Announcing the 2025 Eagle River Water & Sanitation Vail Whitewater Race Series

The Vail Recreation District recently issued the following press release on the Vail Whitewater Race Series:

Every spring, the Vail Recreation District partners with the Eagle River Water& Sanitation District, Discover Vail, and Alpine Quest Sports to organize the popular VailWhitewater Race Series. Make sure you don’t miss out on the opportunity to participate in one of our most exciting race series of the year! The races will take place on Tuesday evenings from May 6 to June 3 in Vail Village. Spectators will have the chance to cheer on the competitors and enjoy a fantastic view. Register now to secure your spot!

The Vail races will be divided into three categories, including kayak (under 9’6”), stand-up paddleboard (under 11′) and two-person raft (under 10’6”) teams with different course challenges every week. The course challenge for each event will be determined day of based on river flows.

Thanks to our race sponsor Hyside Inflatables, rafts will be available for two-person raft teams to use.

Preregistration is highly recommended. Online registration ends at 10 a.m. on race day; day-of registration will only be accepted on a space-available basis. Race day bib pickup and registration begins at 4 p.m. at the Vail Whitewater Park at International Bridge, and all races begin at 5:30 p.m.

All racers must be present by 5 p.m. for the mandatory safety talk and course instructions. Every race will be followed by an after-party with awards, raffle and free beer for competitors, taking place at different locations around Vail Village.

Races start at the Covered Bridge and end at the International Bridge, except for the last race on June 3, which is a longer course that starts at the Amphitheater Bridge in Ford Park. Short-term gear drop is available at Checkpoint Charlie. Participants are asked to please park in the Vail Village parking structure.

MINTURN DOWNRIVER DASH WHITEWATER RACE | SAT, MAY 31

Test your boating skills on the Eagle River on Sat, May 31 at 5 p.m.! This race takes place in, and is presented by, the Town of Minturn. This race is separate from the Vail Whitewater Race Series and is for kayaks and 2-person rafts only.

Please note that registration for this race is not included in Vail Whitewater Race Series registration; visit the Minturn Downriver Dash webpage on www.vailrec.com to sign up for this exciting race!

The Vail Whitewater Race Series is open to all paddlers ages 16 and up and intermediate to expert abilities. The skills to run class III whitewater in your chosen craft are required. This is a fun way to track your individual performance, progress throughout the series and compete against others. All competitors are entering at their own risk. Pre-approval by race safety officials is required for participation if under 16 years of age.

If you’re not participating in the race, come support our racers and enjoy a lively community event. Competitors love being cheered on by the crowd by the International Bridge!

For more information on the whitewater races and other events, visit www.vailrec.com, call 970-479-2280, or email sports@vailrec.com.

The VRD’s Whitewater Race Series is yours, thanks to our title sponsors Eagle RiverWater & Sanitation District, Discover Vail, and Alpine Quest Sports. Thank you to our partners at Immersion Research, Town of Minturn, Gravity Haus Vail, Dryland Fitness &Spa, Altitude Bar & Grill, Evergreen Lodge, Hala, Mountain Time Lager, Best DayBrewing, 10th Mountain Whiskey & Spirits, Sweet Protection, Optic Nerve, Kokatat,  Hyside, YETI, Alpine Wine & Spirits, El Segundo, Kind Design, River Station Gear, FreshKamp, Jaunt Media Collective, Werner Paddles, Badfish, Timberline Tours, Vail Daily and Pazzo Pizzeria.