Posted on Oct 01, 2017
Kurt Hackler, Danielle Corti and Deputy Dawgs lead the way at the first BF Rotary Pumpkin Run

The Deputy Dawgs haul their 39 pound pumpkin to the next obstacle


SAXTONS RIVER -  As the morning fog lifted to reveal a perfect Autumn day in Vermont Kurt Hackler, Danielle Conti and the Deputy Dawgs team were the winners of the first Bellows Falls Rotary Pumpkin Run on October 1, 2017.

Inspired by a similar event they came across while hiking in the Rocky Mountains last year, Rotarians Keith Clark and Ed Dinnany lead the way as the club held a 5 km race and made it extra challenging by having competitors carry pumpkins and deal with obstacles. The course started and finished at the Saxtons River Recreation Area and included a river crossing, hurdles, a hay bale barrier that had to be traversed without touching it with your feet, a balance beam and six other obstacles.

In this first year there were some logistical challenges to be worked out determining a course and obstacles so the club was a little delayed getting the word out. However, seven individuals and a team from the Windham sheriff’s department showed up and helped pave the way for future versions of the event. Kurt Hackler of Alstead, NH was the first to complete the course carrying a standard 5 lb. pumpkin in a handicap adjusted time of 18:50. Danielle Corti of Newbury, VT was the first female in an adjusted time of 34:35. The Deputy Dawgs tried to take advantage of the handicap adjustment for a very large pumpkin and lugged an extra large 39 lb. pumpkin which shaved more than 7 minutes off their time as they won the prize in the team division. Full results are below.

The club would like to thank the sponsors who helped get the event off the ground this first year: Halladay’s Harvest Barn, Savings Bank of Walpole, The Richards Group, Greater Falls Insurance and Edward Jones.


 
PlaceTimeNameIDcategoryHandicap
118:49.2KURT HACKLER193male00:01:20
224:24.7MATT GUILD201male00:01:20
334:27.3SAMUEL CORTI197male00:02:08
434:35.5DANIELLE CORTI198female00:01:52
535:32.0DAN CORTI195male00:04:48
637:16.4Deputy Dawgs199team00:07:12
738:57.5MATTHEW CORTI196male00:01:20
852:50.5DON HOLSHUH194male00:01:20

Pumpkin runners crossing the river