The Keystone Canoe Club in Berks County, Pennsylvania is hosting its annual regatta on May 2, 2009.

The Keystone Canoe Club has sponsored the Schuylkill River Regatta for 39 years, to promote water safety and paddlesports in general.

This 13-mile downriver race is held on the Schuylkill River. It starts at Peter Yarnell Park, near Hamburg, PA and takes out in Reading, PA.

The course is Class I water, easy enough for a novice – but also challenging enough for an experienced racer to enjoy as well. The river features include calm water, moving water with riffles and low ledge. The event is always a ton of fun for all participants and spectators.

To find out more about this event, including registration and race day particulars, please click here to visit the Keystone Canoe Club web site.

Thanks to Tina Ehrig for letting us know about this great paddling event!

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How did you celebrate New Years Day?

Some paddlers got an early start on the paddling season. Here is a sampling of some of this year’s events:

• Michigan:
  Michigan had a 1 and a half mile paddle down the Huron River. This paddling event which has been going on since 1975 was organized by the University of Michigan Raw Strength and Courage Kayaking Club. The temperature for New Years Day was 24 degrees.
• Minnesota:
  St Paul Minnesota had their annual New Year’s Day Paddle down the Mississippi River at Hidden Falls Park. Canoes and Kayaks have participated in this event for the last 15 years with temperature at 23 degrees for the day.
• Chicago:
  For 23 years paddlers have paddled the North Branch of the Chicago River. This year there was over 200 paddlers. The Forest Preserve of Cook County Sponsored this event providing shuttles and portable toilets.
• New Hampshire:
• The Merrimack Valley Paddlers and Friends of the Winnipesaukee River had their annual New Years Day Paddle on the Winnipesaukee River in Tilton, Northfield and Franklin, New Hampshire. Novice and intermediate boaters paddled the Upper Winnipesaukee river and expert boaters paddled the Lower Winnipesaukee river. Paddlers had class III and IV rapids.The purpose of the paddle was to draw attention to the proposal for scheduled water releases for white water paddling during the summer.

Did you paddle on New Year’s Day? Tell us about your New Year’s Day Kayak and Canoe event by leaving a comment on this post.