WEBVTT

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You

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River side part, Nina, Wisconsin scene of the Milwaukee Sentinel Winnebago land outboard marathon

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More than 7,000 people are gathered to watch the biggest, roughest, toughest, roaring water classic in America.

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From all over the USA, spectators and drivers have converged on Nina for the fifth annual running.

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285 of the country's greatest outboard racers are registered.

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Pit area for the racing drivers.

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Facilities unmatched in excellence and abundance in keeping with the whole unique character

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of this most spectacular outboard contest.

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Part of the excitement and glamour of a big boat race is the getting ready.

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With growing tensions and with tender care, the boys do all the hundred last minute things

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to put their boats in the peak of racing conditions.

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An engine is tied down or a notch is sawed in a trance.

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The vision in the minds of the drivers is reflected in the eyes of a blue-eyed boy.

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Behind the outward calm and mechanical preparations, all thoughts from the roaring, rushing, pounding ordeal

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of 92 miles of turbulent water.

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This is a race rich in legend.

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There is the story of the 56-year-old man who went the full grueling distance,

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holding the fuel tank in his lap.

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In the long course down Lake Winnebago to Oshkosh,

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then through lakes, Buda Mawr, Winnicani, Poygan, and up the Wolf River to Fremont,

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there is the ultimate test of stamina of men in tiny boats and mighty motors.

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And so the preparations go on.

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Auxiliary tanks are strapped down, gas lines are connected,

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and the rigs are fuelled ready for the long, long haul.

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The moment draws near.

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The drivers get their final briefing, a review of the route,

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the markers and the checkpoints,

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and the latest information on the weather along the course.

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The race is here at the starting gun.

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About 30 seconds to starting time, so everybody attention.

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That's it, 10 o'clock starting.

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The race is starting.

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The road is ready.

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The checkpoints are ready.

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The race is starting.

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The checkpoints are ready.

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The race is really on as they surge out of the chop-top harbor

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and rocket for open water.

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They're starting to string out now as they hit the road down Lake Winnebago.

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Down the long lake, the great flotilla charges.

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Spreading out in the distance,

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the speed demons skim down the west shore of Winnebago towards Oshkosh.

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Back at Nina, the thousands lining the shore grow tense in anticipation

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as the small boats edge toward the starting line.

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Three seconds, two, one.

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They're off.

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Thick as a school of mackerel, fast as porpoises.

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In wave after wave, the powerful little rigs slash through the churning harbor

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striking for open water.

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Again, the unique spectacle as this great host of outboard racers

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rounds the point at full throttle.

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And on they leap and pound, stringing out like a giant task force.

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This is indeed the Kentucky Derby of the outboards.

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In the two sections, 274 boats have started.

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Not all will cross the finish line.

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Now the turn at Oshkosh.

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Rounding Rockwell light and flashing up the Fox River,

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it's D2V all by himself.

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The second D-boat streaks past.

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And finally, the leaders of the pack cup roaring through in close succession.

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First, it's the big engine jobs, the Ds.

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Then the Bs and Cs begin to make their appearances.

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The boats are entered by classes according to their piston displacement.

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25 horsepower down to seven and one half.

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B, C, B and A are the four class designations.

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A B-boat drops out at Oshkosh.

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An A-boat way out ahead of its class.

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Lake Buda More is the next stage of the journey.

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This lad's lost his way.

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A wrong turn in the difficult winding waterway.

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And he's up a blind alley.

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Some will lose their way, but the better navigators follow the high road up the Wolf River

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and on to Winniconti.

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But it's nerve and guts of steel that keep them all going through mile after mile of

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the fierce, fast, brutal pounding.

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On up into Lake Poygon, through the channels and the marshes, past the floating boglands

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and on up the river to Fremont.

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Fremont is the halfway mark.

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Here is another checkpoint.

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Here come the leaders.

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Stan Adrian of Lee's Summit, Missouri in D44Y rounds the marker and starts the long voyage home.

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Walt Robbins of Springfield, Massachusetts in D16B blazing around the marker buoy.

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Where is D2B?

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Yes, you guessed it.

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He came by so far ahead.

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He's now halfway back to Oshkosh.

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D46 roars, skids and bounces in a fast swing.

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Now along comes a B-boat.

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B78W, Dennis Blackel of Oshkosh.

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Then Jim Wodgeon in B72.

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Ken Drusick in C65W.

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Me boats are sensational, running away from all but the very fastest and bigger, more

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powerful platforms.

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Four more B-boats with B93 stealing the lead on the turn with Skilful Run.

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Believe it or not, an A-boat among the early boats into Fremont.

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Ted Moberg in his tiny A68W running ahead of class in fourth.

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High sign to the checkers, away he goes back to an in front.

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Out from under the bridge at Winnicarni the leaders come flashing.

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Man, driving one of these rigs is like riding an explosion.

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Down at Oshkosh it's the familiar D2V with Switzer in command of his far out front position.

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So far that here he meets other boats going upstream in the first half of the course.

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And off they're turning.

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Then as the other leaders move down to Oshkosh the race is in the home stretch.

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Now the electricity begins to run through the crowd at the finish line as the announcement

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comes of the leaders positions coming out of Oshkosh.

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D2V, D44Y, D16B, D22V, D80P, D46.

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Then the flash comes, Switzer passing Garlic Island only seconds up.

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A boat rounds the point.

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The crowd is on its feet.

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This is the big moment.

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D2V rifles across the line the first to finish setting a new marathon record of 1 hour 47

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minutes and 35 seconds.

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A thoroughly weary young man now that the pressure is off and the grind is over.

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The checkered flag begins to wave in the other money boats.

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Fred Snyder in D80P.

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Then Walt Rommel in D60B.

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Stan Adrian in D44Y.

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The crane lifts D2V from the water so that the hull can be weighed and measured.

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The engine torn down in the post race inspection of all winning boats.

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Let's hear from the man who led all the way in this fifth annual Winnebago Land Marathon.

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First time you won.

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I got second.

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I understand you set a new course record up here of 1 minute and 47 seconds.

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1 hour and 47 seconds.

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How do you feel about that?

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It's all right.

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You took 9 minutes off that course.

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You know that.

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Was having any trouble?

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Yeah, I would have knocked another 9 minutes off.

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I was out in Oshkosh for 9 minutes on the way back.

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What happened to you?

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I swamped out.

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Hit a cruiser wake.

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What do you mean you swamped out?

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The nose went underneath the water and just filled up the boat with water and the motor

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drowned it out.

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So I took and bailed it out and started up again.

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You started a bail?

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Yeah.

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What happened then?

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I got it out.

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Got your motor started?

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You put it on your way.

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Were you ever anything but first in this race?

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No, I was moving all the way.

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All the way.

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Even though I was out 10 minutes, I was that much ahead.

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Here's an upset.

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What kind of a boat you running?

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A V-boat.

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Dennis Grenier across the line in 2 hours 9 minutes and 5 seconds.

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A victory to be proud of.

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Mercury shows the way as Ron Zuback in B-68J, Mervyn Herget in B-70W, Jerry Van Amper in

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B-104M, Vern Gibson in B-3101, and 19 others flashed across the line ahead of the first

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D1s.

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Mark this, 24 Mercury 10s in ahead of the first 25 horsepower D1 and 50 Merc 10s finishing

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ahead of the 22 horsepower C-winner.

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Outstanding proof of Mercury power and dependability.

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Here's Larry Freeman in C-2W first in his class.

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Judges and timers are kept busy as more of the Ds arrive.

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Bob Murphy in D-24V and Art Siebold in D-58.

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Here's Bill Smith first in his little A-67M and Ted Moberg in A-68W.

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More in Class D, Ralph Davis and Dick Hanson fighting right to the finish.

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A-225C, Bud David.

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The returning boats are coming in fast and spectators must check their tally sheets to

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keep tab on the results.

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A-49M, Lee J. Mead.

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A-210S, Bill Neal.

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Tired warriors letting themselves uncoil as they wait their turn for inspection.

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On and on they come, 163 and all flashing across the goal line.

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The great race goes on, a marathon of modern times in which it is an honor and glory to

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stick it up and go the whole distance in the Winnebago land outboard marathon.