Rain is all our Borntopaddle.com kayaker saw on his way to Outdoor Inc’s Canoe & Kayak Race. After leaving at 4am and traveling 190 miles to race his 9.5 ft Swifty kayak and being extremely confident of bringing home a medal, the race was cancelled. Because of, you guessed it, rain! And lot’s of it. Although he was disappointed, he was happy to get his t-shirt, ear buds, glass case, and red tow flag.

 He didn’t get to race today, but traveling home gave him the challenge his was looking for on the river. Interstate 40 was closed in Memphis because of flooding, so he needed to use his gut instinct and his compass to travel east on side roads dodging manhole covers pushed out by rising flood waters in pouring rain and lightning to head home. He finally made it home in 5 ½ hours instead of the usually 3 hours.  I’m sure if you ask any kayaker that got to the kayak race about their trip home it would have the same challenging events.

Is our kayaker going back next year rain or shine? You bet! This kayak race is one of his favorite paddling events. Kayaking on the Mississippi river is a challenging paddle, and he has paddled it in a little 9.5 foot Swifty kayak and an 18 foot Sea kayak and brought medals home each time.

Will team Borntopaddle.com be there next year to root on our kayaker? You bet! We love to support our racing kayaker and this race is a great one to watch.

Kayak Race

Canoe Race

River Rally – Find clues and answer questions along the river.

 
If you’re a paddler and interested in racing your kayak or canoe or if you just want to relax & enjoy the river then this might be the event for you!

The Withlacoochee Wilderness Canoe & Kayak Race & Rally
Saturday, April 10, 2010
Buddy Risher Park, Inglis By-Pass Spillway, Inglis, Florida

According to their website:

Paddler’s have two event options:
The first option is a 7 mile race with men’s kayak, women’s kayak, and combined tandem kayak/canoe categories.

This race is recreational class only.

Race awards for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place for men’s and women’s kayaks, and 1st and 2nd place for combined tandem kayak/canoe category.

The second option is a 5 mile river rally for those who choose to just relax and enjoy the scenery. This 5 mile river rally has no class or gender group. The rally requires the participants to find clues and answer questions along the river.
The paddler with the most correct answers will be the winner of the rally.

This event starts at the Inglis By-Pass Spillway of the Withlacoochee River and ends at the Winding River Park in Yankeetown.

 At the end of the event, participants will be shuttled back to their vehicles.

This would be a great event for my family. We have one paddler that loves to race his kayak; three paddlers that like a little competition but mostly like to paddle and enjoy the scenery, and a fourth paddler who just loves to relax when he paddles.

For more information on this kayak & canoe race & river rally, click here to go to our kayak, canoe,& paddling races & events page.

To find other places to paddle, kayak and canoe all over the U.S., click here to go to our places to paddle, kayak, and canoe 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.