Registration is underway for the Mid-American Canoe and Kayak Race, a traditional event on the Fox River that dates back to the 1960s.
This year’s race will be from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., June 1. Participants can begin in either Batavia or St. Charles, with the ending in McCullough Park, 150 W. Illinois Ave., along the Fox River in Aurora.
After the race, the Fox Valley Park District, which sponsors the race, will hold a party in the park.
Registration is open through May 29, and can be done through the park district’s website, at https://www.foxvalleyparkdistrict.org/event/mid-american-canoe-kayak-race-2/.
Entrants can download the form and register there.
There are three main categories for entrants – the canoe category, the kayak category and the recreational category – and a number of divisions within those categories.
The divisions within the canoe category are: Youth, any canoe type, both paddlers must be 17 or younger and portage assistance is allowed; Adult/Youth, any canoe type, an adult must be 30 or older and a youth must be 17 or younger; Women’s Competitive, 18 years and older with a maximum boat length of 18 feet, 6 inches; Men’s Competitive, 18 years and older, maximum boat length 18 feet, 6 inches; Women’s Masters, 40 years and up, maximum boat length 18 feet, 6 inches; Men’s Masters, 40 years and up, maximum boat length 18 feet, 6 inches; Century, two paddlers, combined age 100 or more; Mixed Couple, man-and-woman team, any age; and Single Paddler, one paddler, single-blade paddle, no Olympic specs.
The divisions within the kayak category include: Women’s Short, any kayak up to 15 feet, no downriver or racing kayaks; Men’s Short, any kayak up to 15 feet, no downriver or racing kayaks; Women’s Masters, 40 years and up, any kayak; Men’s Masters, 40 years and up, any kayak; Women’s Long, any sea kayak up to 18 feet, excluding ICF kayaks, ICF trainers and surf skis; Men’s Long, any sea kayak up to 18 feet, excluding ICF kayaks, ICF trainers and surf skis; and Tandem, all ages, any tandem paddler kayak.
The recreational category is not competitive. There is no award given, any canoe or kayak is allowed, and assistance is allowed on portages, officials said.