Vail Whitewater Race Series set to start in May

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

The Vail Recreation District partners with the Eagle River Water & Sanitation District, Town of Vail and Alpine Quest Sports each spring to host the annual Vail Whitewater Race Series. Sign up now and get ready for one of our most spirited and spectator-friendly race series of the year! Races are held on Tuesday evenings from May 9 to June 6 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 13. 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 two-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 6, 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.

*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 crowd. 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, Altitude Bar & Grill, Evergreen Lodge, Kokatat, New Belgium Brewing, Hala Gear, Alpine Wine & Spirits, Hyside Inflatables, Sweet Protection, Down River Equipment, Optic Nerve, Stohlquist, 10th Mountain Whiskey & Spirits, Immersion Research, SOL Paddle Boards, NRS, El Segundo, Outdoor Technology, Werner Paddles and Lakota Guides.