Registration open for annual Vail Whitewater Race Series

The Vail Recreation District this week issued the following press release on the annual Vail Whitewater Race Series:

Every spring, the Vail Recreation District partners with the Eagle River Water & Sanitation District, Town of Vail and Alpine Quest Sports to host the annual Vail Whitewater Race Series. Sign up now and get ready for one of our most intense, spirited and spectator-friendly race series of the year! Races are held on Tuesday evenings from May 10 to June 7 in Vail Village.

In addition to the regularly scheduled series, we will also have a bonus race – presented by and taking place in the Town of Minturn – on Tuesday, June 14. Please note that registration for this race is not included in the regular series, visit www.vailrec.com/registerand scroll down to “Minturn Downriver Dash” to sign up separately for this exciting race!

The Vail races will be divided between three categories, including kayak (under 9’6′), stand-up paddleboard (under 11′) and two-person raft (under 10′) 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 twox-person raft teams to use if needed. Preregistration at www.vailrec.com/register is highly recommended; 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. (mandatory safety talk and course instructions at 5:10 p.m.). 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 International Bridge, with the exception of the last race on June 7, 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.
The Eagle River Water & Sanitation District Vail Whitewater Race Series is open to all paddlers, ages 16* and up, with 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 enter at their own risk.

*New for 2022, the series will include a junior division for qualified kayakers under the age of 16. Pre-approval by race safety officials is required for participation.

If you’re not racing, come to the International Bridge to support our racers and enjoy a fun and lively environment – this is a great community event, and the competitors love being cheered on by the spectators. We hope to see you there!

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

The Vail Whitewater Series is presented by Eagle River Water & Sanitation District, Town of Vail, Alpine Quest Sports and Town of Minturn. Additional support is provided by Bloch & Chapleau Attorneys at Law, New Belgium Brewing, Hyside Inflatables, Sweet Protection, Down River Equipment, Optic Nerve, Stohlquist, 10th Mountain Whiskey & Spirits, Immersion Research, SOL Paddle Boards, NRS, Altitude Bar & Grill, Evergreen Lodge, El Segundo, Outdoor Technology, Hala Gear, Lakota Guides, Alpine Wine & Spirits, YETI and Pazzo’s Pizzeria.