Windy conditions on Saturday, Nov. 3, were just another small obstacle for about 50 kayakers who took to the water for the fourth annual Wrightsville Beach Sea Kayak Race.

The stiff breeze was the result of the passage of Hurricane Noel, which made its way north off the coast of North Carolina at the end of last week. The conditions were actually not as bad as the forecast predicted, said Lydia Fonvielle, Salt Marsh Kayak Company manager.

“We had 52 racers, which is great considering what they were predicting,” she said. “It didn’t blow as hard as they said it was going to.”

The event consisted of three races — a 6-mile race, a 3-mile race and a kids’ race. The 6-mile race started at the Salt Marsh Kayak dock across the street from the Blockade Runner on Banks Channel and proceeded north to Lee’s Cut, along the Intracoastal Waterway to Shinn Creek, and back down Banks Channel.

The top three finishers in the 6-mile race were James Smith with a time of 51:44, Stephen Knight (54:40) and Steve DeKlerk (54:58). In the 3-mile race, Nils Ebbeson finished in 46:44, Tommy Cheshire logged a time of 46:48, and Scott and Jacob McGhee finished in 46:49 in a tandem craft. Sayres McKenna, Kiersten Strother and Sage McKenna completed the kids’ 500-meter sprint.

“The kids probably had the roughest time with the weather. They had to start out with a leg that went straight into the wind,” Fonvielle said. “They had some pretty difficult conditions, and I was very proud of all three of them.”

She estimated that the proceeds from entry fees and a raffle totaled about $2,500, which will benefit the N.C. Coastal Land Trust, a nonprofit organization that works to preserve coastal resources. Including this year’s race, the event has generated about $10,000 for the organization’s efforts.

Ultimately, Fonvielle said, the wind was an extra challenge, but the racers were able to enjoy the race in spite of the conditions.

“Everybody was able to overcome it and have a good time, but everybody was tired afterwards. It was nice and warm when we finished, so it was a nice day,” she said.