bear local Kim Williams finished first in the Women’s 10k kayak race while adventure racer Slater Fletcher (Huntington Beach) took first place honors for the Men. Local racer Mindy Clark narrowly beat Scott Cordner (Big Bear) and Matt Theis (Newport Beach) for a first place finish in the 10k Canoe.

Conquer the Bear Contestants continued on in their quest to participate in five grueling Big Bear Events – Snowshoe the Bear, Big Bear Shoot Out, Paddlefest, Cal Multisport and the Big Bear Marathon. Four local challengers – Heather Devito, Diane Bradley, Ted Devito and Grayson McNeil – took top honors on the podium in overall standings after just three events.

Even the non-paddlers were having fun! Paddlefest’s expo hosted numerous outdoor industry vendors and Backpacker magazine’s Get Out More Tour Ambassador’s Sheri and Randy Propster stopped in to discuss cool new outdoor trends and give away tons of free gear. (Check out their take on Big Bear Lake at www.getoutmore2009.com).

I had so much fun Saturday checking out the Expo, enjoying the camaraderie of fellow athletes and making new friends that I decided last minute to compete in the 10k. While I’m a little beat up this Monday morning, I am proud of the dull tenderness across the top of my shoulders and my fourth place finish in the women’s 10k. And, I am pretty certain we’ll see a few more paddlers taking advantage of Big Bear Lake’s smooth waters this summer – like me, I bet these paddlers were inspired by people like Jim, Summer and Shauna.

Earning my turns,
GladeGirl