Among the Geauga County Maple Festival’s lumberjack competitions, carnival rides and sweet maple syrup, the annual bathtub race makes for some wholesome, clean competition. Dating back to at least the 1950s, the April 29 event pits teams of three — two pushers and a driver — in side-by-side heats racing roughly 500-pound bathtubs for a $150 prize and bragging rights. “It is true hometown USA,” says bathtub committee chairman Jim McCaskey. A former contestant, McCaskey offers a few race tips.
Put the right people in the right places. A good combination of speed and lower-body strength makes the perfect pusher. Still, success rests on the driver, who is ideally small enough not to add too much weight but strong enough to make a clean, tight turn. “Lightweight wrestlers make great drivers,” McCaskey says.
Get around the cone. At the end of the 100-yard sprint, each team makes a swift U-turn around a cone and comes back. If the tub hits the cone, the team must try again. “You need to be as tight as you can to the cone,” he says. “Pushers’ feet will be sliding and skidding on the asphalt trying to slow down.”
Deck out your tub, slowpokes. Even if you’re not athletically inclined, teams can get creative with tub themes and costumes. Past contestants have pushed a keg tub in lederhosen and dressed in robes and bathing suits with a bubble machine in tow. “Even if you don’t win first place, you can still win a prize,” he says.
Three Tips For Competitors Of Geauga County's Annual Bathtub Race
Push your smallest friend to the finish line for $150 and the ultimate bragging rights.
