Rock 2 Rock Paddleboard Race a 22 mile duel from Catalina to San Pedro

Stand-up paddler Barth — Garrett Barth powers through the kelp for first place, overall. Photo by Ciley Carrington

Stand-up paddler Garrett Barth and prone paddler Max First separated themselves early from the 93 other paddlers in the Rock 2 Rock Paddleboard Race on Father Day and then exchanged leads for the next 20 miles.

“Leaving the beach, my goal was just to keep up with Garrett. But at the end he pulled away,” First, a recurrent Los Angeles County Lifeguard said of the Ohana team stand-up paddler.

Recurrent Los Angeles County Lifeguard Max First of Manhattan Beach established himself as a top paddler with his first place finish in the pron division. Photo by Carley Carrington — Recurrent Los Angeles County Lifeguard Max First of Manhattan Beach established himself as a top paddler with his first place finish in the prone division. Photo by Carley Carrington

The generally clean conditions and a light cloud cover made the crossing from Two Harbors on Catalina Island to Cabrillo Beach in San Pedro one of the fastest in the history of the two decades old race.

disappearance body glove — Paddlers pass the stranded Disappearance. Photo by Gus McConnell

But a heavy emotional cloud settled over the race when news spread among the paddlers that Body Glove co-founder Bob Meistrell suffered a fatal heart attack minutes after the starting gun. Meistrell’s 72-foot Disappearance was to have been the lead race boat. (For more about Bob Meistrell’ passing visit Easy ReaderNews.com.)

Garrett finished in 3:33:25, half an hour faster than fellow Ohana stand-up paddler Jared Vargas’ 2012 time. First finished in 3:35:55, half an hour faster than prone paddler Mike Murphy’s 2012 winning time.

Paddleboard Schlens — Steve Schlens smiles at the finish, after winning the stock prone division. Photo by Ciley Carrington

The prone stock division was also a two man race, with last year’s Catalina Classic winner Steve Shlens finishing the crossing in 4:02:39, less than a minute ahead of last year’s Molokai Channel winner Jack Bark.

In the unlimited women’s division Ruth Parish and Franczeska Steagall finished first and second with times of 4:29:28 and 4:58:15. DJ O’Brien continued her domination of the crowded women’s stock division, finishing in 4:23:09, followed by Cynthia Aguilar in 4:36:45.

DJ O'Brien continues her domination of the women's division. Photo by Ciley Carrington — DJ O’Brien continues her domination of the women’s division. Photo by Ciley Carrington

Mike Jackson won the 14-foot division in 4:14:49, followed by Redondo Caldwell in 4:20:05.

Roberto Aranjo won the 14-foot SUP division in 4:05:10, just five seconds ahead of Neal Drinkward.

South Bay Sailing's Wes Houston shows he doesn't need a sail to cross the channel. Photo by Ciley Carrington — South Bay Sailing’s Wes Houston shows he doesn’t need a sail to cross the channel. Photo by Ciley Carrington

Over a dozen relay teams also competed in the Father’s Day race, many of them comprised of family members. ER

Overall Finish	Time	Name	Division
1	3:33:25	Garrett Barth	Unltd SUP
2	3:35:55	Max First	Unlimited
3	3:39:00	Brad Thomas	Unlimited
4	3:48:04	Rob Rojas	Unlimited
5	3:51:00	Cameron Merrill/Greg Hinds	Unltd relay
6	3:52:00	Scott Rusher/ Tom Hinds	Unltd relay
7	3:52:25	Todd Drake / Shawn Shamlou	Unltd Relay SUP
8	3:59:50	Darryl Brown	Unlimited
9	4:00:05	Wes Huston / Eric Susgeff	14ft Relay SUP
10	4:01:17	George Loren	Unlimited
11	4:01:25	Paul Cleary	Unlimited
12	4:01:38	Jon Loren	Unlimited
13	4:02:35	Paul Reusch	Unlimited
14	4:02:39	Steve Shlens	Stock
15	4:03:20	Jack Bark	Stock
16	4:04:54	John Marcovici	Unlimited
17	4:05:10	Roberto Aranjo	14ft SUP
18	4:05:15	Neal Drinkward	14ft SUP
19	4:05:50	Rodney Ellis	Stock
20	4:07:06	Phil & Ryan Voci	14ft Relay SUP
21	4:08:02	Joel Pepper	Stock SUP
22	4:11:15	Scott Lincoln	Unlimited
23	4:11:54	Mike Caputo	14ft SUP
24	4:12:13	Jay Scheckman	Stock
25	4:12:32	Geoffrey Page	Unlimited
26	4:14:59	Mike Jackson	14ft
27	4:15:35	Casey Annis	Unlimited
28	4:15:45	Kyle Vestermark	14ft SUP
29	4:20:05	RenoCaldwell	14ft
30	4:23:09	DJ Obrien	Stk wahine
31	4:25:22	Brandon Blae	Stock
32	4:25:38	Daniel Monteverde	14ft
33	4:26:40	Mark Wells	14ft
34	4:27:21	Michael Avery	Stock
35	4:29:00	Daley Miestrall	Unlimited
36	4:29:00	Nick Burdiak	Unlimited
37	4:29:28	Ruth Parish	Unltd wahine
38	4:30:43	Bobby Linnes	14ft
39	4:32:32	Fred Sardisco	Stock
40	4:32:34	Ruben Carmona	Stock
41	4:32:42	Phillip Hunt	Unlimited
42	4:32:58	Ivette Temesy/John Martin	Stk relay
43	4:35:04	Bob Dunbar / Benny Anderson / Steve Shikiya	Unltd relay
44	4:36:45	Cynthia Aguilar	Stk wahine
45	4:37:20	John Tymczyszyn	14ft
46	4:38:38	Todd Stockwell	Unlimited
47	4:39:37	John Linnborn	14ft
48	4:40:30	Sam Bark	Stock
49	4:41:38	Pete Bagoye	Unlimited
50	4:41:52	Ron Gallemore / Kurt Frederick	Stk relay
51	4:42:30	Kevin Cody	Unlimited
52	4:43:00	Tim Dornberg	14ft SUP
53	4:43:32	Slater Bark	Stock
54	4:46:07	M Brent Stevens	Unlimited
55	4:46:12	Lars Viklund	Unlimited
56	4:48:17	Robert Thurmond	Stock
57	4:48:25	Kristina Neil	Stk wahine
58	4:49:45	Michele Gierst / Danielle Roman / Mike Guerrero / Stefani Jones	Sup Relay – Family
59	4:51:24	Terry Frogley/Wes Stone	Stk relay
60	4:52:13	Chris Agular	14ft
61	4:57:45	Peter Soles	Unlimited
62	4:57:50	Luke Wilson / Billy Dutton	14ft Relay SUP
63	4:58:10	Ireana Scissor	Stk wahine
64	4:58:15	Franczeska Steagall	Unltd wahine
65	4:58:22	Cushman gillen	Stock
66	5:00:52	John Bates	Unlimited
67	5:03:20	Jennifer Wessels	Stk wahine
68	5:04:07	Darryl Stolz	14ft
69	5:04:16	Chris Barrios	14ft
70	5:06:15	Teva	14ft SUP
71	5:07:00	Brian Austria	Stock
72	5:07:10	Bruce Beach	Unltd SUP
73	5:08:03	Amanda Calhoun/Holly Gallowey	Stk relay
74	5:08:30	Bob Willis	Unlimited
75	5:09:08	Pete Pugnale	14ft SUP
76	5:09:23	Dana & Quinn Montgomery	14ft Relay SUP
77	5:09:36	Ron Witter	Unlimited
78	5:09:56	Michael Miles	Unlimited
79	5:10:10	Brett McElroy	Unlimited
80	5:10:34	Nikolas Palladino	Unlimited
81	5:10:52	Cameron McEveroy	14ft
82	5:11:46	Mark Shen	Unlimited
83	5:11:52	Stacy Bowen/Dan Ryan	Unltd relay
84	5:12:18	Scott Smith	Stock
85	5:13:56	Emily Bark	Stk wahine
86	5:18:10	Jamie Ashley	14ft
87	5:20:50	Jason Graban/Ryan wiley	Unltd relay
88	5:28:00	Tom Horton	Unlimited
89	5:28:00	Cole Horton	Stock
90	5:30:10	Todd Saunders / Gabriel Smith	14ft Relay SUP
91	5:37:20	Bernadette Foote	Stk wahine
92	5:37:30	Natalie Foote	Stk wahine
93	5:41:05	Hugh Kretschmer	Unlimited
94	5:44:05	Suzanne Riedinger	Unltd wahine
95	DNF	Alison Wright/Greer Montgomery	Stk relay

Division Finish	Time	Name	Division
1	3:35:55	Max First	Unlimited
2	3:39:00	Brad Thomas	Unlimited
3	3:48:04	Rob Rojas	Unlimited
4	3:59:50	Darryl Brown	Unlimited
5	4:01:17	George Loren	Unlimited
6	4:01:25	Paul Cleary	Unlimited
7	4:01:38	Jon Loren	Unlimited
8	4:02:35	Paul Reusch	Unlimited
9	4:04:54	John Marcovici	Unlimited
10	4:11:15	Scott Lincoln	Unlimited
11	4:12:32	Geoffrey Page	Unlimited
12	4:15:35	Casey Annis	Unlimited
13	4:29:00	Daley Miestrall	Unlimited
14	4:29:00	Nick Burdiak	Unlimited
15	4:32:42	Phillip Hunt	Unlimited
16	4:38:38	Todd Stockwell	Unlimited
17	4:41:38	Pete Bagoye	Unlimited
18	4:42:30	Kevin Cody	Unlimited
19	4:46:07	M Brent Stevens	Unlimited
20	4:46:12	Lars Viklund	Unlimited
21	4:57:45	Peter Soles	Unlimited
22	5:00:52	John Bates	Unlimited
23	5:08:30	Bob Willis	Unlimited
24	5:09:36	Ron Witter	Unlimited
25	5:09:56	Michael Miles	Unlimited
26	5:10:10	Brett McElroy	Unlimited
27	5:10:34	Nikolas Palladino	Unlimited
28	5:11:46	Mark Shen	Unlimited
29	5:28:00	Tom Horton	Unlimited
30	5:41:05	Hugh Kretschmer	Unlimited

1	4:02:39	Steve Shlens	Stock
2	4:03:20	Jack Bark	Stock
3	4:05:50	Rodney Ellis	Stock
4	4:12:13	Jay Scheckman	Stock
5	4:25:22	Brandon Blae	Stock
6	4:27:21	Michael Avery	Stock
7	4:32:32	Fred Sardisco	Stock
8	4:32:34	Ruben Carmona	Stock
9	4:40:30	Sam Bark	Stock
10	4:43:32	Slater Bark	Stock
11	4:48:17	Robert Thurmond	Stock
12	4:58:22	Cushman gillen	Stock
13	5:07:00	Brian Austria	Stock
14	5:12:18	Scott Smith	Stock
15	5:28:00	Cole Horton	Stock

1	4:14:59	Mike Jackson	14ft
2	4:20:05	RenoCaldwell	14ft
3	4:25:38	Daniel Monteverde	14ft
4	4:26:40	Mark Wells	14ft
5	4:30:43	Bobby Linnes	14ft
6	4:37:20	John Tymczyszyn	14ft
7	4:39:37	John Linnborn	14ft
8	4:52:13	Chris Agular	14ft
9	5:04:07	Darryl Stolz	14ft
10	5:04:16	Chris Barrios	14ft
11	5:10:52	Cameron McEveroy	14ft
12	5:18:10	Jamie Ashley	14ft

1	4:29:28	Ruth Parish	Unltd wahine
2	4:58:15	Franczeska Steagall	Unltd wahine
3	5:44:05	Suzanne Riedinger	Unltd wahine

1	4:23:09	DJ Obrien	Stk wahine
2	4:36:45	Cynthia Aguilar	Stk wahine
3	4:48:25	Kristina Neil	Stk wahine
4	4:58:10	Ireana Scissor	Stk wahine
5	5:03:20	Jennifer Wessels	Stk wahine
6	5:13:56	Emily Bark	Stk wahine
7	5:37:20	Bernadette Foote	Stk wahine
8	5:37:30	Natalie Foote	Stk wahine

1	3:51:00	Cameron Merrill/Greg Hinds	Unltd relay
2	3:52:00	Scott Rusher/ Tom Hinds	Unltd relay
3	5:11:52	Stacy Bowen/Dan Ryan	Unltd relay
4	5:20:50	Jason Graban/Ryan wiley	Unltd relay

1	4:32:58	Ivette Temesy/John Martin	Stk relay
2	4:41:52	Ron Gallemore / Kurt Frederick	Stk relay
3	4:51:24	Terry Frogley/Wes Stone	Stk relay
4	5:08:03	Amanda Calhoun/Holly Gallowey	Stk relay
5	DNF	Alison Wright/Greer Montgomery	Stk relay

1	4:35:04	Bob Dunbar / Benny Anderson / Steve Shikiya	Family (3+) relay

1	3:33:25	Garrit Barth	Unltd SUP
2	5:07:10	Bruce Beach	Unltd SUP

1	4:05:10	Roberto Aranjo	14ft SUP
2	4:05:15	Neal Drinkward	14ft SUP
3	4:11:54	Mike Caputo	14ft SUP
4	4:15:45	Kyle Vestermark	14ft SUP
5	4:43:00	Tim Dornberg	14ft SUP
6	5:06:15	Teva	14ft SUP
7	5:09:08	Pete Pugnale	14ft SUP

1	4:08:02	Joel Pepper	Stock SUP

1	3:52:25	Todd Drake / Shawn Shamlou	Unltd Relay SUP

1	4:00:05	Wes Huston / Eric Susgeff	14ft Relay SUP
2	4:07:06	Phil & Ryan Voci	14ft Relay SUP
3	4:57:50	Luke Wilson / Billy Dutton	14ft Relay SUP
4	5:09:23	Dana & Quinn Montgomery	14ft Relay SUP
5	5:30:10	Todd Saunders / Gabriel Smith	14ft Relay SUP

1	4:49:45	Michele Gierst / Danielle Roman / Mike Guerrero / Stefani Jones	Sup Relay – Family (3+)