RED GREEN as guest judge makes KUAC’s 16th Annual RED GREEN REGATTA a HUGE SPLASH!
Sunshine and Red Green himself, in person, as guest judge for the 16th annual Red Green Regatta – who could ask for anything more? Except more duct tape!
Part of the Golden Days festivities, the Red Green Regatta is the final event in the week-long celebration of our history – and what better way to illustrate our stick-to-it tradition than with the “handyman’s secret weapon”?
It was truly golden as the rain took a time-out on Sunday, July 22nd. At the sound of the starter pistol, fired by Mike Sfraga, UAF Vice Chancellor for Students, nearly 100 duct tape-rigged vessels carrying 500-plus costumed captains and crews sped off under a water-balloon-filled sky. Rain was replaced by streams from water cannons along the 2.2 nautical mile route, to the cheers from folks lining bridges and the banks of the Chena River.
The real, live Red Green rode in the Judges’ Boat as a Guest Judge, and arrived via Compeau’s Secret Service. Steve Smith, a.k.a. “Red Green,” is the star of the Red Green Show 
which airs on KUAC TV on Saturday nights at 8 p.m., and he is the reason for the duct taped spectacle which Fairbanks enjoys the third Sunday in July every year.
The Grand Prize winner was #8, Jai-alai Unlikely captained by Matt Irinaga and his crew of mini-Reds who dutifully recited “The Man’s Prayer,” and took home the duct tape crown as well as a deluxe Thule rooftop cargo carrier donated by Paddler’s Cove Outfitters. Other terrific prizes were sponsored by Compeau’s, which also provided a “secret service” team for Red Green.
The life-size cardboard cut-out of our favorite handsome (and handy) duct-tape maestro stood in for photos at “Red Green’s Limousine” – a more-or-less tastefully decorated septic pump truck sponsored by Glacier Point Pumping & Thawing – which greeted participants arriving at Graehl Park.
More than 65 volunteers and KUAC staff pitched in to make the Red Green Regatta possible and impressive – we truly owe a debt of gratitude to these dedicated people! An extra round of applause to the tireless crew from the 168th Alaska Air Guard, and their fearless leader and KUAC Community Advisory Council member Tim Carrier, for keeping the traffic at Graehl Park boat launch orderly.
Craig Smith of ProMusic put in a heroic effort making sure we were amped, providing the sound system and tunes at the start and finish including microphones for our emcees, Robert Hannon and Susan McInnis. Sadly, ProMusic lost a colleague and musician, Seth White, shortly before the event, and weren’t able to float their band on the river this year. Our condolences go out to Seth’s family and friends.
At the awards ceremony, Red Green personally announced the nine winners, including Best Appreciated at a Distance, which he coined the “B.A.D.” award – and handed out duct-tape mementos and deluxe, water-worthy prizes.
This year, KUAC entered a float in the 2012 Golden Days parade to give Red Green a warm welcome to our community – the 2011 Grand Prize-winning vessel, Awesome Possum, was pulled in a trailer by Craig and Joy Van Dyke while Red Green waved from atop the only float composed mainly of duct tape. 
Volunteers and staff from KUAC, including Sydney Haynes, and Veronica, Martina, and Dorothy Yanish, walked the route and handed out stickers and flyers.
The 16th annual Red Green Regatta is one of the Interior’s most popular events and, with the magnificent turn-out, lived up to its reputation for providing the community a splash of “Instant Fun” – just add water – and duct tape!
For more highlights of the hilarity, see our 2012 KUAC Red Green Regatta Photo Gallery or look through the slides-show below:
Thanks to all who contributed photographs, including Wayne Clark, Deb Lawton, Mary Ann Nickles, Maddy Rafferty, Lisa Scerbak, Lisa Sundborg and Judy and Frank Williams!
CONGRATULATIONS to the WINNERS, and a thousand THANKS to all who made the day a HUGE SPLASH!
WINNERS:
 2012 Grand Prize Winner of a Thule Ascent 1700 rooftop cargo carrier, donated by Paddler’s Cove Outfitters:#8, JAI-ALAI UNLIKELY Capt. Matt Irinaga |
 2nd Place WINNER of the Airhead Cool Island floating island, donated by Compeau’s:#11, Possum Lodge Liberation Front Capt. Gregg Christopher |
 3rd Place WINNER of four Personal Flotation Devices, donated by Compeau’s:#60, Thirsty Possums Capt. Ronald Daanen |
 4th Place WINNER of an $200 in Compeau’s Cash, donated by Compeau’s:#63, Stryder Capt. Don Ross |
SPECIAL MENTIONS:
 Red Lantern – even though this wasn’t a race, at least this vessel came in…in last place!Red Lantern – Bifster Dos #75, Capt. Clay Easterly |
 Judges’ Choice – a prize for effort, or anything that caught the judges’ eyes!Judges’ Choice – The Big Kahuna #9, Capt. Lauren Mulvaugh |
 Best Appreciated at a Distance – (coined the “B.A.D.” award by Red Green) The further away it is the better it looks!!#16, The Almost Not Garbage Garage Sale Capt. Leon Walker |
 Most Un “FATHOM” able – given to the vessel that gave it a good go…but in the end sank or barely made it to the finish!#50, Power Tower Capt. Clancy Soule |
 Harold’s Debacle – honoring nerdy nephew Harold, or just a debacle in general!#46, Fishing for a Compliment Capt. Mark Parrott |
Congratulations to Early Bird Registration WINNERS!
Mary Skorulski won the Early Bird Registration draw for 2 tickets to Red Green’s live show and the Meet & Greet beforehand. Winners of the Sportsman’s Warehouse gift cards were Matt Irinaga (this was his lucky year!) and Julie Emslie. Congratulations winners, and thanks to Sportsman’s Warehouse for its support!
Thanks to our Awesome VOLUNTEERS!
| Abby Arnold – Take Out Sarah Arnold – Set up/Registration Capt Claudia Barclay – Traffic Marie-Sylvestre Belanger – Shore Patrol Tim Berg – Traffic Kyle Betts – Traffic Maggie Billington – Distribution/Information Captain Karen Boswood – Registration Dona Brandle-Boylan – Shore Patrol Dorrie Breese – Registration Caleb Brown – Traffic Tim Carrier – Traffic /Truck Colleen Cleland – Duct tape prizes/ Information Craig Compeau – Compeau’s Secret Service Boat/ Towline Donald Cronce – Traffic Matthew Cronce – Traffic Barbara Day – Photography Jim Dixon – Traffic Patty Dyer-Smith – Registration Linda Goss – T-shirts /Floater Robert Hannon – Emcee Sydney Haynes – Registration Pamm Hubbard – Shore Patrol Phil Hunt – Traffic Jack Huston – Traffic Jim Huston – Traffic Mark Johnson – Set up/Shore Patrol Rhonda Kitchens – Set up/Registration Deb Lawton – Photos Tony Lucchesi – Traffic Kyle Malamute – Boat/towline Susan McInnis – Emcee Ginger McKenzie – Shore Patrol Chris Nickel – Boat/towline John Nickel – Boat/towline Mary Ann Nickles – Photos Donna Olesen – Set up/Registration Wanda Peros – Registration Bryce Peterson-Wood – Compeau’s Secret Service Emily Peterson-Wood – Compeau’s Secret Service Madeline Rafferty – Photographer Sue Rainey – Set up/Shore Patrol Tom Richardson – Set up /Traffic Jeff Roach – Registration Lisa Scerbak – Organizer Mike Sfraga – Starter Jeff Skaggs – Traffic Lynn Slusher – T-shirts Sue Sprinkle – Truck/Traffic Althea St. Martin – Runner Lisa Stuby – Set up Lisa Sundborg – Facebook photos Caitlin Volsky – Duct tape prizes/T-shirts Caroline Wolf – T-shirts Doug Yoder – Compeau’s Secret Service |
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Mission: Possum JUDGES’ BOAT
| Chuck Lemke – Boat Captain Phyllis Pendergrast – First Mate & Judge Wayne Clark – Judges’ Boat Photographer Dermot Cole – Judge Patty Kastelic – Judge Larry Kohlmeyer – Judge Roy Rountree – Judge Tracy Vanairsdale – Judge Andrew Quainton – Judge Keith Martin – Judge & KUAC GM Gretchen Gordon – Judges’ Host |
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SPONSORS
Bettisworth North third year is the charm, as true-blue Red Green Lead Sponsor!
Glacier Point Pumping & Thawing
Alaska Cruise Association
North Haven Communities
Sportsmedicine Fairbanks
Dr. Dan Johnson Orthopedics
Wells Fargo
Special Thanks to Other Heroes:
Capt. Chuck Lemke and Phyllis Pendergrast for captaining and keeping afloat the Judges’ Boat;
Compeau’s for providing Compeau’s Secret Service for Red Green, donating a host of water-worthy prizes, and running tow-line boats;
Coast Guard Auxiliary Volunteers staffed safety patrols on shore and on the water;
Glacier Point Pumping & Thawing for providing “Red Green’s Limousine,” a more-or-less tastefully decorated septic pump truck;
Graphic North Wayne Clark for long-time support with promotional posters and flyers, waterproof vessel numbers, and photography on the judges’ boat;
Greater Fairbanks Chamber of Commerce for including KUAC in Golden Days 2012;
Fairbanks Daily News-Miner for print and online promotional support;
Paddler’s Cove Outfitters for donating the Grand Prize Thule Ascent 1700 rooftop cargo carrier for kayaks, paddles and other sporting equipment;
Pioneer Park for event locale and assistance;
Pro Music and Craig Smith are best in show for keeping us loud and proud;
Sportsman’s Warehouse for donating the ‘thank-you’ oars and Gift Cards for Early Bird Registration drawings;
Sue Sprinkle and 5th Ave. Design for our splashy logo and promo materials;
Trademark for the irresistible t-shirts;
UAF Vice Chancellor for Students Mike Sfraga for firing the starter pistol;
UAF Athletics for loaning us a starter pistol;
UAF Facilities Services for signs, traffic cones and safety vests.
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