Snowmobiles on water

One of the most bizarre outdoor adventure sports ever held in Potter County brought out a big crowd Saturday at the former Othmer Pond in Coudersport.

It was billed as the "Fastest Sled Across the Pond Classic," featuring snowmobiles skimming the pond's surface.

Neal Klimek, a heating and cooling contractor in Coudersport, came up with the plan, modeled on "extreme sledding" competitions he had seen on DVDs. Klimek worked out an arrangement with Chryl Darrin to use her pond at the former Dr. Donald Othmer estate.

Word spread rapidly and, by Saturday afternoon, at least 300 people turned out to watch. One by one, snowmobilers revved their engines and got off to a jackrabbit start on the ground before embarking across the pond, covering a distance of more than 200 yards.

A couple of the competitors lost their valiant battle to keep the sleds afloat. A four-member pit crew stood by for each racer, prepared to swim out and retrieve both sled and driver. The pond is about 12 feet at its deepest point.

After about 20 minutes of draining the exhaust and carburetor, each immersed snowmobile was up and running again. There were no injuries.

Klimek said he plans to stage another "Fastest Sled" event next

summer. He also hasn't ruled out a sequel later this year if plans can be worked out.

Many snowmobilers who attended Saturday's event as spectators -- skeptical that a heavy snowmobile could stay above the water's surface over 660 feet -- are now planning to try their luck the next time around.