Buccaneer Rampage a rather rousing success over the weekend
Buccaneer Rampage
Newport Airport, Saturday
Cory Lescher, Newport
1st Finisher
Buccaneer Rampage
Buccaneer Rampage – Saturday, at the Newport Airport
They came. They saw. They climbed, fell, sloshed, ran, scaled, and finally had to walk the plank. All for the challenge, the fun and for the children of low income families who need financial help to get them into Newport Recreation programs throughout the year.
Buccaneer Rampage instigator Liam Hughes, Newport Sports Coordinator, was noticing how popular such physical challenge courses were becoming around the country – not the least of which is the one held in Oregon near Fossil, in the eastern part of the state. Liam says “That one’s huge!”
Although he doesn’t expect Newport’s Buccaneer Rampage to ever compete with Fossil’s event, he does expect it to grow. He said they didn’t know how many folks would show up and subject themselves to a 5K full of splinters, falls, mud whumps, slimy splashes, skinned knees and all the rest. He said although it’s a lot of hard work to run the full course everyone appeared to be having a great time doing it.
Although there was no one keeping time, they did take note and award some prizes to the top finishers. Number one off the plank, and in and out of the water to the finish line was Cory Lescher of Newport. He’s a marine biologist who monitors commercial by catch out at sea. He said he had never competed in such an event and was mildly surprised that he came in first.
Hughes said the event drew participants from throughout the Pacific Northwest – even from as far away as Vermont. It seems the family in Vermont wanted an excuse to come west to visit extended family in Klamath Falls but also wanted to see more of Oregon. Checking special events, they came across the Buccaneed Rampage and thought, “Sure! Why not!”
150 participants means there will be a good stack of recreation program subsidies for the kids throughout the year. Hughes said he thanks the Newport area community for their strong support and looks forward to more of it in the future as they continue to broaden Newport’s recreational and fundraising reach throughout the region.
