With kayak and canoe season well underway, we’re glad to bring you the following information on some really great paddling events happening around the country.

These kayaking and canoeing events and races for May and June 2010 look like some of the most fun anyone who loves to paddle could have on the water.

We encourage you to take part in these or any of your local river, lake and ocean paddling events. As always, if you’d like us to post your event on our blog and include it on our kayak and canoe races and events calendars (by month or by state), please use our handy contact form to send us all of the info.

Kayak / Canoe Event and Races for May 2010:

May 22, 2010 – Saturday

• Great Suwannee River Race
Suwannee County, Florida

This event includes a raft race and canoe / kayak race.

Schedule of Great Suwannee River Race Events:

7 a.m. Rafts — Registration begins at Camp ‘O The Suwannee Subdivision boat ramp. Rafts launch from the boat ramp and assemble at the starting point, Little River Spring.

7 a.m. Canoes and Kayaks — Registration begins at Royal Spring boat ramp. Canoes and kayaks launch from the boat ramp and assemble at the starting point north of the Royal Spring Run.

10 a.m. Raft race begins

10 a.m. Canoe/Kayak race begins

1 p.m. Presentation of awards and trophies

Ivey Memorial Park – Branford

For more information on this and other events, please check our BornToPaddle.com Kayak & Canoe – Races & Events Calendar pages.

May 29, 2010 – Saturday

• Metedeconk River Run
Windward Beach – Brick, New Jersey

*This race is part of the Tune-Up Kayak Training Series culminating in the New York City Kayak Championships Mayor’s Cup.

The event includes a 1 mile Family Frenzy, 6 mile Kayak & Surf Ski race, and 12 mile Kayak & Surf Ski race

Here are the race day details:

8:00 am – 9:00 am – Check In

9:30 am- Safety Briefing

.5 mile Family Frenzy 10:00 am Launch

1.0 mile Family Frenzy 11:00 am Launch

6 mile course – 12:00 pm Launch

12 mile course – 12:00 pm Launch

2:00 pm Finish Party and Awards

For more information on this and other events, please check our BornToPaddle.com Kayak & Canoe – Races & Events Calendar pages.

Kayak / Canoe Event and Races for June 2010:

June 5, 2010 – Saturday

• Annual New River Canoe Race
Ashe County, NC

This is a great race for novice as well as experienced paddlers. Trophies, race T & door prizes. Also holding a silent auction with some really great items to bid on. All proceeds go to the 4H scholarship fund.

For more information on this and other events, please check our BornToPaddle.com Kayak & Canoe – Races & Events Calendar pages.

June 12, 2010 – Saturday (start)

• Texas Water Safari – World’s Toughest Canoe Race
San Marcos to Corpus Christi

260 Miles, 100 Hours, June, Texas. They don’t call this the world’s toughest canoe race for nothing!

That pretty much says it all!

For more information on this and other events, please check our BornToPaddle.com Kayak & Canoe – Races & Events Calendar pages.

June 12, 2010 – Saturday

• First Annual Grand River Kayak Race
Grand Haven, Michigan

This fast 3-mile race is the First Annual Grand River Kayak Race to benefit the “Friends of Ottawa County Parks”. Race is aprox 3 miles in length and start and stop location in Stearn’s Bayou, Grand Haven, MI.

For more information on this and other events, please check our BornToPaddle.com Kayak & Canoe – Races & Events Calendar pages.

June 25-26, 2010

• Ohio River Way Paddlefest
Cincinnati, OH

The Ohio River Way Paddlefest is the largest paddling event in the US with 1,700 paddlers in over 1100 canoes and kayaks paddling down the Ohio to celebrate the beauty and recreational benefits of this majestic river.

Schedule of events:

Festival at Coney Island on Friday, June 25

8.2 Mile Paddle Event with 1,700 participants on Saturday, June 26

For more information on this and other events, please check our BornToPaddle.com Kayak & Canoe – Races & Events Calendar pages.

Looking for paddling locations in your state?

Search our places to paddle page for places to kayak or canoe for flatwater or whitewater.  Kayaking and canoeing paddling locations are listed by U.S. State

Dates for the 2009 Paddlefest on the Ohio River have been set: June 26 and 27

Paddlefest is a great paddling event for paddlers of all ages – whether you kayak or canoe – there is even a kid’s expo.  It is also a great way to get to know more about the Ohio River Way and all the work that is being done to promote it as a great place to spend time on the water and to protect it, keeping it clean and safe for generations to come.

Come to Cincinnati to enjoy two days of paddling, education, entertainment, competition and camaraderie.

Registration for the even begins in January 09, so mark your calendars!

For more information on the 2009 Ohio River Paddlefest, please visit the official website at www.OhioRiverWay.org

This just in from the organizers:

New for 2009:

• Expanded boat demo and on-water “Smart Start” classes at Lake Como during the day and early evening at Paddlefest on Friday, June 26.
• Inaugural Ohio River Dragon Boat races on Saturday, June 27 in front of the Serpentine Wall.
• Swim 2009 will take place again next year. In our inaugural year, over 70 participants swam the Ohio River!

If you have an event you’d like us to promote on BornToPaddle.com, please send it to us using our handy contact form: Click here to contact us!