Regatta racer Leo Salcedo of West Sacramento celebrates a victory in the Giant Pumpkin Regatta on Oct. 6. Photo by Emanuel Espinoza

ELK GROVE, CA (MPG) - On the second and final day of the Giant Pumpkin Festival in Elk Grove, the festival hosted its annual tradition, the Giant Pumpkin Regatta, on Oct. 6.

This event featured participants using some pumpkins that were featured in the weigh-off as boats to race across the pond at Elk Grove regional park. Before the event started, the participants cut holes into the pumpkins and decorated them to stand out in the race. Some people who competed in the regatta were also competitors, or relatives of the competitors, in the pumpkin weigh-off the day before.

Regatta participants prepare pumpkins for the race. Photo by Emanuel Espinoza

Prior to the race, brothers Austin and Joseph Mitchell said they were confident in taking part in this race and competing against one another. Austin Mitchell said that he had participated in this event before, while Joseph Mitchell said that this was his first time taking part in it.

Joseph Mitchell won third place in the race. Although he said it wasn’t a victory, Joseph Mitchell said he had a great time participating.

“I had a lot of fun and I plan to be back next year with more experience and to take that first-place prize,” Joseph Mitchell said.

Leo Salcedo from West Sacramento won first place in the regatta. He had a lot of support including from fiancée Hanna Henkin and family members. Salcedo used Hanna’s father Scott Henkin’s pumpkin in the race; it was also in the weigh-off the previous day.

Salcedo said he felt good from this victory because he didn’t think he was going to win because he went up against “other heavy hitters” such as a previous two-time winner, Johnny Gayton. This was Salcedo’s fourth time participating in the regatta, and he had won first place in the past. However, in his very first time participating, he said that he had quit early because of the weight of the pumpkin.

Giant Pumpkin Festival Regatta winner Leo Salcedo accepts the giant check.

“If I were to win in the future, it would depend on the pumpkin and who I might compete with if they have a good pumpkin and good placement,” Salcedo said.

For Luis Granados of Yuba City, his pumpkin sank as soon as the race started. In spite of that, he said “you live and you learn” and that it’s always about having a good time. He plans to take part in this race again.

Johnny “The Shark” Gayton had won two consecutive regattas prior to this one. His son Jonathan, called “Baby Shark,” took part this year, too. Although Gayton came in second this time, he felt optimistic and happy for the first-place winner.

“Next year, I just have to do a little better, but I am a winner today, and I feel that everyone else won in different ways,” Gayton said. “I look forward to doing this again and it’s great for all the fans to come out and watch.”