Everyone has a different reason for competing in the Rochester Memorial Day Boat Race. For Dan Lawrence and William Watling III, it was about winning the James Hartley Memorial Trophy.

The coveted award is years in the making and comes only after a paddling pair has clinched three consecutive races. Although the official times haven’t been posted yet, it’s likely that Lawrence and Watling got the reward they have spent months training for.

The race, in its 81^st year, starts at Grandma Hartley’s Pond in Rochester and ends at the Heir Weir in Mattapoisett on Route 6. Due to narrow passages and portages, boats are released at one minute intervals in the timed race.

The route is the same every year, but the race itself changes, some years it’s cold and rainy, some years the water is so low that boats frequently bottom out, some years the water runs so high and fast that a homemade boat hits a curve in the Mattapoisett River and breaks in two.

Lawrence and Watling try to prepare for every eventuality.

“We paddle rain or shine, snow,” Watling said. “We were in the pond when there was ice on it.”

The pair, Rochester residents, also made a new, streamlined boat this year to add speed.

Both come from a long line of Memorial Day boat racers and watchers. Watling’s grandmother, Louise, who only missed two races in her life, was always there to cheer on family and friends in the competition. She passed away in May at the age of 94. Watling said he was dedicating his race to her.

For the Burns siblings, originally of Mattapoisett, the race was also bittersweet. Audrey and Ben Burns’ father Dennis passed away in March.

“Dad used to take each of us. [He would] take turns switching off every year,” Audrey said. “He was going to help me build this boat.”

Instead, she built the boat herself and raced it with her jet-lagged brother, who flew in on the redeye to be there.

“I’m here for moral support,” Ben joked.

Jeff Brickmeier and Gary Shapiro of Arlington were just in the race to see if they could finish it.

Brickmeier’s wife and father-in-law have rowed in the race, but this year was his first attempt.

“I finally was able to find someone dumb enough to go with me,” he said.

Shapiro chimed in, “We’re part of the recreational division.”

Since the water was low this year, some had been held back and released to make the race more competitive on Monday, said long-time race organizer Art Benner.

The extra water definitely gave boaters a boost, but the second half was tough, said Lawrence. Plus, he and Wattling were staring at the back of their biggest competition, Jake Goyette and Ian MacGregor, throughout their nearly two hours of rowing.

“They made an excellent race out of it,” Lawrence said.

At an awards ceremony held Monday evening, Lawrence and Watling received the first place overall trophy and the Jim Hartley trophy, which was presented by Watling’s father W. Dave Watling II. He was also a three-time winner in the mid 1970s.

The Old Man River plaque, given to the oldest person in the competition, went to James Ziobro, 60, who finished in 59th with his partner Benjamin Bradford.

The winners of the co-ed division, Andrea and Sean Shaw, team number 8 finished sixth overall. This was the couple’s third consecutive win in the co-ed division. They received the Joe Ferreirra Memorial Trophy presented by the Rochester Firefighters Association.