Whether you’re a fitness paddler looking to take your fitness to the next level, or a family looking for a fun and friendly activity, paddle racing might just be for you. At a paddle race, you will see all ranges of ages and abilities, specialized paddle racing craft, and “run what you brung” everyday canoes and kayaks. Don’t be intimidated - even the people paddling narrow kayaks and canoes made of exotic materials are usually friendly and welcoming. Many people will be willing to answer your questions and help you get started. 

All you need to bring is yourself, your boat, your paddle or oar, a Personal Floatation Device (PFD) or life jacket. You might want to bring a drink bottle with water or sports drink, and a safety whistle. If you have one, a GPS of some sort can help your situational awareness on the water, such as how far you’ve gone - if it’s a 10-mile out and back race, you want to start looking for the turn some time before the 5-mile point.

If you’re lucky, you’ll live in one of the places in New York State that have weekly weekday evening races or group paddles. Most of these events are free or relatively cheap, and are more focused on beating your own previous times rather than “winning” anything. These events are a great way to discover the fun and camaraderie of paddle racing and put you in touch with other like-minded people. We've got some resources to help you find paddle groups and weekly races at this link.

Even if you don’t have a local paddling group, you can still go to any of the weekend races and try it out. Check the schedule and find races that appeal. Most races have a headline race that’s somewhere between 8 and 12 miles, but often they’ll have a shorter race for beginners. On the more extreme end, there is the Adirondak Canoe Classic (aka “The 90” - so-called because it’s 3 days of about 30 miles each day) and the General Clinton Regatta with 70 downriver miles in one day. Neither of those are recommended for beginners, but every year some beginners do them.

So when you get to the race, what can you expect? Well, often they are tucked away in some low-key parking lot or fishing access. That’s why we’ve put a Google Maps link on the schedule for each race. Usually (but not always), there will be a small sign where you turn off the main road into a side road or a parking area. Don’t be surprised if the sign just says “canoe race” - if you’re bringing a kayak, stand-up paddleboard, or guide boat, you’ll still be welcome. Once you get parked, find the registration - it’s usually in a tent or picnic shelter or something else protected from the elements. We don’t cancel the race for rain, although we will wait out lightning. They’ll give you a form or two to fill out - a race registration and a liability waiver. They’ll ask you for boat category and class. These two terms denote two different things, although don’t ask me which is which. One of them denotes the type of boat (C for Canoe, K for Kayak, etc.) and the number of paddlers in the boat (C-2 for Canoe with two people, etc.). The other denotes how “racing specialized” the boat is. Generally, the very narrowest or longest racing specialized boats will be called “open” (or “unlimited”), ones that might actually be suitable for use in tripping and other uses will be called “stock” (or “touring”),  and then for boats that are too short or too wide for those categories, there’s a “recreational” class. Registration will usually be around $30 per boat or per person, but check the schedule for details. Often that entry fee will include a t-shirt or hat with the logo of the race.

After you get registered, there is usually a racers’ meeting. This is where the race director will introduce you to where the race is going, what buoys or marks you’re going to look for to turn around, and whether the start will be broken up into waves and what boat categories and classes will be in each wave. Pay careful attention, because you don’t want to miss your start wave.

Some time before your start wave, you’ll want to get out on the water and do whatever warm-up you feel you need. This is also a good time to make sure you’ve got your equipment and yourself squared away and ready for the race. Make sure you can access your drink bottle or hose, and that your PFD / Life Jacket is either worn or accessible, depending on the race rules and your own safety tolerances. Then wait for them to call your wave up to the start line. If you’re new to racing, consider lining up behind the people in the really fast boats if they’re in your wave. The race director will give you some sort of countdown and a “go” command or siren. Then you’re off!

While you’re out on the course, be courteous to other paddlers.  If you see a boat in trouble or you hear a safety whistle, offer to help if you’re able.  Keep an eye out for your turning marks and buoys and get to the finish.

But most importantly, have fun.

After the race, there will be time to relax, talk to other racers, and learn about equipment, techniques, and other events. There will also be an awards ceremony. Most races are very informal affairs, and the awards are simple and often homemade. Wooden plaques and ribbons are common.

Hopefully, your first race will encourage you to come to more.