The on again, off again torrential downpour on Monday didn’t deter competitors in the Rochester Memorial Day Boat Race. It may even have helped them along.

Monday race saw several boats shaving minutes off of last year’s times, and two new champions.

“We’ve had nothing for water. The river was wicked low,” said Ian MacGregor of his practices leading up to the race with partner Jake Goyette. “Now…you have tons of water, it’s like night and day.”

MacGregor a Rochester native who now lives in Acushnet and Goyette, a Rochester resident, took home the overall first place prize, unseating three-time winners Dan Lawrence and William Watling III.

MacGregor and Goyette, in boat 6, finished with a time of 1:52:14, more than two minutes ahead of the reigning champs.

The win comes after narrowing the gap between themselves and Lawrence and Watling in the past several years.

The timed race, which begins at Grandma Hartley's Pond in Rochester and ends at the Mattapoisett Herring Weir, is a tradition among many in the area and is plenty of friendly competition.

The guys in boat 6 were once competitors themselves, each rowing with their fathers. When their dads retired, the two teamed up and have rowed together for five years.

They said this year’s weather and water conditions took some expertise.

“You never know what’s going to happen,” said Goyette. “You had to know what you were doing.”

Still a little stunned by their victory, the guys weren’t sure what comes next for them.

Joked MacGregor, “Now what do we do? Do we retire?”

Lawrence and Watling came in second overall with 1:54:35 followed by Jay Lawrence and Andy Weigel in third with 1:55. See the complete results below.

The race is sponsored by the Rochester Fire Department.