No bridge, no problem for amazing turtle race in Albion

Photos by Tom Rivers

ALBION – The Amazing Turtle Race is a mainstay of the Albion Starwberry Festival. The turtles are usually launched into the Erie Canal from the Main Street lift bridge.

But with the bridge removed for a major rehabilitation, organizers of the event needed to improvise, and the turtles on Saturday afternoon were launched from a boat owned by the Orleans County Sheriff’s Office.

The turtle launchers include from left: Albion Police chief David Mogle and Lt. Brandon Annable, top ticket seller Jarred Saj, County Legislator John Fitzak and Aric Albright, superintendent of the village’s sewer plant.

The turtles work their way east on the Erie Canal.

There were 800 turtles in the racer, and Saj sold 375 of the tickets. They were $5 each or 5 for $20. Proceeds are used to help defray costs of the Strawberry Festival.

The turtles are numbered and the first five earn prize money for the ticket holders. The winners include: Dave Green in first, $500; Kevin Bogan in second, $300; David Schubel in third, $100; Lin Schafer in fourth, $50; and Mike Goheen in fifth, $50.

Becky Karls is the organizer of the turtle race. She is pictured with Aubrey Kennedy, 11, of Kent who wore the turtle costume for the race and also during the parade.

Gary Simboli served as emcee of the race and shared many corny turtle jokes. Donato Rosario and McKenna Boyer, bottom left and center, take in the spectacle by the canal.

Dallas Ecker, second from left, grabs the top five turtles. Jay Kovaleski, an Albion physical education teacher and swim coach, is at left. Ecker was assisted in the kayaks by Josh DePoty and Jackson Moody.