Giant, floating pumpkin races draw large crowds to annual event in Oregon

Only in Oregon could racing across a lake in a hollowed-out pumpkin be considered a serious sport. But for Gary Kristensen — this year’s “Elf”-costumed champion of the West Coast Giant Pumpkin Regatta — it’s more than fun and spectacle. The longtime competitor paddled his 936-pound gourd to victory in Tualatin, where costumed racers, forklifts, and soggy fans turned a gray weekend into pure autumn joy. For Kristensen and fellow growers, it’s part tradition, part obsession — and all pumpkin-powered pride. Claire Rush with Associated Press has the full story.

Claire Rush

Associated Press

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