Paddle Boarders Raise $85,000 for the DRCF

ATLANTIC CITY, New Jersey – Determined paddle boarders tested their mettle to help raise over $85,000 in donations and sponsorships for the Dean Randazzo Cancer Foundation Saturday, June 9. Total funds raised for the event as of this writing are just over $85,000 with donations still coming in. Local businesses donated more than an additional $15,000 in in-kind donations.

Despite an impending thunderstorm, more than 100 people participated across four events at the 11th annual Paddle For A Cause presented by Curexa Pharmacy in honor and memory of Karen Grant, beginning and ending at Golden Nugget Atlantic City.

Cash prizes of $800 for first place, $350 for second place and $150 for third place were awarded for the 22.5-mile race around Absecon Island in the following categories: men's open prone, men's 14-foot and longer stand up paddle board, women's open prone and women's 14-foot and longer stand up paddle board. There was an 8-mile race and also 4-mile and 8-mile noncompetitive back bay paddles that go to The Wonder Bar in Atlantic City.

Jason Chew of Ocean City celebrates winning the 22-mile race in the men’s standup paddleboard division with a 14-foot board with a time of 4 hours, 36 seconds at the 11th annual Dean Randazzo Cancer Foundation Paddle For A Cause Saturday, June 9 at Golden Nugget Atlantic City | Photo: Michael Wright/Sparkable.

This year’s event was extra special as it was dedicated in memory and honor of Karen Grant, a trustee of the foundation who spent countless hours volunteering with the Dean Randazzo Cancer Foundation. It was remarkable how she was so focused on helping others while she was afflicted with cancer and consistently was a top fundraiser at the event.

Jon Baker, an artist and foundation board member of Egg Harbor Township won the Karen Grant Award for the top fundraiser with $15,720. Todd DeSatnick, Paul Giunta, Adam Walcoff and Michele Barbera rounded out the top five fundraisers. Total funds raised for the event as of this writing are just over $85,000 with donations still coming in. Local businesses donated more than an additional $15,000 in in-kind donations.

Of course, everyone who joins this event does it for their own reason. The winner of the 22.5-mile women’s OC-1 division was Kathy Vallen of Chester Springs, Pennsylvania who completed with a time of 4:38:17 in an outrigger canoe. Vallen is a stage 3A breast cancer survivor and was the first woman to finish the race. She said she dedicated the race in memory of Marie Buyce who died of cancer this past January. Her son Jeffrey paddled prone in the event last year in while his mother was fighting cancer.

Jason Chew of Ocean City was the winner of the 22.5-mile race in the men’s standup paddle board division with a 14-foot board with a time of 4 hours, 36 seconds. There were two records broken this year in the 22.5-mile race; Lisa Hertz Malick of Melbourne Beach, Florida completed the course in 5:07:44 in the Women’s Prone Stock 18-49 years old division and Louanne Harris of New York City broke the course record by winning the 18-49-year-old women’s standup paddle board 14-foot category with a time of 4:48:51. The fastest overall finisher in the 22.5-mile race was Jason Malick with a time of 3:31:48 in the Men’s Surf Ski Division.

Join the Dean Randazzo Cancer Foundation at their next event the 18th annual Surf For A Cause on September 8, 2018 at Decatur Avenue beach in Margate, NJ. See TheDRCF.org for more information.

Zachary Weiner of Atlantic Highlands, New Jersey crosses the finish line to win the 8-mile race 18-49 men’s prone unlimited division with a time of 2:11:03 at the 11th annual Dean Randazzo Cancer Foundation Paddle For A Cause Saturday, June 9 at Golden Nugget Atlantic City. | Photo: Michael Wright/Sparkable.

Race Results:

22-mile (18-49) Women’s SUP 14’

1. Louanne Harris - 4:48:51
2. Carly Scallon 5:02:57
3. Josette Lata 5:11:03

22-mile (18-49) Women’s Prone 14’

1. Alice henley 5:21:44

22-mile (18-49) Men’s Prone Stock

1. Alex Ferencz 4:35:08
2. Joe Lemke 4:39:15
3. Nate Dirvin 5:13:02

22-mile (18-49) Men’s Surf Ski

1. Jason Malick 3:31:48

22-mile (18-49) Men’s Prone Unlimited

1. AJ Deflilippis 3:59:56
2. Jonny Skolnick 4:05:53
3. Dan Grothues 4:07:01

22-mile (18-49) Men’s Open

1. Ryan Matthews 3:33:13
2. Robert Jehn 3:37:10

22-mile 18-49 Men’s SUP 14’

1. Jason Chew 4:00:36
2. Sean Duffey 4:01:09
3. Ryan Oliver 4:01:48

22-mile (18-49) Women’s Prone Stock

1. Lisa Hertz Malick 5:07:44

22-mile (50+) Women’s Open

1. Kathy Vallen 4:38:17

Jon Baker of Egg Harbor Township raised $10,695 to win the Karen Grant Award for top fundraiser at the 11th annual Paddle For A Cause presented by Curexa Saturday, June 9 at Golden Nugget Atlantic City. He is with Dean Randazzo of Atlantic City on left and Dean Randazzo Cancer Foundation President Mark Zappone of Linwood on right. The top fundraiser of this year's paddle will be taking home a Pau Hana 14' x 26" carbon Viper race board. | Photo: Michael Wright/ Sparkable.

22-mile (50+) Men’s SUP 14’

1. Andy Giordano 4:47:37
2. Joe Carney 5:05:52
3. Tom Forkin 5:11:38

8-mile (18+) Women’s SUP

1. Rachel Obrien 4:53:26
2. Krissy Halkes 5:16:33

8-mile (U17) Women’s SUP Unlimited

1. Adeline Piola 2:39:51

8-mile (18-49) Women’s SUP 14’

1. Jennifer Panetta 2:02:25
2. Kate McBride 2:13:51
3. Jayne Lukens 3:14:15

8-mile (18-49) Women’s SUP Surfboard

1. Lauren Pagliughi 2:30:10

8-mile (18-49) Women’s SUP Unlimited

1. Tricia Piola 2:35:05
2. Catherine Toogood 3:23:42

8-mile (18-49) Men’s Prone Stock

1. John Henkes 2:15:48

8-mile (18-49) Men’s Prone Unlimited

1. Zack Weiner 2:11:03
2. Dave Allison 2:15:34

8-mile (18-49) Men’s SUP 14’

1. Ken Shiles 3:02:50

8-mile (18-49) Women’s OC-1

1. Sara Allison Moss 2:15:21

8-mile (50+) Women’s SUP Unlimited

1. Martha Worthington 2:51:02

8-mile (50+) Men’s OC-1

1. Chuck Allison 2:44:53

8-mile (50+) Men’s SUP 14’

1. Guy Peterson 1:51:42
2. Raymond Aufiero 1:53:38
3. Lawrence Goldstein 2:49:56

8-mile (50+) Men’s SUP Unlimited

1. Tony Duran 3:34:43

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