The Boston Parks and Recreation Department hosted the first annual Duck Boat Pull competition April 12 to raise money for youth sports programming.
In the competition hosted at Boston Common, six teams of ten were tasked with pulling a 21,000-pound duck boat 60 feet across the common.
There were six teams competing: members of Human Movement Lab, Boston Center for Youth and Families Paris Street, A group of people who work with the Massachusetts State House called “The House Party,” the Curry College football team, students from Northeastern University and BCYF Leahy-Holloran.
The teams varied from groups of coworkers to sports teams.
Each paid an entry fee of $1,000, or $100 per teammate. These fees went toward funding Boston Parks and Recreation’s free youth sports programs.
“I wanted an event that captured the friendly competition, competitiveness of our recreational sports, while also showcasing one of our beautiful parks,” said Tiffany Clark, the event’s organizer. “I consider it to be a very Boston based event.”
The teams approached the boat one by one to heave the duck boat, with the best time of two attempts being recorded.
“We didn’t do much to prepare specifically for the pull part. But right now, we’re in the off-season, workouts, practices, lifts,” said Finn Sullivan, a member of the Curry football team. “We’ve had this in the back of our mind, especially with the big trophy that’s on the table over there.”
Of the audience members who weren’t family members of participants, many said they came because of the unique nature of the event.
“It sounded weird in a really good way,” said James Cameron, a policy analyst for the MBTA and a student at the Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine attending the race. “I’m just here to see how it pans out.”
Reggi Abel, a competitor on the Paris Street team, said he joined “[to be] part of the community, it’s physical activity, and at the same time, it’s fun.”
Despite chilling 37-degree rain, morale among the competitors was high. Teams bantered back and forth, cheering each other on or taunting one another.
Each team put in a formidable effort, but the two teams that advanced to the second round were the Curry College Football team and the Paris Street team.
In the final round, the Curry College team beat out the Paris Street team with a final pull time of 12.4 seconds.
“As a football team, we’re all excited that we were able to have this opportunity to come out here and support youth sports and, obviously, it’s always nice to know that we got the W today,” said Conner Coutinho, a teammate of the Curry College football team.
Even as teams were knocked out of the running, everyone remained good sports, enjoyed the friendly atmosphere and left satisfied because of their contributions to youth sports.
However, some losing teams promised to come back stronger.
“We’re strategizing for next year, we’re pumped we held first for a second, but we’re ready to tackle it next year,” said Kim Holman, team captain of the Human Movement Lab team.
The audience cheered for each of the teams, excited to come back for next year’s event.
“It was fun. I’m looking forward to more competition next year,” said Kathy Sims, mother of one of the Curry College champions.
All the proceeds from the competitors went to youth sports programming, said Clark.
“Events like these that just get them the equipment that they need and help us just keep inventing new programming and keeping our kids outdoors and on the move,” said Clark.
