By Sherry Boyd

Where has the time gone?  It hardly seems possible that it was a year ago that we reported to you about last year’s cayuco race.  Our youngest daughter Jennifer had participated in an ocean-to-ocean canoe race and had won second place in the female category.  Training for the race required weeks of practice, diet and dedication.  I was just sure after all the work she went through last year that she wouldn’t want to participate again.  But not so!  Within a day or so all we heard was “next year when I race again I’m going to…”  Well it’s a new year and we have new results to report to you as she recently completed the 2001 race.   

Last fall Jennifer was invited to join a different female team than last year's, since the Jungle Crew was going to have a co-ed team this year.  So in January they formed the team and decided on the canoe “Command Performance.”  They started training, preparing for the race in April.

The race starts at the Atlantic Ocean on a Friday afternoon.  They race from Colon to the first set of locks.  On Saturday the second leg of the race begins on the Gatun Lake side of the locks and goes 21 miles to Gamboa.  The third day consists of three legs—two shorter and one longer.  They end near the Bridge of Americas at the mouth of the Panama Canal on the Pacific side.

Rod and I were in charge of driving the team to Colon for the first day of racing.  I remember all the chatter as driving time was spent in a strategy session.  They were going to make every stroke count.  Concern grew as we waited for the race to begin.  The wind had started to blow and water was quite choppy.  The boats were called one by one and the crews carried them into the water.  They lined up and the gun sounded.  The race had begun.  We joined the “other” race as dads and moms, family and friends ran for their cars and drove for the finish line at the locks.

Not only did Command Performance finish first in the female division, they were also the fourth boat overall for the first stretch.  They had beat many all-male and mixed crews.  We knew that all that training was paying off.  Command Performance lived up to their name as they came in first position in the female category in all five legs.  Their 6 hour, 19 minute time was more than 30 minutes ahead of any other female team.

One of the most rewarding moments for me was hearing Jennifer tell about the beginning of the grueling lake run.  She shared that the other girls had asked her to pray before they began.  We know that God answered that prayer.  He was with them in some very difficult conditions.  Ten of the boats never finished the lake run; instead they had to be towed in to Gamboa.  These boats swamped so many times they couldn’t go on.

Jennifer is enjoying her large, first place trophy.  She knows she won’t be able to participate in “Cayuco” next year.  Instead she’s talking about graduating in June and going on to Seattle Pacific University next fall.  She is talking about turning out for crew there!  We know that the determination she has shown in cayuco has prepared her well for the future.  We expect nothing less than another “command performance” in the years to come!