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O’Donnells claim top prize at Dewey canoe races

Sands of Lighthouse-Rudder Beach and water of Rehoboth Bay serve as battleground
The Highway One team of (l-r) Gina Horsky, Addison Tazelaar, Kelsey Hands and Brandon Bishop performs the turn and transition during the 2024 Dewey Beach Canoe Races at Lighthouse-Rudder Beach July 16. They finished second overall. AARON MUSHRUSH PHOTOS
Aaron R. Mushrush
July 22, 2024

Who says the Dewey Beach canoe races aren’t a family-friendly event?

A total of 11 teams traveled to the shores of Rehoboth Bay July 16, to try to claim year-long bragging rights by winning the 2024 races, held at the beach between the Lighthouse and Rusty Rudder. Ten teams comprised hospitality workers from local restaurants while one, the O’Donkeys, competed as a family. Leaving servers, bartenders and managers in their wake, it was the O’Donnell family who came away with the top prize.

Put on by the Dewey Business Partnership and Hyatt Place and hosted mostly by the Lighthouse, with a few participants making their way to Rusty Rudder, the event drew a couple hundred people out of the air conditioning and into the July heat. Sponsored by Twisted Tea and Tito’s Handmade Vodka, the event continued its trend of handmade twistedness on the banks of Rehoboth Bay.

A few paddlers made their way near the docks, which were not part of the course, while others could not quite understand the counter-clockwise turn they needed to make, but all-in-all most races were as tight as they were fun.

Following time trials and the final duels, the Highway One team found themselves as the top seed heading into the finals after O’Donkeys claimed the top speed heading into the final duels. Defeating host Lighthouse, Highway One squared up against O’Donkeys in the championship after the family squad also conquered Lighthouse.

Neck and neck heading into the first turn around the buoy, a friendly push-off allowed O’Donkeys to take the lead heading into the second leg of the final. As Highway One uncorked its bottled-up energy and tried to shake the rust off its rudder, the team left it all in the bay. O’Donkeys, however, stuck close and maintained their lead to take the 2024 title.

As a reward for their efforts, the O’Donnells won enough Twisted Tea and Tito’s gear to throw an enjoyable after-party.

The next battle at Lighthouse Cove in Dewey Beach will be the Dewey Business Partnership Dewey-Rehoboth Restaurant Games set for Tuesday, Aug. 6. Registration begins at 10 a.m., with a 10:45 a.m. last call and an 11 a.m. start. Rounds are expected to begin at 11:15 a.m. More information is available on Eventbrite.

 

Jess Poole leads the way as her partner Sean Ash turns up wake in the back.
Kellyann Palladino holds up the final bracket following the timing heats.
Participants prepare for the finals out of a mini-break following the timing trials. The sun made sure very little warm-up was needed.
One half of the back-end Lighthouse duo, Beau Minner, celebrates just a bit too early as Rebecca White has to paddle them ashore.
Four souls were involved in a collision on the shores of Rehoboth Bay in the scorching heat July 16. Luckily no one was injured and it was hot enough that water was a welcome addition to the canoes. Shown are (l-r) Gabe Wedgewood (Paradise), Bella Delloso (Dewey Beer), Sarah Hyde (Paradise) and Jordan Schmidt (Dewey Beer).
Paradise’s Sean Ash reaches for the oar his teammate Sarah Hyde is handing him as his rowing partner Jess Poole begins to help with the transitions. Dewey Beer’s Madison Mahoney encourages her teammates to come ashore.
The push-off is key as Paradise’s Sarah Hyde goes all in to help her teammates Sean Ash and Jess Poole while Dewey Beer’s Jordan Schmidt launches Daniel Courtney and Madison Mahoney into Rehoboth Bay.
Highway One’s Kelsey Hand sings out in celebration as her and Brandon Bishop wrap up a win over Woody’s.
As Woody’s prepared to launch their second team, Maddie Kelly took an involuntary dip in the Rehoboth Bay while her partner Zach McMahon helped turn the boat around for the team of Megan Sullivan, center, and Zach Truitt.
Highway One’s Gina Horsky and Addison Tazelaar cruise to an easy win to inch closer to the finals.
When Harry Belafonte’s 1961 hit “Jump in the Line,” immortalized by the movie Beetlejuice, reverberated through the waters Starboard’s Carly Truitt immediately followed instructions to shake as Jake Truitt paddled them in.
Those who were knocked out were forced to hang out on the deck surrounded by tasty beverages, delicious food and good music all while having to look out on the water and beach. Brutal.
Dewey Post’s Garrett Baker gives his all as he and his rowing mate, Christy Hutton, help their teammates Max Dawson, rear of canoe, and Jody Pettoruto.
Lighthouse’s Nicole Patille and Alec Reynolds paddle through the Rehoboth Bay shallows.
Lighthouse’s Nicole Patille watches as Alec Reynolds pushes off the team of Beau Minner, diving, and Rebecca White.
Gina Horsky is all smiles as she and Addison Tazelaar makes their way toward the sand for a Highway One win in the semifinals.
Highway One teammates Gina Horsky, laughing, and Kelsey Hands jump for joy while Brandon Bishop lets out some cheers.
The finals featured the O’Donnell family, named O’Donkeys, against Highway One.
Kelin O’Donnell and her dad Tom O’Donnell come in with a healthy lead after the first leg of the finals.
Highway One’s Brandon Bishop shows off the one-arm push technique to get Addison Tazelaar, rear of canoe, and Gina Horsky started in the finals while Kelsey Hands looks on.
Tom O’Donnell and Kelin O’Donnell help pull in Garrison O’Donnell and Deb O’Donnell to clinch first overall at the 2024 Dewey Beach Canoe Races.
Besting the service industry teams, the O’Donkeys, a family team, won the 2024 Dewey Beach Canoe Races. Shown are (l-r) Garrison O’Donnell, Deb O’Donnell, Tom O’Donnell and Kelin O’Donnell.
To the victor go the spoils, and in this case the O’Donnells were the victors while their spoils were a bunch of swag items from Twisted Tea and Tito’s Handmade Vodka. Shown are (l-r) Tom O’Donnell, Kelin O’Donnell, Garrison O’Donnell and Deb O’Donnell.

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