The canoe race season has started with the St. George Race held the last Saturday in March, with the Passagassawakeag Stream Race in Belfast this Saturday, April 3.
The Passagassawakeag Stream Race is at 11 a.m. in Waldo. The race is a whitewater 8-mile point series down river race, the second of 11 races. This is also a Maine Canoe Kayak Racing Organization (MaCKRO) Paddle with a kid 2 of 5 races.
Cost is $15, with registration starting at 8:30 a.m. For more information, call Dale Cross/Waldo County YMCA at 338-4598 or e-mail director@waldocountyymca.org.
The Web site is http://www.waldocountyymca.org The proceeds of the race benefit children’s programs at the YMCA.
The following are races to be held through April.
Saturday, April 10: Souadabscook Stream Sprint at 9 a.m. at Emerson Mill Road Grange, Hampden. The race is a whitewater 2-mile course. Registration starts at 8 a.m. Hard shell helmets are required and the race benefits a charity.
For more information, call Gary Brooks at 478-8469.
Also on the same day, the Souadabscook Stream race will be held at 12 p.m. It is a whitewater, 8-mile point series down river event, making it the third of 11 races. Registration is 11 a.m.
For more information, call Brooks.
Sunday, April 11: Marsh Stream Sprint at 11 a.m. in Frankfort at the Winterport Snowmobile Club. It is a white water one-mile course. Registration starts at 10 a.m.
For more information, call Bill Deighan at 234-2510.
Also on the same day is the Marsh Stream Race at 1:30 p.m. The race is a whitewater 8-mile course, the fourth of 11 down river series races. Registration begins at 10 a.m.
For more information, call Deighan.
Saturday, April 17: Kenduskeag Stream Canoe Race at 8 a.m. in Kenduskeag. The race is a 16.5-mile whitewater event, the fifth of 11 down river series races. Race day registration is at the Grange Hall from 6:30-7 a.m. Cost is $30. If a participant pre-registers by Friday, April 14 at 1 p.m., the cost is $17.
For more information, call the Bangor Parks and Recreation at 992-4490 or e-mail parks.rec@bgrme.org.
Participants may also check ww.myrecdept.com/me/bangor/default2.asp or kenduskeagstreamcanoerace.com. There will be college and high school classes.
Saturday, April 24: East Machias River Challenge at 11 a.m. in East Machias on Hadley’s Lake. The race is a 6-mile whitewater course and the sixth of 11 down river series races. Registration is at 10 a.m. at Palmer’s Landing. Hard shell helmets required; successful completion depends on scouting last half mile of race course.
For more information, call Rick Scribner,UMM Rec Management at 255-1204 or e-mail scribner@maine.edu.
On the same day, the Piscataquis River Race will be held at 11 a.m. from Guilford to Dover Foxcroft. This is a Class II whitewater 7-mile course. Registration starts at 7:30 a.m.
For more information, call Hoytt Fairbrother or visit www.dfkiwanis.org/canoe.html.
Sunday, April 25: Machias River Race at 11 a.m. at the Airline Bridge. This is a white water, 10.5- mile course, the seventh of 11 down river point series races. Registration is at 9 a.m. and cost is $15 with ACA number. Hard shell helmets are required.
For more information, call Greg Dorr at 852-8755.
Saturday, May 1: Meduxnekeag River Race at 10 a.m. from New Limerick to Houlton. The local race is an 8-mile, whitewater race, the eighth in 11 down river point series races. Registration is from 8-9:30 a.m. Cost is $15 adult and $10 for youth. This is the third of five MaCKRO Paddle with a kid races.
For more information, call Peter Blood at 532-2577 or e-mail cibpgb@myfairpoint.net.
If participants pre-register by April 29, they get a free T-shirt. Race proceeds benefit Dollars for Scholars.
All the usual categories will be open for the local race, plus this year, the committee guarantees the Junior/Senior class will be divided. The first division will be junior 12 and under and senior 18 and older, with the second division, junior 13 through 16 and senior 18 and older.
Also MaCKRO is discussing having a High School Series of three races involving Houlton. They want to use Houlton as an example of getting students involved, said Blood.
Friday, April 30 – Saturday, May 1: Race preparation for the Kenduskeag Slalom set up and practice at 10 a.m. on Kenduskeag Stream, Valley Avenue and Exchange Street in Bangor. It is a Class II, whitewater 2-mile course, with a down river combined race on Saturday at 4 p.m Hard shell helmets are required and race benefits charity.
For more information, call Clayton Cole at 285-7886 (day)/285-7356 (evening) or e-mail c1cole@roadrunner.com or check aca.whitewater-slalom.us/a-maine.htm.
To join MaCKRO, and get all of the clinic, race and series details, visit www.MaCKRO.org.