The teams are set for this weekend’s International Dory Racing event in Lunenburg.
This is the 66th year the annual races have been held.
Dory Association vice-president Robert Fox recounts the races began back in 1952 over pints between two gentlemen in a local pub.
“They were having an argument on which rowers were the strongest and which were the fastest – this gentleman was from Gloucester Massachusetts. They decided they were going to find out. They had a race down in Gloucester and it all started from there.”
At the elimination races this past weekend, Gail Atkinson and Kath Moore won the right to represent the women, Robert Fox and Lisa Tanner will row in the mixed division, the senior men will feature Arthur Delaney and Jason Mossman while Willie Wells and Walter Nickerson row in the over 50 division.
By less than 1/2 a second Arthur Delaney and Jason Mossman of #Lunenburg take the 1 mile senior division at the International #doryracing qualifiers pic.twitter.com/625CXIBo8P
— Ed Halverson (@edwardhalverson) August 11, 2018
Fox says while it is a competitive event, it’s more like welcoming family every year.
“There’s tension there. You know, you throw little slurs around, little comments, but, for the most part, we’re all good friends and that’s the way we like it. The race just gets in the way most of the time, to be honest.”
The American team from Gloucester Massachusetts will arrive Thursday to socialize before the races get underway Saturday morning.
Two teams of junior rowers came from PEI to compete. All teams have selected lanes and are preparing to row. #doryracing #rowing #lunenburg pic.twitter.com/OxyOsdop32
— Ed Halverson (@edwardhalverson) August 11, 2018
