57th Annual River Raisin Canoe/Kayak race is THIS Sunday
Editors note: Are you available to help clear the river before the race on Sunday? Call Jim Mann 734-645-7481. With the ice storms, there is more work to be done than usual.
submitted by 57th Annual Canoe Race Planning Team
Spring is here and Manchester’s 57th Annual River Raisin Canoe/Kayak race is this Sunday, May 21st, starting at noon.
The race will have the same canoe and kayak classes as last year. These include Teen Canoe, Women Canoe, Men Canoe, Man and Women Canoe, Sprint Canoe, Corporate Challenge, Adult and Child, Competition Canoe, Single Canoe, Single Male Kayak, Single Female Kayak, Single Teen Kayak, and Double Kayak. The first launch will be at noon and will continue until about 2pm. Online and mail in registration is closed. Race day registration will be available at the starting line.
The starting line is at Fellows Bridge, located about 2 miles west of True Value Hardware on Sharon Valley Rd. Registration and packet pickup will be between 11am and 1pm near the starting line. There will be a shuttle at Chi-Bro park (near the finish line) that will transport the paddlers back to the starting line to start their race or to get their cars. This shuttle will run about every 20 to 30 minutes. Suggested parking during the race is the side streets throughout downtown or Klager Elementary School. Canoe/kayak loading and pickup will be on the Main St bridge, which will be closed to traffic. Volunteers will allow vehicle access for racers to pick up their vessel.
Sprint races will begin following the last racer to pass the finish line, which is anticipated to be between 2:45 and 3:15pm. Canoe Race awards will be given to the top three of each class. The awards will be announced at 3:15pm at River Raisin Park near the stat board.
This year a few groups will have tents and tables set up at Chi Bro park. The vendors and displays include the Manchester Library summer reading program, vendors from Manchester Schools Entrepreneurial STEM class, SRSLY, River Raisin Watershed Council and more!
The canoe race planning team is looking forward to the future collaboration with Washtenaw County Parks as they plan to help improve access to the river over the next few years. The exciting improvements include a future livery, help with river clean up, and working together with the village to improve the take out area at River Raisin Park.
Please join the fun as Manchester continues this long held tradition and continues to hold the uncontested claim of the second oldest continuously-held river race in North America!
If you have any questions about the race, please feel free to email firstrtm@gmail.com
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