Mild to Wild hosts event bringing together tourism industry
The Eolus Bar & Dining crew pulls ahead to win the 2016 Battle of the Animas on Wednesday. The raft race brings together tourism-related businesses for a friendly race down the Animas River.
Jonathan Romeo/Durango Herald
One of the teams in the Battle of the Animas goes through Corner Pocket Rapid on Wednesday at the Durango Whitewater Park. In its 15th year, the Mild to Wild Rafting & Jeep Trail Tours-hosted event brings local tourism-related businesses together at the Animas River for an all-out paddling competition
Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
Members of the Ska team, from left, Luke LeMaire, Matt Chapman, Beckey Milner, and Trevor Lovato, have some fun Wednesday at the 32nd Street put-in before the start of the Battle of the Animas. In its 15th year, the Mild to Wild Rafting & Jeep Trail Tours-hosted event brings local tourism-related businesses together at the Animas River for an all-out paddling competition
Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
Teams battle for positions at the start of the Battle of the Animas on Wednesday at the 32nd Street put-in. In its 15th year, the Mild to Wild Rafting & Jeep Trail Tours-hosted event brings local tourism-related businesses together at the Animas River for an all-out paddling competition
Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
Teams jockey for position at the start of the Battle of the Animas on Wednesday at the 32nd Street put-in. In its 15th year, the Mild to Wild Rafting & Jeep Trail Tours-hosted event brings local tourism-related businesses together at the Animas River for an all-out paddling competition
Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
It was a neck-and-neck race until the Durango Whitewater Park, when the Eolus Bar & Dining boat crew pulled ahead to win the 2016 Battle of the Animas.
In its 15th year, the Mild to Wild Rafting & Jeep Trail Tours-hosted event brings tourism-related businesses together at the Animas River for an all-out paddling competition.
It took paddlers about 25 minutes to complete the stretch from 32nd Avenue to the Santa Rita Park pullout, with the Animas River running around 2,770 cubic feet per second.
“It feels great,” said Ryan Douglass, a server at Eolus. “We were going full throttle the whole time.”
Boating crews from Eolus and Durango Coffee Co. spent most of the race trading spots for first. But as rafters entered the Whitewater Park, a Durango Coffee Co. employee went overboard in Smelter Rapid.
“That was it for us,” said Cyle Talley, a manager. “It was a bummer.”
The crew ended up placing second.
The top three teams received gold, silver and bronze paddles, respectively. Steamworks Brewing Co.’s crew came in third.
“It’s just a fun thing to bring the tourism industry together as we get into the season, and to celebrate the Animas River,” said Mild to Wild owner Alex Mickel.
Not all was a loss for the last-place team – Iron Horse Inn – which was awarded a sinking log. Pitted against crews of 10 paddlers, Iron Horses’s team of four wasn’t too far behind.
“Ricky Bobby would be proud,” said the boat’s raft guide, Aaron Edwards, in reference to Will Ferrell’s adrenaline junkie character in the comedy “Talladega Nights.”
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