anoe Race Fiasco

ometime ago Baron Von Lodge was the head of a small country near Switzerland known as Lilliland.

The Baron was always concerned about the reputation of his country and did not want to be involved in anything that would cause embarrassment.

One year the Baron was away and unable to attend a canoe race on Lake Lilliland. It was supposed to be a rather simple event to promote the sport of canoeing on the lake. The canoe manufacturers offered a free canoe to the winner.

But things started gong wrong from the very beginning of the event. The canoes were to paddle backwards across a mile course on the lake but it turned out to be a very windy day and the canoes kept bumping into each other. Eventually they all tipped over and began to sink. No canoe finished the race. There were no winners and the race became a big joke and an embarrassment to everyone.

Finally when the Baron returned and found out about the canoe race, he asked his chief advisor, Professor Hamblin, to fix the bad public image of the event.

The Professor advised that the canoe race be held again in two weeks and that the canoes would race forward, not backward. That was accomplished and the race was a success. The canoes looked beautiful gliding across the lake. Everyone finished the race in close succession.

The Baron then asked the Professor to investigate how this fiasco occurred in the first place. Why would the backward racing canoes be considered a respectable event in the first place?

It turned out that the people who planned the details of the event were not experienced or qualified in canoeing. They had used their imaginations without any practical experience in canoes or racing.

The Baron and the Professor agreed that it was the small details that made the difference between success and failure. The planners did not even have a contingency plan for unfavorable weather.

To further correct the negative image of the race, the Baron was seen, from time to time, canoeing with Lady Angela of Alpine Castle, his fiancée, enjoying themselves in their own canoe on Lake Lilliland.

The Baron concluded that canoes were a lot of fun and a great sport. Professor Hamblin would often follow along in his own canoe along with members of the castle’s staff.