Classic New River Canoe Race To Support Friends of High Country State Parks, Held Saturday, June 1

May 30, 2013. Get set for the 32nd annual New River Canoe Race on Saturday, June 1st, 2013 from Zaloos Canoes to New River State Park!

This year, the Friends of High Country State Parks (FHCSP) take over to sponsor this High Country-wide, family-friendly celebration of recreation on the New River to benefit the area’s four spectacular state parks. This classic High Country event takes place on a National Wild and Scenic River!

Winners in 19 separate race categories get trophies and there are great prizes in the Canoe Race Raffle (including a Perception Tribe sit-on-top kayak with accessory seat, life vest, and paddle) along with a growing list of valuable door prizes for participants.

Don’t miss this full day of fun. At New River State Park’s Wagoner Road Access, there will be free tubing, a growing list of door prizes for participants, music by Boone Americana band Redleg Husky, food from the Vitality Food Truck (some proceeds go to FHCSP), and fascinating ranger-led outdoor programs.

Racers compete in four classes—Novice and Expert (with seven divisions each), Special (with four divisions), and Championship (with one division). Race entry costs $10 (and $5 additional for every other class entered). Divisions are based on canoe or kayak, number of paddlers, men, women, mixed couples, junior, senior and family.

Entry in the Canoe Race Raffle costs $5 per raffle ticket or four tickets for $15. River-themed prizes include the complete kayak kit, a painting, art photograph, a barn quilt square, and a tubing trip for six in Todd. Providers include Zaloos Canoes (free shuttles for the event), Footsloggers (the kayak first prize), artist Susan VanWyk (second prize), photographer Patrick Considine (third prize), the Quilt Square Girls (fourth prize), and River Girl Fishing Co (fifth prize).

Other major sponsors include Wahoo’s Adventures, RiverCamp USA, McFarland Books, Elkland Handwerke, and Earth Fare.

For further information about the event, to register, and to see the full list of great prizes and their sponsors, visit: http://friendsofhcsp.wordpress.com/new-river-canoe-race/

 Or contact:FriendsofHCSP@gmail.com; Nancy Shannon—336-887-5550.

Please come out and help the Friends of High Country State Parks augment shrinking budgets at the High Country’s state parks. Proceeds will fund recreation, research, and maintenance projects at New River, Mount Jefferson, Grandfather Mountain, and Elk Knob. These parks are treasured resources for locals, enticing destinations for visitors, and invaluable drivers of the High Country economy.

Details—

Race Divisions—”C-2″ is a canoe with two people, “C-1” is a canoe with one person.

The NOVICE class includes 7 divisions: Men’s kayak, Women’s kayak, C-2 Men’s, C-2 Women’s, C-2 Mixed, Junior, and Junior/Senior.

The EXPERT class (for those who have placed in or won any previous canoe race) includes the same 7 divisions as above.

The SPECIAL class includes 4 divisions: Special (for anyone with physical disabilities who doesn’t feel comfortable in another class), Family Float (which is $25 for a up to a family of 5 in one craft), C-1 Men’s, and C-1 Women’s.

The CHAMPIONSHIP Class has only one division: C-2. This class is reserved for those whose boats meet USCA competition cruiser specifications.