Erie Canal Regatta Canoe and Kayak Racing on the Erie Canal

Need something to do on a crisp September morning?   How about this relaxing little race on the canal. Organizers have designed the regatta to be the most participant and spectator friendly race in Upstate New York, with a Family Fun Race approximately 2 miles long and the longer Enthusiast Race approximately 8 miles.

http://www.eriecanalregatta.com

See our book Canoe Racing for tips on training and technique.

     The connection between paddling and our heritage is striking. All of us who race canoes and kayaks have the great fortune of spending significant time on New England's beautiful rivers and lakes. Back and forth we go, training, racing, and getting a perspective on the world that few enjoy. (a guest post by Peter Heed, author of Canoe Racing)

What is easy to miss is the fact that our sport literally allows us to paddle through history. So much of New England's early heritage is inextricably linked to the rivers on which we train and race. Nearly everywhere you paddle in New England, there are compelling true life stories of real people, courage, violence, determination, and redemption along the the riverbanks. The Connecticut River valley is particularly rich in this heritage, as it served as the major "superhighway" for Native Americans and early settlers alike - usually by canoe, bateau, or flat bottomed boat! Fascinating stories are everywhere - along the riverbanks, on the water, and sometimes in areas now submerged by impoundments behind the dams.

Having just a little sense of this vibrant history can give you a whole new level of appreciation while you paddle, train , and race on the rivers we all love so much. With that in mind I have shared some of these great stories with you - of real people who lived and died along our rivers. This is one of them.

Canoe Racing has been a staple of nearly every canoe racer for the last 12 years.   It is now revised with updated photos and advice.  You can now buy it as a pdf download for $9.95.

This book is packed with advice on technique, equipment, and racing tactics, Canoe Racing is the "bible" of marathon and downriver canoe racing. Both newcomers and experts will enjoy this thorough guide. Illustrated with action shots from across North America, it is designed for runners, cyclists, and skiers looking for a new sport; for recreational canoeists who may want to try a new sport; and for canoe racers who want to learn more about the subtleties of racing.

 Review
"You'll enjoy the clear, enthusiastic writing and expert advice. This is an inexhaustible classic." -- Canoe News

Go to the pdf download page

The start of any big canoe race is intense and exciting.  Here are two onboard videos from the start of the pro 70-mile General Clinton canoe race last weekend.  Note how the stern paddler calls the huts to change sides and uses side wakes of competitors' boats to advantage.

 

You can find more information on techniques and strategy of marathon canoe racing here.

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Every May, thousands of paddlers, from elite racers to grandpas with their granddaughter, descend on Bainbridge, New York to race in one or more of the fifty races on the Susquehanna River in the General Clinton Regatta. There are fireworks, carnival rides, and many reunions of paddlers who come year after year.

 The Regatta is topped off on Memorial Day with the 70-mile race starting on Otsego Lake in Cooperstown and ending in Bainbridge.  It is the world's longest single-day flat water marathon canoe race.

Peter Heed, a veteran canoe racer and author of Canoe Racing, loves the wild and crazy Rat Race which is held every spring in Athol, MA.  The bedlam, camaraderie, and civic support make it a perfect start to the canoe racing season in New England. (For an interesting canoeing post by Heed, click here.)

The race last weekend attracted hundreds of paddlers.  One of the participants, Dan Pelletier, has put together a video (which is a little long if you're not into canoe racing) which captures the flavor of this popular event.  

Is this your year to jump into canoe racing?  Check out the New England Canoe & Kayak Racing folks.  Another great resource is the United States Canoe Association.

 

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