We just got wind of these upcoming paddle events in July and August. They span the U.S., so there is most likely one near you! If you can’t make it to these kayak and/or canoe events, look at our Races & Events page. We have canoe and kayak events for all skill levels listed by state and by month.

 First, take a look at our newest events below. Whatever events you choose, get registered today. Having a great paddle to look forward to makes every day better!

If you live near San Antonio, Texas, Albany, New York, Poulsbo & Port Gamble Washington, Saint Paul Minnesota, or Lake Onalaska, Wisconsin, check out these kayak and canoe race and events that we found in your area.

San Antonio River, Texas

• If you always wanted to paddle down the San Antonio River, here is your chance. Sign up for the 40th annual Ford Canoe Challenge on Saturday,  August 16 in San Antonio TX. Over 90 teams compete in timed heats. The race begins at the Chamber of Commerce, heads east through and around the Convention Center Lagoon, through the River Center Mall Lagoon and ending back at the Chamber of Commerce. Come out to paddle or just to check out the teams of local celebrities, city officials, corporate teams, and boy scouts and girl scouts.

New York – Albany to Manhattan

• The eighth annual Great Hudson River Paddle (GHRP), a 144-mile kayaking and camping trip from Albany to Manhattan will be held Thursday, July 3 - Sunday, July 13, 2008. If you can’t paddle the 144 miles they are offering several shorter paddle courses. GHRP is being held to celebrate the 156 mile long Hudson River Greenway Water Trail (HRGWT), the improvement of public access to the Hudson River, and the diversity and heritage of the riverside communities of the Hudson River Valley. Come out to support this great cause!

Port Gamble – Poulsbo, Washington

• If you live in Washington State than check out the Paddle Kitsap on August 1-2. This paddling event will start at Port Gamble and ends at Poulsbo, Washington.  This is a 2 days fully supported paddle. Paddle the Pearls of North Kitsap communities and help establish the North Kitsap water trail.

Mississippi River, Saint Paul, Minnesota

• The Great River Energy Mississippi River Challenge, Saint Paul MN.  is a one- or two-day event, July 26 & 27, 2008, to raise awareness of the Mississippi River in the Twin Cities. The Mississippi River Challenge takes you on a journey from Coon Rapids Dam Regional Park to Grey Cloud Island. You’ll travel with voyageurs, paddle the only gorge on the Mississippi, and negotiate the cavernous St. Anthony and Ford Locks. At the historic Fort Snelling overnight camp, you will enjoy a hearty meal provided in part by Thousand Hills Cattle Company (hearty vegetarian options available as well) and celebrate with an evening of live music, historic reenactment and revelry.

Paddlers have two Challenge options: paddling the 44-mile two-day route, or paddling 22 miles on Saturday only.

• One-day paddlers get to experience the launching at Coon Rapids Dam, the prairie stretch of the river, the locks and the urban wilderness of the gorge.
• Two-day paddlers go on to experience the mighty floodplain river, paddling through downtown Saint Paul.

Lake Onalaska, Wisconsin

•  The 6th Annual Brice Prairie Canoe Race and Pig Roast will be held on Saturday, June 28, 2008 on Lake Onalaska, Onalaska WI. The canoe & kayak race is a recreational event that starts and ends at the Upper Brice Prairie Boat Landing. The canoe race is about 2 or 3 miles long and the kayak race will be longer, going out into Lake Onalaska.  Funds raised from the event are used to preserve open spaces on Brice Prairie for all to enjoy.

Got your next paddle event lined up? Why not drop us a line and tell us all about it? We’d be happy to post kayak and canoe event information and race results right here on BornToPaddle.com. Use our Contact Form to send us all the details. 

Have a kayak, canoe event or race you would like to have us post? Send us all the relevant information using our handy Contact Form. We’ll post it on our paddle blog and add it to our kayak and canoe race and events calendar.

Our boats are in the water already, and we’re starting to rediscover all the things we said we needed (ok, and wanted) at the end of last season.

Personally, I’m looking for a paddle upgrade. So I’ve checked out a bunch and think I’ve made my decsion. Since I’m a woman, and most paddles are unisex (translation: made for men!), I was really glad to find this paddle that is a bit lighter in weight in both the shaft and blades:

Great Ladies Paddle! Werner Athena 2 Piece Paddle – Carbon Fiber Blades/ Straight Carbon Shaft. The Werner Athena 2-Piece Carbon Fiber Paddle’s small buoyant blades pull effortlessly through the water so you can tour for longer.Click Picture for More Info

If you’ve got kids that you need to outfit this paddling season, take a look at this paddle designed just for kids:

Werner Sprite 2 Piece Paddle – Childrens. The Sprite uses the same shape and dihedral design that make Werner’s adult paddles so great, just on a smaller scale.Click Picture for More Info

For more kid’s gear, check out our Paddling Gear for Kids page.

Take a look at our Paddles Page to find even more styles including entry level and recreational paddles, performance and racing paddles, whitewater paddles, and a whole section on canoe paddles.

We’ve also posted a new page: How to Choose a Kayak or Canoe Paddle. It’s based on a recent post of the same name, but we thought information about how to choose the right canoe or kayak paddle for yourself was important enough to have its own, permanent page here on BornToPaddle.com.

If you’re ever looking for kayak, canoe or paddling information (about equipment, events, races, places to paddle, general information) and you don’t find it here, please Contact Us. If we don’t know the answer right off the bat, give us a day or so, and we’ll find the paddling information you’re looking for.

If you’re in the market for a new paddle, new kayak or new canoe, we’ve found some great deals for you at our affiliate stores:

Altrec.com Paddle Shop

Backcountry.com

Basspro.com

BoatersWorld.com

Eastern Mountain Sports (EMS)

MagsForLess

MasseysOutfitters.com

Moosejaw.com Kayak Shop

Paragon Sports

Sea Eagle Inflatables

Trails.com – Maps

UpsideOver.com

Viator.com Travel

Many of our stores offer free shipping, so you don’t have to worry about paying more in the long run. In fact, most of our on line paddling stores offer better prices than you’ll find in local sporting goods stores. It’s all about overhead!