Tour du Teche begins today

Tour du Teche IV, a 135-mile, three-day race for kayaks and canoes down Bayou Teche, begins today in Port Barre and ends Sunday in Berwick.
St. Martinville, finish line for Day 1, is keeping the party going with La Grande Boucherie des Cajuns on Saturday. And at Franklin, finish for Day 2, paddlers and their support crews will be able to enjoy the annual Harvest Moon Festival. Berwick also puts on a street fair at the finish line Sunday.
Tour du Teche attracts paddlers from all over the country and beyond as well as growing number from around Louisiana. To accommodate beginning or recreational paddlers, there’s the Voyager Division of Tour du Teche and five one-day races for Voyageurs.
Tour du Teche starts at Port Barre today with a finish 49 miles later in St. Martinville. Saturday’s 59-mile race starts in St. Martinville and ends in Franklin. The toughest part of the race is only 27 miles but by Sunday strength and resolve are sapped and the bayou is wide and windswept here, subject to contrary tides from the nearby Gulf of Mexico. The race ends on the Atchafalaya River at Berwick.
The one-day races are the Crawfish, 34 miles from Port Barre to Breaux Bridge, and the Acadian, 49 miles from Port Barre to St. Martinville, today.
Saturday, the Hot Sauce is 25 miles from St. Martinville to New Iberia, and the Sugar, 59 miles from St. Martinville to Franklin.
On Sunday, the Oil & Gas is 27 miles from Franklin to Berwick.
Voyageurs and short races start at 7 a.m. The Racing Division, which pays winners in cash prizes, starts at 9 a.m. each day.
The Oregon Street Boat Launch in Berwick will be closed all day Sunday for the Tour du Teche Canoe Race.
The Voyageur Division, including the one-day racers, is for TDT cypress paddle trophies.
Tour du Teche is a non-profit dedicated to promoting the low-impact recreational use, protection and appreciation of Bayou Teche.
Call Executive Director Nicole Patin at 337-789-0319 or Director General Ken Grissom at 337-394-6232 for more information.
Tour du Teche participants

Here is the lineup of races and racers for this weekend’s fourth Tour du Teche paddle race over the entire 135 miles of Bayou Teche:
RACING DIVISION
Tour du Teche (Race 1)
Class A – USCA C2
BOAT 1
Joseph Geisinger, Austin, Texas.
Mike Dey, Schertz, Texas.
CDBs Ginsie Stauss, Austin; Patty Geisinger, Texas.
BOAT 2
Jim “Shorty” Short, Springfield, Mo.
Roy Tyrone, Pasadena, Texas.
CDB (coureur des bois) Donna Short, Springfield, Mo.
Class B – Tandem Single Blade
BOAT 3
Tave Lamperez, St. Charles, Ill.
Gareth Stevens, Hubertus, Wisc.
CDB Paul Delcambre, New Iberia.
BOAT 4
Steven Wright, Breaux Bridge.
Bethany Wright, Breaux Bridge.
CDB Tricia Wright, Breaux Bridge.
Class C – Solo Single Blade
BOAT 5
Don Walls, Russellville, Ark.
CDB Barbara Walls, Russellville, Ark.
BOAT 6
Neil Wiesner-Hanks, Mequon, Wisc.
CDB Merry Wiesner Hanks, Mequon, Wisc.
Class D – Tandem Double Blade
BOAT 7
Brad Pennington, Houston.
Joost Zeegers, Bellingham, Wash.
Class E – Solo Double Blade
BOAT 8
Jason Britt, New Orleans.
CDB Wayne Britt, Orange Beach, Ala.
BOAT 9
David Dupree, Rayville.
CDB Julie Dupree, Rayville.
BOAT 10
Jeffrey Duzan, Breaux Bridge.
CDBs Mary Duzan, Monroe.
Tom Duzan, Monroe.
BOAT 11
Tomas Golan, New Iberia.
CDB None listed
BOAT 12
Trey Hollingsworth, Lafayette.
CDB Heidi Hollingsworth, Lafayette.
BOAT 13
Wendell Smith, Seguin, Texas.
CDBs Mark Miller, McQueeney, Texas; Aaron Timmins, Houston.
BOAT 14
Michael Wooton, Austin.
CDB None listed
BOAT 15
Denise D’Abundo, Baton Rouge.
Class F – Big Boat
BOAT 16
Virginia Parker, Austin.
Morgan Kohut, Houston.
Sandy Yonley, Houston.
CDB Andrew Condie, Austin.
BOAT 17
Jessica Turner, Breaux Bridge.
Andre Pellerin, Breaux Bridge, and Ken Haynes, Breaux Bridge.
Collin Domingues, Breaux Bridge.
CDB Monesse Dupuis, Breaux Bridge.
VOYAGEUR DIVISION
Tour du Teche (Race 1)
Class I – Tandem Single Blade
BOAT V-18
Wade Bond, Cheneyville.
Foster Bond, St. Louis, Mo.
BOAT V-19
Bryan Haviland, Pineville.
Heidi Fuqua, Berkeley, Calif.
CDBs Norton Haviland, Ocean Springs, Miss.; Chad Haviland, Abbeville.
BOAT V-20
Jay Williams, Georgetown, Texas.
Larry Williams, Austin, Texas.
Class J – Solo Single Blade
BOAT V-21
Bill Lopez, New Orleans.
CDB None listed
BOAT V-22
David Wynot, Baton Rouge.
CDB Chad Caplan, Baton Rouge.
Class K – Tandem Double Blade
BOAT V-23
Paul Patout, New Iberia.
Basil Borel, Loreauville.
Class L – Solo Double Blade
BOAT V-24
Timmy Landry, Lafayette.
BOAT V-25
Laurence Cohen, New Orleans.
CDB Michelle Cohen, New Orleans.
BOAT V-26
Janenne deClouet, Lafayette.
CDBs Mark deClouet, Lafayette; Carl Schexnayder, Lafayette.
BOAT V-27
Randy Hargroder, Opelousas.
CDB Vicki Hargroder, Opelousas.
BOAT V-28
Travis Harrington, Barksdale Air Force Base.
CDB Georgiana Wright. Barksdale Air Force Base.
BOAT V-29
Scott Moore, Lafayette.
CDB Margaret Moore, Lafayette.
BOAT V-30
Greg Pellerin, Franklin.
BOAT V-31
Brian Toche, New Orleans.
CDBs Judy Toche, League City, Texas; Gary Toche, League City, Texas.
BOAT V-32
Eric Wyble, Gulfport, Miss.
Class N – Fourre Tout
BOAT V-33
Glenn Broussard, Youngsville.
CDB David Bonin, Youngsville.
BOAT V-34
Leland Landry, St. Martinville.
Adam Landry, St. Martinville.
CDBs Melanie Landry, St. Martinville; William Landry, St. Martinville.
BOAT V-35
Christopher Lucas, Shreveport.
CDB Ben Lucas, Lafayette.
BOAT V-36
Jeri St. Blanc, Charenton.
CDB Billy St. Blanc, Charenton.
BOAT V-37
Cory Werk, Breaux Bridge.
CDB Ingo Werk, Breaux Bridge.
Ecrevisse (Race 2)
Class H – Solo Pirogue
BOAT E-38
Charlie Maraist, Breaux Bridge.
Class K – Tandem Double Blade
BOAT E-39
Courtney Duos, Carencro.
R.J. Duos, Ville Platte.
CDB Ben Duos, Lafayette.
BOAT E-40
Charles Parsiola, Berwick.
Lisa Parsiola, Berwick.
CDB Catherine Parsiola, Berwick.
BOAT E-41
Bill Preston, Carencro.
Bill Garcia, Breaux Bridge.
Class L – Solo Double Blade
BOAT E-42
Charlie Deville, Lafayette.
CDB Melissa Carriere, Lafayette.
BOAT E-43
Jonathan Granger, New Iberia.
CDB Juliet Granger, New Iberia.
BOAT E-44
Jimmy Guidry, Lafayette.
CDB Sharon Henderson, Lafayette.
BOAT E-45
Paul Hagius, Opelousas.
CDB None listed
BOAT E-46
Randy Herpin, Opelousas.
BOAT E-47
Mari Holderith, Houston.
CDB Robin Hartman, Houston.
BOAT E-48
Matthew Hulin, Lafayette.
BOAT E-49
Nick Kinderman, Ocean Springs, Miss.
CDB Howard Kinderman, Gulfport, Miss.
BOAT E-50
Tory Lanclos, Opelousas.
BOAT E-51
Hans J. Schmidt, Lafayette.
CDBs Andrea Schmidt, Lafayette; Hans Schmidt Jr., Broussard.
Class N – Fourre Tout
None entered.
Acadien (Race 3)
Class I –Tandem Single Blade
BOAT A-52
Dennis Wise, Cecilia.
James Wise, Cecilia.
Class L – Solo Double Blade
BOAT A-53
Benjamin Bienvenu, Broussard.
CDB Sunni Bienvenu, Broussard.
BOAT A-54
Marcus Burdick, Port Barre.
BOAT A-55
Thomas Burdick, Port Barre.
BOAT A-56
Elmer Landry, Lafayette.
CDB Lisa Landry, Lafayette.
BOAT A-57
Patrick Landry, Lafayette.
CDB Lisa Landry, Lafayette.
Sauce Chaude (Race 4)
Class I – Tandem Single Blade
BOAT C-58
Catherine Comeaux, Lafayette.
Harold Schoeffler, Lafayette.
CDB None listed
BOAT C-59
Dustin Guillotte, Lafayette.
Gwen Guillotte, Lafayette.
Class J – Solo Single Blade
BOAT C-60
Matthew Grissom, Houston.
CDB Megan Grissom, Houston.
Class K – Tandem Double Blade
BOAT C-61
James Bienvenu, Lafayette.
John Bienvenu, Lafayette.
CDB Edward Bienvenu, Lafayette.
BOAT C-62
Thomas Cronin, Houston.
John Cronin, Houston.
CDB Helen Sestak, Houston.
BOAT C-63
Brian Friend, New Iberia.
Brian “Casey” Friend, Broussard.
CDB Ralph Friend, New Iberia.
BOAT C-64
Eric Prudhomme, Breaux Bridge.
Brennen Duplantis, St. Martinville.
CDB Angela Prudhomme, Breaux Bridge.
Class L – Solo Double Blade
BOAT C-65
Hal Bienvenu, Lake Charles.
CDB None listed.
BOAT C-66
Chuck Burnell, Lafayette.
BOAT C-67
Guy Cormier, St. Martinville.
CDB None listed.
BOAT C-68
Toby Darden, Charenton.
CDB Tabitha Landry, Charenton.
BOAT C-69
Beau Hains, Rayne.
BOAT C-70
Ronald Hains, Rayne.
CDB Kay Hains, Rayne.
BOAT C-71
Clay Henry, Breaux Bridge.
Class N – Fourre Tout
BOAT C-72
Dan Burkett, Lafayette.
Kari Smith, Lafayette.
CDB Lisa Bourque, Lafayette.
Sucre (Race 5)
Class K –Tandem Double Blade
No entries
Class L – Solo Double Blade
BOAT S-73
Robin Hartman, Houston.
CDB Mari Holderith, Houston.
BOAT S-74
Keith Simon, Breaux Bridge.
BOAT S-75
Alex Vidos, Lafayette.
CDB Lauren Broussard, Lafayette.
Petrole et Essence (Race 6)
Class K – Tandem Double Blade
BOAT P-76
Sherry Higgins, Charenton.
Jovan Anderson, Charenton.
CDB Jasi Anderson, Charenton.
Class L – Solo Double Blade
BOAT P-77
Daniel Alm, Payson, Ariz.
CDB None listed
BOAT P-78
Robin Hartman, Houston.
CDB Mari Holderith, Houston.
BOAT P-79
Neal Mayon, Morgan City.
BOAT P-80
Judy Michel, Payson, Ariz.