The Great Pumpkin: Grown, picked, hollowed out and... sailed?

[midget-boyd91]

http://thechronicleherald.ca/NovaScotia/959361.html

Prime pumpkin paddler
New Ross senior retires after eighth regatta win
By JENNIFER STEWART Staff Reporter
Mon. Oct 15 - 3:56 PM

IT WAS HARDLY a surprise when the giant floating gourd piloted by defending champion Leo Swinimer Sr. finished first this weekend in Windsor’s ninth annual pumpkin regatta.

The shock came after Sunday’s race when the 72-year-old announced his retirement from the fast-paced world of pumpkin racing.

"Everything has an end to it, I suppose," said the New Ross senior, who paddled to his eighth victory in a yellow and blue creation dubbed Pretty Girl.

When asked to reveal his secret, Mr. Swinimer replied simply: "You have to be in good shape."

And a good pumpkin doesn’t hurt either, he added.

This year’s regatta on Lake Pesaquid boasted 53 partici-pants, most of them in the non-motorized division.

Four of the competitors outfitted their hollowed-out pumpkins with motors and two others experimented with catamaran-style entries made up of three giant pumpkins.

"It just keeps growing and growing," said organizer VanEssa Roberts, adding that this year’s entrants were nothing short of spectacular.

"They put so much time and effort into their pumpkin boats," she said.

Well, town was pretty busy yesterday. We have a population of under 4 000, and it's safe to say there were that many people inside Tims Horton's on the waterfront alone. The 101 turned into a giant parking lot, and I couldn't get to my house because in order to get there I need to drive through the edge of downtown.. which had every street blocked.
I was lucky enough to be back inside the car after the race when the next round(s) of rain and hail came through. I found it rather amusing to watch everyone running for the highway to get to their cars trying to get out of the rain ;D.  Within probably an hour and a half of the race being finished, Windsor was back to being it's quiet little self, with a dozen giant pumpkins left in the lake to rot once again.

 

[midget-boyd91]

I found some videos of the regatta on the interweb. I'll put them up here.

Pumpkins out of the water before the race.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dt8EyIq3c3s&mode=related&search=

Pumpkins IN the water before the race.  (Can you see me? I'm the goofy looking one on the far shore.)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hO1nz14xrME&mode=related&search=

Apparently whomever had the camera didn't want to film the actual race.. only the 'pre-game,'  I'll keep my eyes open to see if any race footage from this year is added in the next few days and add it here if I see any.

 

[PMedMoe]

Wow, some of those pumpkins are pretty checked out!!!

Too bad whoever posted the videos couldn't spell Windsor!!  :

 

[medic149]

Interesting a pumpkin race. It looks fun.

 

[284_226]

...and that was only the footage from the Paddling class.  I was hoping to see footage from the Motorized & Experimental Class.

Yes, life's different in Nova Scotia...that's for sure.  8)

 

[midget-boyd91]

As promised, here's some footage of the race in progress. Thanks to Q-104.....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=obBGgok-YLg

What do the Navy folks here think about adopting a few of these beasts for service?

 

[midget-boyd91]

You were a great personality, Howard. You're going to be missed very much here in town, and across the country.
Keep yer stick on the ice, bud.

http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20080521/pumpkin_king_080521/20080521?hub=TopStories

Midget