Special edition of annual canoe race will have enough water, but rain needed for kickoff of river recreation season

Date published: 5/30/2007

By RUSTY DENNEN

The river may be low, but interest is running high in a special edition of the Great Rappahannock Whitewater Canoe Race coming up this weekend at Old Mill Park.

The race, in its 27th year, is noteworthy for two reasons, says Bill Micks, a local outfitter and organizer.

It celebrates Fredericksburg's enactment last year of a permanent conservation easement protecting over 4,000 acres of riverfront land upstream.

And there are some new elements, including a fundraiser and a national competition sponsored by the American Canoe Association.

The ACA Collegiate Canoe & Kayak National Championships will be held here for the first time, with races beginning at 9:30 a.m. Saturday and Sunday.

The ACA said last week that it plans to move its headquarters from Northern Virginia to a more suitable spot on a river. Fredericksburg, and several other locations, are under consideration.

On Saturday, Scouts will converge on the river for the first running of the Scout Canoe Challenge, beginning at 2:15 p.m.

And on Sunday, paddlers may donate money to local nonprofits through Paddle for a Cause. Supporters chip in a specified amount for each mile covered. It starts at 3 p.m. Proceeds will go to local river rescue teams, Friends of the Rappahannock, Mary Washington Hospice, Fredericksburg SPCA and the Fellowship of Christian Athletes.

There will be enough water for paddling, but conditions won't be ideal, Micks says.

"There's plenty of water for canoeing, kayaking and tubing," for now, Micks said. "But we need some rain. The best rain is a slow and steady rain for 24 to 48 hours."

That would raise river levels for several weeks, unlike thunderstorms, which dump locally heavy rain but have no lasting effect.

Thunderstorms and showers are forecast toward the end of the week and into the weekend. Tropical weather systems tend to be the biggest rainmakers here from midsummer through the early fall.

Too much rain was a problem in 2003 when the river race was canceled.

Events this weekend run from 9:30 to 5 p.m. both days.

Also, winners of the Friends of the Rappahannock's river easement student photo and writing competition will be announced. They'll be accompanying the City Council and Gov. Tim Kaine on a paddling trip on the Rappahannock on June 30.

Live music by local musicians, including folk singer Bob Gramann, will be provided both days. Scouts will be selling food and soft drinks.

Date published: 5/30/2007