Show Waterway is Fun for Family And Sports The spray Y of waves swept over boat No 27 21 into the tense but butt smiling face of Ruth Ann Tasker as she looked ahead to the finish line now barely four hundred yards away Tempted to lc k 4 back at boats boat behind her she fought the desire knowing that even a split spilt second might cause her to lo lose e control of the skimming craft as it met the onslaught of the next wave I Then came the big thrill The yard hundred distance of a minute was gone She was under was was passing the finishing line Gwen Peacock the little boats boat's pilot co shrieked her delight Ruth Ann laughed loudly and happily as she throttled down the horsepower 30 motor an l turned Into Inlo the landing area Ruth Ann and Gwen had not won the race for the class in which they were entered Carroll Carroll Carroll Car Car- roll had crossed the Iline first But Dut there was a victory for forthe forthe forthe the two happy girls They were the only women entered in the I nationally famous Canyon River and had placed sec sec- ond I 11 ij Men who had run the Green and Colorado rivers several times men who had scored record record record rec rec- rec- rec ord racing times In previous marathons marathons mar mar- athons were Two women had dared the mile mlle cours and fought the naturally dangerous dangerous dan rivers which on Marathon Marathon Marathon Mara Mara- thon day were dramatically treacherouS treacherouS' with high winds waves as high as four feet Their Thein was a special thrill as the two women received the congratulations congratulations congratulations con con- of judges and spec spec- But Dut the thrill of adventure adventure adventure ture and of racing competition was with every one of the more than seventy entrees In this Third Annual Canyon River Marathon Race on the Green and Colorado rivers June 19 beginning of Green UI er and ending at Moab These racers lost boats and engines Those who completed the gruelling run were tired sore and hungry Regardless of whether er they were first or last across the finish line regardless of whether they had misfortune or not they were excited and exhilarated exhilarated exhilarated ex ex- ex- ex with the thrill of river racing The Green and Colorado n rivers rivers riv riv- v vers ers have been of Interest and concern concern concern con con- cern to mankind for almost as long as the white man has been in this desert section of Utah They flow as challenges to his ingenuity Early in the history of desert settlement the rivers have been beert used for fishing with the catfish giving variance to the usual sim sim- pe pc menus The pioneer faced with the Infertility of arid and soil as a source of livelihood turned to lo the murky streams to pan for gold As more people came Into cl fo ert ert wilderness and communities communities com com- I began forming the sing of the two rivers preened pre- pre ened a troublesome challenge ns fording with heavily loaded wagons and with stock proved a 11 hazardous and costly method of reaching opposite banks This challenge was met by the use of ferries As men stood of either rivers river's banks and watched the swirling waters they dreamed of the rivers rivers rivers riv riv- ers as navigable streams serving as transportation waterways They the Colorado carrying carrying carrying car car- boats laden with people goods and livestock to its Us mouth a at t the Pacific ocean Men attempted to make these dreams come true rue They formed parties and built boats with which they tried to navigate both streams downward They tried to come up the Colorado from California But their efforts fail tail ed The rivers would not serve as navigable waterways in ans ans- to the pioneers pioneer's dreams Later confirmed river men men especially of Green River Rivet con constructed strutted wood-burning wood paddlewheel paddle paddle- wheel boats boals some With two decks hoping the two-river two waterway waterway waterway wa wa- between Green River lUver and anti Moab could become a little Mississippi Mis of barges passenger and pleasure boats Such dreams never became realties While White it was found to tobe tobe tobe be possible to navigate the Green and Colorado between the two communities it was not al at Rocks low Jow waters debris slowed the travel time and wrecked the boats Man gave up his dreams for lor river transportation Until the advent of the light powered high-powered pleasure craft For several years only a few lew persons In Moab and Green River purchased or built small boats for use on the rivers Each year however found a n few more becoming becoming becoming be be- coming Interested and with this Interest came the desire for racIng racing racing rac rac- ing and three years ago ngo the formation formation for for- mation matlon of the annual Canyon River Marathon Interested boaters and the Chambers of Commerce of the two towns town pooled interests and resources To help advertise the initial race a race pro trip over the mile mlle course was planned with invitations going to a anum number nuns num ber her of magazine and newspaper writers publicity Pre however brought more than was expected Instead of the Invited writers many boaters showed their interest with nearly 70 boats making the trip Recognizing the the newly formed Canyon Country Country Country Coun Coun- try River Marathon Association the following year announced the race pre-race trip as the Friendship Friendship Friendship Friend ship Cruise and boaters boater made the run The challenge of the Green and Colorado riv rivers rs between the two I communities had been met The I two rivers became waterways of scenic wonder for the boating family during the Friendship Cruise They became tests of skill and tenacity during the Marathon Race The two rivers came Into their own as waterways of beauty of excitement and of thrills for the family the sportsman sportsman and and the I sportswoman |