No sunglasses per Charities For Profit.

Duck Race Celebrity Regatta
(formerly known as the Celebrity Time Trials)
5:00 p.m. SummerFest Sunday, August 15, 2004
On The River in Memorial Park, St. Marys, Ohio

What is the Celebrity Regatta?

The Duck Race Celebrity Regatta consists of two heats of six innertubers "racing" down the Duck Race course on the St. Marys River (see photo below). The first three finishers in each heat qualify for the Finals.

All SummerFest weekend right up to the Regatta start at 5:00 pm Sunday, wager tickets will be sold at the Duck Race Booth for $1.00 each. The purchaser will write his name, phone number and the name of one celebrity on each ticket, and place it in that celebrity's ticket bin. In this way, betting lines can be generated to provide "odds" on the participants.

After the Finals, one ticket will be drawn at random from the ticket bin of the winning celebrity, and that ticket's purchaser will win $100.00. The winning celebrity will be proclaimed "Anas Curriculum Deus" (Duck Race God) and crowned with whatever piece of trash the Duck Race Committee finds appropriate or handy.

The celebrities are volunteering their time and energies. They are only committed to show up, not necessarily to strive to win. For their trouble, they will receive a Duck Race tee shirt, a hearty handshake and, if requested, a thorough hosing-down when they come out of the river. Not to mention the fact that they will have a lot of fun.

Celebrities are chosen by invitation only. The Duck Race Committee looks for a mix of St. Marys folks who through their talents, occupations, or personalities are well known throughout the community, thus providing a "draw" for spectators and wagerers.

Inner tubes courtesy of Mike's Tire Service.

2004 Regatta Celebrities


Introducing our Celebrities:

 

2003 SummerFest Queen - Kyrstan Chambers

MHS Swimming champ & OHSAA qualifier - Jasmine Craft

Defending Celebrity Regatta Champion - Amy Cron

2004 SummerFest Committee Chairman - Bob Fitzgerald

2004 "Mr. MHS" - Nick Fortman

SMCS Teacher - Kendra Gottschalk

WKKI Radio personality - Joe Hurlburt

Kogge, Inc. owner - Rick Kogge

The Style Salon, owner - John Menker

Auglaize Co. Sheriff candidate & Former Champion - Al Solomon

Local Contractor/Track Coach - Steve Stroh

4-year Band Parents President - Doug Wilker

 

2004 Celebrity Regatta

2004 Regatta Celebrities
(L-R, front): Al Solomon - Auglaize County Sheriff Candidate; Kyrstan Chambers - 2003 Summerfest Queen; Kendra Gottschalk - SMCS Teacher; Amy Cron - 2003 Celebrity Regatta Champion; Jasmine Craft - OHSAA Swimming State Qualifier. (L-R, back) - Doug Wilker - 2003 Band Parents Co-President; John Menker - Owner, The Style Salon and Buckeye Storage; Nick Fortman - "Mr. MHS" 2004; Steve Stroh - St. Marys Youth Center Director; Joe Hurlburt - WKKI Sports Radio Personality; Bob Fitzgerald - 2004 Summerfest Committee Chairman; Rick Kogge - Owner, Kogge Inc.

August 11, 2003 Evening Leader story

The Duck Race Celebrity Regatta
 Ravine of Champions

 

2004 Champion: Nick Fortman
"Mr. MHS" 2004

2003 Champion: Amy Cron
3-Time State Qualifier in 2 OHSAA Swimming Events

2002 Champion: Dr. Bob Keighley*
Partner, St. Marys Surgical Associates, Inc.

2001 Champion: Al Solomon
Auglaize County Deputy Sheriff

2000 Champion: Kurt Kuffner
Business Manager, St. Marys City Schools

1999 Champion: Jennifer Botkin
1998 SummerFest Queen
 

* 2002 Final Heat was cancelled due to lightning: Dr. Bob Keighley won drawing held between six finalist qualifiers.

The Duck Race Celebrity Regatta
 Slough of non-Champions

 

Mark Ashman* Did Not Win in 2002
MHS & University of Dayton Basketball Star

Brad Bartlett Did Not Win in 2003
Independent Candidate for Mayor & Owner of Bartlett's Drive Thru

John Bergman Did Not Win in 1999, 2000 or 2002
Auglaize County Commissioner

Bruce Brown Did Not Win in 1999
Principal, East Elementary School

Kacie Bruggeman Did Not Win in 2002
2001 SummerFest Queen

Linda Bubp Did Not Win in 1999, 2000, 2001 or 2002
Owner, Pet Round-Up

Kyrstan Chambers Did Not Win in 2004
2003 SummerFest Queen

Bill Cheslock Did Not Win in 2001
MHS Guidance Counselor

Stacy Clausing Did Not Win in 2003
2-Time OHSAA State Track Champion

Ken Cline Did Not Win in 2003
St. Marys Fire Department Chief

Jim Coons Did Not Win in 2001
WCSM Radio Personality

Jasmine Craft Did Not Win in 2004
OHSAA Swimming State Qualifier

Jeff Eyrich Did Not Win in 2001
Executive Director, Valley Nursing & Rehabilitation Center

Bob Fitzgerald Did Not Win in 2004
2004 Summerfest Committee Chairman

Greg Freewalt Did Not Win in 1999
Mayor, City of St. Marys

Joe Ginter Did Not Win in 1999 or 2001
St. Marys City Schools Teacher

Don Glaser Did Not Win in 2000
Prudential Insurance Agent

Ron Gorby Did Not Win in 2003
Owner/Operator S&W Motel and Suites

Kendra Gottschalk Did Not Win in 2004
SMCS Teacher

Katie Hertenstein* Did Not Win in 2002
St. Marys Seahawks & former MHS Swim Team Coach

Dean Hobler Did Not Win in 1999
President, St. Marys City Council

Fred Hullinger* Did Not Win in 2002
2002 SummerFest Committee Chairman

Joe Hurlburt Did Not Win in 2004
WKKI Sports Radio Personality

Chris "Priest" Kellermeyer Did Not Win in 2001
Lead singer, Apolsai

Stephen Kill* Did Not Win in 2002
"Mr. MHS" 2002

Charlie Knous Did Not Win in 2000
Owner, C & C Loft & Lounge

Tom "Boog" Knous Did Not Win in 2003
"Mr. MHS" 2003

Rick Kogge Did Not Win in 2004
Owner, Kogge Inc.

Ken Koverman Did Not Win in 2002
Commander, Lima Post Ohio Highway Patrol

John Krupa Did Not Win in 2003
Staff Reporter for The Evening Leader

Kay Maher Did Not Win in 2003
Owner/Operator of Miller's Café

Michael Makley Did Not Win in 1999
Principal, Memorial High School

John Menker Did Not Win in 2004
Owner, The Style Salon and Buckeye Storage

Kraig Noble Did Not Win in 2000
City of St. Marys Law Director

Larry Schaaf Did Not Win in 1999
Owner, Schaaf Auto Sales, Inc.

Ben Schultz Did Not Win in 1999
25-Year MHS Sports Aide and Volunteer

Derrick Seaver Did Not Win in 2001, 2002 or 2003
State Representative

Jennifer Strickland Did Not Win in 2001
2000 SummerFest Queen

Steve Stroh Did Not Win in 2004
St. Marys Youth Center Director

Lori Triplett Did Not Win in 2000
1999 SummerFest Queen

Kimmer Wale Did Not Win in 2000
2000 SummerFest Committee Chairman

Doug Wilker Did Not Win in 2004
2004 Band Parents President

Todd Yohey Did Not Win in 1999 or 2003
SMCS Ass't Supt. & 2003 Summerfest Committee Chairman

Kelly Jo Zink Did Not Win in 2003
2002 SummerFest Queen

 

* 2002 Finalist: Final Heat was cancelled due to lightning.

Duck Race Celebrity Regatta participants must:

1. Be able to swim.
2. Wear shoes in the River.
3. Start and Finish inside the lane.
4. Remain afloat on top of their inner tubes at all times during the race.

St. Marys River - Home of the Duck Race
The Duck Race Course Starting Gate

Unofficial Duck Race Theme Song:
"Kickin' Back"
Chris Botkin
Why a Duck?
Click me to make it stop!
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