Preparations for 60th Canoe Race underway

Mirror file photo from 2024 Canoe and Kayak Race.

by Marsha Chartrand

It’s almost here … time to get ready for the 2026 Canoe and Kayak Race on Sunday, May 17. The Manchester Men’s Club is coordinating the event; check in from 10 to 11am at Fellows’ Bridge on Sharon Valley Road between M-52 and Sharon Hollow. Free parking is available at this site, as well as at Chi-Bro Park on Ann Arbor Hill. Or sign up in advance at: https://60thmanchestercanoekayakrace.eventbrite.com. Registration costs $30 per adult with children under the age of 12 able to compete for free. T-shirts are $30 each and organizers recommend you purchase yours in advance online as there will be limited numbers on the day of the race. Launches begin at 11am, and continue until everyone is on the river.

‘We’re very excited!” said Men’s Club member Carl Werner. “This is a great event to kick off the summer in Manchester, and being the 60th annual race, we want to just keep the tradition going.” He added that this is the longest-running consecutive canoe/kayak race in the state.

The club has plenty of support throughout the community from the Robotics Club, which has overseen the race in the past, to Joe Jarvis, who is leading the river clean-up crew in advance of the race, to financial support from various corners of the Manchester area. Of course Jim Mann’s presence and assistance is deeply missed this year as he has spearheaded the clean-up effort for most of the last 60 years.

“The river is up by about two feet this year,” reported Stas Schebella, a Men’s Club member who lives along the river within the city limits. “So we have to wait for it to go down a bit before we can get started with the clean-up.” But that will begin soon since it will be a time-consuming task for Jarvis and the Men’s Club members. The high water level will likely contribute to faster race times, as well. It should be an interesting day for all—spectators and participants alike!

If you are up for a quick baptism in the River Raisin, if you have a grudge meet to challenge this year, or if you just want to participate in one of Manchester’s great traditions, this could be the opportunity you’re waiting for. Don’t miss this year’s annual Canoe & Kayak Race in Manchester!

T-shirt design for the 2026 River Raisin Canoe & Kayak Race.

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.