Under cloudless blue skies , but with a chill still in the air , the 31 st annual Hockanum River Canoe and Kayak Race was run on Sunday , April 5 , with 117 water craft finishing the 7-mile course .

According to Andrew McKenzie , the event organizer , the water was very low this year, but that did not seem to deter any of the entrants .

This year, several paddlers were in costume , including the brother / sister team of Mike and A . J . Manfre , who were outfitted in Viking helmets , complete with horns . Manchester residents Bryan Hoffman and Heath Carlson , first-timers at the event , were decked out in jackets , white shirts and ties , while Sean Cappalla and Dan Rizzuto ran the rapids in their chef’s toques .

Spectators could watch the race from the numerous viewing spots along the length of the race through Vernon , Manchester and East Hartford .

There were 16 different categories for the entrants , determined by the age of the paddler , type and size of water craft , etc ., and there was an award for the winner in each category . Posting the best time for the race was L . Carrier in the Men’s Long Kayak division , with a time of 1 hour , 7 minutes , 22 seconds .