May
- 13th – Run of the Royal: Corporate Canoe Challenge, Yarmouth
Time: 10am
Location: Royal River, start & finish at Yarmouth History Center, E Elm St, Yarmouth
Type: Fastwater 8-person relay, 2.5mi per leg
Registration: Corporate: $475 before May 9, more after; School/Non-Profit/Family/Friends Canoe Relay $350 registration closes May 3
Contact: David Truesdell at runoftheroyal@gmail.com
Race Info: Race proceeds support the Royal River Conservation Trust and its plans to acquire and improve paddling access points and shoreline habitat. This relay format, with eight racers paddling four legs, is an amazing team-building opportunity. Though the race is targeted at corporate teams, any group is welcome to participate. Live music, food, art, historical society exhibits, raffle.
- 13th – East Grand 34 Mile Baskahegan Stream Canoe Race, Danforth
Time: 7:30am
Location: East Grand High School, Danforth
Type: Fastwater 34 miles (wilderness paddling)
Registration: pre-registration required, check-in 7:00am, $20 per person, $30.00 per person day of event
Contact: Dave Conley, 207-551-8729, dave@canoethewild.com
Race Info: This will be in conjunction with the East Grand Adventure Race as a paddle-only option. The race will be shortened if it’s windy. Entry fee includes lunch, t-shirt, and awards.
- 14th – Union River Race, Grand Lake to Ellsworth
Time: High Noon
Location: Union River, Grand Lake Dam to Ellsworth town dock
Type: Whitewater, 4.5-mile recreational race, one portage. Mass start.
Registration: 10:00-11:30 am at the Graham Lake Dam on rt 180 (Mariaville Rd). $20 or $15 with ACA membership
Contact: Angus Deighan 570-6695, email anguswilliamdeighan@gmail.com
Race Info: Helmets Required. At the end of the race will be a shin-dig wing-ding. Final Downriver Series awards will be awarded to deserving athletes who paddled hard! Bring some food ’cause it’s Potluck, and there will be a Mussel Feed. There probably won’t be a beer tent, but we can hope. Bring your Mom, she’ll love it.
- 20th – Sebec River Race, Sebec Village
Time: 10:00am
Location: Sebec Village
Type: Fastwater, 7.5 miles
Registration: 8:30 am in Sebec Village Reading Room. $20, T-shirts with registration
Contact: Bobby Ellison 279-0481(c) 943-2317(h)
- 10th Annual Aroostook River Fun Run, Presque Isle
Time: 10:00am
Location: Starting at Thomas Brewer Park, ending at the Presque Isle Fish and Game club.
Type: Fastwater, 8 miles
Registration: 8-9:30am $10 in advance, $15 on day of race, T-shirts to first 75 registrations
Contact: Mike Gudreau, 540-6142, michaelgudreau@aol.com
June
- 3rd – Lincoln Snowhounds River Race, Lincoln
Time: 7:30am
Type: FW, 13 miles
Registration: Registration opens at 8 am. The start is at Winn Boat Landing, finish at South Lincoln Boat Landing. Preregistration — $20.00, or $30.00 on the day of the race.
Contact: Rob Thornton robthornton87@gmail.com 207-290-2560
- 10th – Moose River Canoe & Kayak Race, Greenville
Time: 11:00am
Type: Fastwater, 8 miles
Registration: Registration opens at 8 am. $15.00, or $10.00 if postmarked by June 6.
Contact: Amy Lane 534-7362 email: amy@grayghostcamps.com
Race Map: http://www.rockwoodonmoosehead.org/images/moose-river-race-map.jpg
Race Information: Helmets required for kayaks.
- 17th – Grand Isle Canoe/Kayak Race, Grand Isle
Time: 10:00am
Type: Fastwater, 10 miles.
Registration: 8:00 AM at the Madawaska Boat Landing (behind Central Hardware); $15 per Adult and $10 per youth (between 16-10 years of age)
Contact: 207-895-3311, Grand Isle General Store.
- 24th – Great Falls Boats n’ Brews River Race, Auburn
Time: 9:30
Location: Auburn to Durham
Type: FW with class 1 stretches.
Registration: 8am $30 day of race, $15 for 12 & under
Contact: 782-2302 or email us at info@androscogginlandtrust.org
Race Info: Androscoggin Land Trust is pleased to announce our second annual Great Falls Boats ‘n’ Brews River Race. This family-friendly, amateur competitive race is being held by the Androscoggin Land Trust in conjunction with the Great Falls Brewfest. Participants can spend the morning enjoying a competitive paddle down the Androscoggin River, and if interested, they may spend the afternoon partaking in Brewfest-ivities!
- 24th – Maine Summer Adventure Race, Jefferson
Hidden Valley Nature Center. Trail running/hiking, biking, and sea kayaking.
- 28th – July 2nd – Penobscot River Whitewater Nationals Regatta, Old Town
Location: Races will start in Old Town, with the longer downriver races ending in Eddington
Type: Whitewater, various lengths.
Contact: Scott Phillips, Race Chair 207-852-0680 scott@waterwaysports.com
Race Info: Helmets required. Thurs – Sun races will include ACA Whitewater Open Canoe Downriver & Sprint Nationals. Sat July 9 and Sun July 10 will include ACA National kayak, decked canoe and SUP Championships, USACK Wildwater National Championships. This section of the Penobscot River was recently restored to a free-flowing condition following removal of the Great Works and Veazie Dams as part of the Penobscot River Restoration Project. “This is going to be a fantastic celebration of this great river and the strong paddling culture in Maine and northern New England,” says race chair Scott Phillips.
July
- 1st – Paddle Battle: Maine Lakes Open Paddleboard Race, Tarry A While Resort, Highland Lake, Bridgton
- 4th – Sebec Lake Race, Sebec Village
Time: Roughly 10:30 am (usually a “short time” after the parade)
Location: Sebec Village
Type: Fastwater—short 4-mile rec course, longer 8-mile race course
Registration: $10-$15 near the bridge
Contact: Peter Wright
Race Info: 5k road race at 8 am, parade at 9, canoe/kayak race at 10:30, bbq 11:30 -1:30.
- 4th – Sheepscot River Race, Wiscasset
Time: 12 noon
Location: Wiscasset Waterfront to Newcastle Rest Area- Flat Water with tidal push.
Type: Fastwater- 6mi
Registration: 10:00 am, $15 ($12 for pre-registration and $5 for kids under 17).
Contact: Scott Shea, 751-3450, email: info@seaspraykaying.com
Race Info: Free t-shirts for all participants! Sponsored by Seaspray Kayaking, Epic Paddles, and local businesses.
- 23rd – Pushaw Lake Fastwater Race, Glenburn
Time: 10 am
Location: Lakeside Landing, Sandy Beach, Glenburn
Type: Fastwater—8 miles, 4 miles, youth race
Registration: 8 am – 9:30 am Rec/Rac Canoe, Rec/Rac Kayak classes
Contact: Dan Baumert 207 249-9238 C/ 207 884-8052 H Email: dan.baumert@me.usda.gov
Race Info: Community Event, food, safety demo, Maine Lake Society
August
- 3rd – International War Canoe Race / Southside Tavern Sundowner, Skowhegan
Time: 6:00 pm
Location: Kennebec River, Skowhegan
Type: Fastwater—8 miles.
Registration: 4:30-6:00 pm, Donations accepted. T-shirts for first 100 registrants. Rec Canoe, Rec Kayak, and War Canoe classes
Contact: Bart 474-6073 or John Alsop, Email: johnalsop@beeline-online.net
Race Info: Trophy for War Canoe Class, and Cash Prizes!!
- 6th – Bashabez Penobscot River Race, Indian Island
Time: 9 am
Location: Starts on the north end of Indian Island on Cemetery St, above Joe Peas Rips. Finish at the Brewer Riverside Park.
Type: Whitewater, 15.5mi. Class II-III, mostly fast moving smooth water. For intermediate to advanced canoes and kayaks. One portage at Milford Dam, Old Town Side.
Registration: 7:30 am at Indian Island Community Center. The standard array of whitewater classes will be offered including, if possible, prize money for a ‘Pro’ class for any style canoe, any age, and any gender.
Contact: James Francis james.francis@penobscotnation.org
Race Info: Historical flow for July is 4,000-6,000 cfs. Race times are expected to be 2 to 2-1/2 hours and will coincide with an outgoing/low tide at the finish. The width of the river will allow paddlers to choose from a number of possible routes rewarding those with good river reading skills. This stretch of the Penobscot is 200-300 yds wide with three or four rapids and long stretches of shallow, moving current. The start will call attention the important role played by the Penobscot Nation on the Penobscot River and the River Restoration. The portage calls attention to the remaining dam and the remarkable change in the river downstream to tidewater in Bangor with the removal of Great Works and Veazie Dams. The finish will highlight the history of recreational salmon fishing on the Penobscot. Awards Ceremony at Indian Island Community Center. Helmets required.
- 13th – West Grand Lake Race, Grand Lake
Time: Various Starts between 11 and 11:30 am
Location: Public Landing on West Grand Lake
Type: Flatwater—4 races (youth, 4-mile, 6-mile, and 12-mile)
Registration: 9:15 – 10:15 am; Pre-registration $20, $10 for 12&under; Day of race $25 and $15
Contact: Colin Brown, Downeast Lakes Land Trust, phone: 796-2100
- 19th – Tour de Verona Race, Verona Island
Time: 10am
Location: Verona Island Boat Launch
Type: Fastwater—11-12 miles, high wind exposure
Registration: 9 am, $10 per paddler; 16 & under free
Contact: John Carter 667-2634 audreycarter314@gmail.com or Dan Baumert at dan.baumert@me.usda.gov
- 19th – The Great Adventure Challenge, Bridgton
Kayaking, mountain biking, and mountain race.
September
- 16th – Saco River Race, Biddeford & Saco
Time: SUP race starts at 10:30 am, kayak fun races start at noon.
Location: Long race starts just below the falls on Main Street to the entrance of Saco Bay, Camp Ellis (4 miles out and 4 miles back). The 4-mile race goes half way out and back.
Type: Fastwater & tidal, 4mi & 8mi
Race Info: In conjunction with the River Jam Festival Biddeford and Saco.SUP’s and kayaks are provided (and life jackets, of course)- so just head over to Rumery’s Boat Yard for some free fun! We’ll run SUP racers in heats of 8, then the winners of each heat will compete for a free gently used Paddle Board! Rumery’s Boat Yard is at 109 Cleaves Street (right down the street from Mechanics Park).
- 30th – Ebb Tide Marathon Race, Brewer
Time: 10 am
Location: Brewer, just South of Joshua Chamberlain Bridge
Type: Fastwater—11 miles from the Brewer boat launch to Orrington
Registration: 9:00 am, $10 per paddler; 16 and under free
Contact: John Carter 667-2634 audreycarter314@gmail.com or Dan Baumert at dan.baumert@me.usda.gov
October
- 8th – War Canoe Race, Mt. Desert Island
Time: 12:00 Noon
Location: Long Pond, Mt Desert Island
Type: Fastwater
Registration: 10:30-11:30, $20 includes an all-you-can-eat barbecue at the Atlantic Brewing Co.
Contact: Tammy Kelley, phone: 667-3947, Email tammykwh20w@hotmail.com
- 14th – Muskrat Scramble Race, Orrington
Time: 1pm
Location: Brewer Lake Road, Orrington, Sedgeunkedunk Stream, Orrington
Type: Fastwater, winding with no rapids and negligible current. Racers’ choice of 2.5mi or 4.5mi race.
Registration: No entry fee, beginners welcomed, modest prizes given.
Contact: Larry Merril lawmerr@gmail.com
Race Info: This is fun late season race that gives paddlers one last chance to race before winter sets in. Out and back course starting at the dam just beyond Bob’s Kozy Korner store on Brewer Lake Road in Orrington, which is at the intersection with Johnson Mill Road. About 4 miles on Sedgeunkedunk Stream.