Participants in the Sunflower 24-Hour competition and race recover in a shed at Clinton Lake State Park after several of their canoes capsized on the lake Saturday morning in windy conditions and high swells. In foreground at right, Joel Schlosser, 2, hugs his dad, Kent Schlosser, Wichita, after Schlosser's wife brought him some new clothes.

Lawrence-Douglas County Fire & Medical treated and released 12 people, including one woman, Saturday after their canoes filled with water and capsized during an adventure race on Clinton Lake. No injuries were reported, and nobody was taken to the hospital.

They were participating in an areawide race called the Sunflower 24-Hour, in which racers compete in outdoor events, such as canoeing, mountain biking and trekking in 12- or 24-hour legs. The canoeing portion of the 12-hour race was hampered by wind and choppy waters, which poured into the canoes. As the racers tried to bail out their boats, several capsized, sending the occupants of the two-person vessels into the 46-degree waters.

Lawrence-Douglas County Fire & Medical Battalion Chief Rob Kort said all the racers were suffering from symptoms of hypothermia. Kort said his department was called about

8:40 a.m., and rescuers launched three boats into the water to retrieve boaters who sought refuge on the shores of the lake.

“It was pretty rough water. We were taking on water, people started to bail and people started to capsize,” said racer Eric Schactman, 35, of St. Louis, who fell into the lake. He was rescued by fellow racers and taken to shore, where rescue boats provided by race organizers and Lawrence-Douglas County Fire & Medical transported the men to various locations in Clinton Park for medical attention.

St. Joseph, Mo., resident Eric Cordoneer, 36, said he felt lucky after floating in the water for about 10 minutes before being picked up by another canoe.

“Boat took water, waves zigged and zagged, and the water weight zagged us on over,” he said. “I was kind of scared before (the race began), just knowing that we probably were going to tip.”

Race organizers canceled the canoeing portion of the 24-hour race.

Laura Elsenraat, co-director of the race, said the water in the middle of the lake caused the most problems for boaters. She said discussions Saturday morning with park officials concluded that the canoeing portion of the race could proceed without incident.

“We had talked with some of the park people this morning. They thought even though it was windy, it was palpable,” she said. “But just given the size of the lake and the turbulence out there with the whitecaps, the boats that were going more towards the center of the lake were having the most problems.”

Though all the racers were examined by medics and given blankets to warm themselves, race organizers said each participant was required to carry a “dry bag,” a backpack holding provisions such as dry clothes, a space blanket, a starter log and waterproof matches.

“Those are things that people get upset about having to carry because of the weight, but in situations like this today, they needed all of it. It could have saved a life or two,” Elsenraat said.

Cordoneer said he and other racers tried to start a fire on shore before rescue boats took them to the mainland.

Clinton Park manager Jerry Schecher said the lake may have tested the abilities of racers who were not experienced boaters.

“With any big reservoir, once the wind starts, it gets choppier and choppier. It’s an adventure race; these people are pretty hardy, but a lot of them don’t have any experience canoeing on big water, and some of them probably overestimated their abilities,” he said.

Race coordinator Jason Elsenraat said 38 canoes began the race at 7 a.m. By 7:30 a.m., the wind began to blow harder, causing whitecaps to breach the sides of the canoes. Most of the canoes that were abandoned when rescue boats reached the racers were recovered, though several were thought to be lost.