The second annual “Stumpy’s Petals and Peddals Race” took place on March 19 in Washington, D.C., at the Tidal Basin. The race celebrates the cherry blossom season, where the trees are expected to reach peak bloom on March 28.
The race consisted of around 50 participants divided into two heats. Each boat had a two-person team that completed a quick 10-minute course around the cherry blossoms and the Thomas Jefferson Memorial.
The participants were encouraged to wear their most distinctive outfits for a chance to win the best-dressed award. Teams showed up in original costumes, ranging from a shrimp to a gladiator.
The race is named after D.C.’s oldest cherry blossom tree, Stumpy, which went viral after surviving with just a few branches and a hollow trunk. The tree was cut down two years ago to raise the sea wall in the basin and prevent flooding.
Some contestants, like friends Kerry Humphrey and Vince Crawley, were big fans of Stumpy and wanted to honor it by participating in the race.
“I’m a big Stumpy fan, I got a Stumpy bobblehead at home,” says Humphrey. “I’m always looking for ways to support D.C.”
One of the winning teams of the day was siblings Doug and Bea Holmberg, whose mom signed them up as a surprise. They thanked their rowing experience for the win.
The winners were awarded prizes such as a $150 gift card and annual passes to the Tidal Basin paddle boards.
Other events to celebrate cherry blossom season include the annual kite festival and parade.
