It took a long time for tubbers to complete this year’s bathtub race, and it took an extra couple of days to acknowledge all the top finishers.
Kurt Henderson will go into the books as the third-place finisher at this past Sunday’s Great International World Championship Bathtub Race after originally being disqualified on race day at Nanaimo’s Maffeo Sutton Park.
The Loyal Nanaimo Bathtub Society investigated an appeal of the original decision to DQ the No. 716 tub and found that society officials had misinterpreted the rules of the super-modified division.
“Tub 716, piloted by Kurt Henderson, did not contravene the rules in any way and will be reinstated as the second-place finisher in super modified…” noted Greg Peacock, second vice-commodore, in a press release. “The society sincerely apologizes for any unnecessary stress this may have caused and will work hard throughout the off-season to ensure this can never happen again.”
Henderson completed the 36-nautical-mile race in three hours, five minutes and 19 seconds.
Brandon Leigh won the great race and the super-mod division in 2:24:06 and Shawn Nadeau was runner-up overall and first in stock class in 2:42:36.
It’s the second year in a row that the bathtub race involved some finish-line controversy. Justin Lofstrom’s record-setting win in 2016 was challenged, but his tub met specifications and his win and record stand.
editor@nanaimobulletin.com