The 2010 Alabama Cup Race Series starts this Saturday!

The Alabama Canoe and Kayak Racing Series are made up three races: The Locust Fork Canoe & Kayak Invitational, The Locust Fork Whitewater Classic Races, and the Mulberry Fork Canoe & Kayak Race.

The Locust Fork Canoe & Kayak Invitational will be held on Saturday, February 6th  and, the Locust Fork Whitewater Classic Race is held on March 20th.  Both races will be at Kings Bend on the Locust Fork River in Cleveland, AL.

 The Mulberry Fork Canoe & Kayak Race will be held on March 6 & 7, near Garden City, Alabama on the Mulberry River.
The race courses consist of 25 gates on a class II & III rapids about one hundred yards long.
Race courses are spectator friendly with walking trails right beside the courses.

 If you’re interested in the Locust Fork Canoe & Kayak Invitational, you still have time to register.  According to their website, you can register onsite on Friday, February 5th from 6pm – 9pm.

For more information and to find out how to register, please click here to go to our Races and Event page.

To find other places to paddle, kayak and canoe all over the USA, go to our Places to Paddle page and click on any state, or check out nationwide kayak, canoe and paddle events and races on our Paddling Events and Races page.

If you would like us to post your favorite place to paddle, kayak or canoe or your favorite paddling event or race, please use our handy contact form to send us the details

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.