River Raisin cleared for canoe race this weekend

From left, volunteers Bob Kelly, Ryan Kelly, and Bruce Paul, who cleared the river last week to prepare for the canoe race. Others who participated include Silas Bialecki, Jim Mann, and Vic Mann.

Submitted by Sybil Kolon for the canoe race committee

We have just a few last-minute notes before the 55th Annual Manchester River Raisin Canoe/Kayak Race on Sunday, May 16, starting at noon.

Last year, the race was delayed by two months due to the pandemic. While the pandemic is still not over, we have proven it is possible to have a safe race under these conditions and we are counting on everyone to do their part to make it so again.

We have submitted a plan to the Village about how we will manage the event to ensure another safe race at the River Raisin Park, where the race will end. We are all familiar with the routine by now, wearing masks and keeping six feet between you and others who are not part of your household. We have determined there is enough room in the River Raisin park to accommodate about 200 people, presuming there will be small groups of people of the same household who can be close together.

We will be doing live streaming on Facebook throughout the day, so that is one way to attend virtually. We will inform racers of their launch time, between noon and about 1:30 pm. Find out what time your racers are launching and you can schedule your time at the finish line to see them come in. Most people take 30 minutes to one hour to make it to the finish line. We ask you to keep your time in the park to a half hour or so, allowing for other spectators to witness their friends come in, as well.

This year, we will again replace the stat board with online results. Get the Google Sheets App on your smartphone and you can view the results as the data is entered. We will have the QR code posted in various places in the park so you can access it that way. You can also check our Facebook page for the link. Over the Edge Sports Bar and Grill will also have the results on their
big screen.

Online registration ends at 2 pm on May 10, and can be accessed at https://manchester.revtrak.net/canoe-kayak-race/#/list. Same day registration is allowed ($5 more per person), as long as the 100-boat limit is not exceeded. Pre-registered boats will be assigned their launch times. Those who register the same day should not show up at the start line until 12:45 pm. Check in and registration at the starting line will again be drive-through. Once you arrive, we will ask you not to get in line until after those who have pre-registered are checked in.

As of May 3, we have 22 canoes and 14 kayaks registered. We have 9 for Single Female Kayak, 8 for Adult-Child Canoe, 5 for Men’s Canoe, 3 for Man-Woman Canoe, 1 for Competition Canoe and 1 for Teen Canoe. We have no one entered in the Single Teen Kayak Class. We also have no Corporate Challenge Canoes yet! The medals are in and we want to award 1st , 2nd and 3rd in each class, so encourage your friends to enter.

Keep an eye on our Facebook page (Manchester River Raisin Canoe Kayak Race) for any last-minute updates. An email will be sent to all entrants a few days before the race with their launch times and last-minute details. Contact Kristi Campbell with any questions at kcampbell@mcs.k12.mi.us or 734-330-0029.

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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.