Preparations under way for 55th annual canoe race

The River Raisin Canoe/Kayak Race will be held on the traditional date of May 16 this year.

submitted by Sybil Kolon for the canoe race committee

Planning for the 55th Annual Manchester River Raisin Canoe/Kayak Race is under way! We managed to pull off the race two months late last year, due to delays caused by the pandemic. This year we are on schedule, for Sunday, May 16. Online and mail-in registration will open in mid-April.

We still need to observe some restrictions, and we can’t rule out changes due to circumstances beyond our control. For now, Village Council is very supportive of the race going forward, and we are taking all the preliminary steps to put on another successful race. The finish line activities will be centered in the River Raisin Park in downtown Manchester for the second year.

Back by popular demand, the Single Canoe class returns. The sprint race will also return after the other races, if conditions allow. A double kayak class has also been added, bringing the total number of classes to thirteen.

Sponsorship letters are going out to local businesses to cover the cost of medals. This year, Worth Repeating has agreed to cover the cost of insurance, which was previously covered by Kiwanis International at no cost to the canoe race. All proceeds from this year's race will go to the Manchester Music Boosters, to help finance their 2022 trip to Europe.

We will incorporate many of the procedures we enacted last year, including drive-up registration and assignment of launch times, to minimize congestion at the starting line. The total number of canoes and kayaks allowed to participate will be increased to 100. Registration will again be offered online, using the convenient and secure method used by Manchester Schools.

Pre-registration, by May 10, will be encouraged. Anyone who registers after May 10 will pay an additional $5 fee per person and will be launched after those who have pre-registered.

The race is being organized by same group of dedicated volunteers, the Manchester Music Boosters and the River Raisin Watershed Council, who banded together last year to put on the race after the Manchester Kiwanis dissolved in 2019. We will be reaching out to our regular volunteers to help with race-day jobs; new volunteers are also welcome.

Our Facebook page will be updated soon with more details. Contact Kristi Campbell for more information: kcampbell@mcs.k12.mi.us.

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by Marsha Chartrand

Marsha Johnson Chartrand, a founder, writer, and copy editor with the Manchester Mirror, is a 50-year resident of Manchester. She has a long history of volunteer and community involvement.