Canoe Competition Hearkens Back to Row Boat Races of Old
Anyone looking for a fun and altruistic way to spend a Wednesday is invited to take part in the July 9 canoe races at Riverview Park that will benefit the Eagle River Historical Society (ERHS).
The races are being put on in partnership with Hawk's Nest Outfitters. Canoe teams will paddle the length of the Eagle River boardwalk and back, and the fastest team takes home half of the total entry fees. The other half of the fees collected will go to cover operating costs of ERHS.
This is the second annual canoe race, and like most of ERHS' events, has its roots in Eagle River history. Executive Director Vito Bortolotti spoke a little bit on how the event came about.
"Last year we were having discussions about how Eagle River has such a beautiful and historic park right in the heart of downtown and how it used to be used all the time for food festivals, marathons, art shows, and even dairy shows over 100 years ago," he said. "That's not to say the park isn't used today, but we felt it would be good to start our own event in the park to engage the community."
According to Bortolotti, the race itself is inspired by row-boat races that used to be held there in the 1980s and 1990s. While the society doesn't have a collection of vintage rowboats around to use, organizers brought the event into the present by partnering with Hawk's Nest.
"Hawk's Nest is a very community focused business in town so we are happy to work with them," Bortolotti said. "They recently opened up a downtown location, but the main location is located on Highway 70 toward St. Germain. They have a great selection of boats, kayaks, tubes, and bikes that can be rented."
Bortolotti would like to see the event expand from last year and has made a couple changes including moving the start time a little later in the morning and offering concessions. "Last year we had approximately 22 to 25 people attend the race and it really was a blast watching neighbors try and beat each other or parents teach their kids how to canoe for the first time," he said.
This year's races begin at 10 a.m. and will go until 2 p.m. Hawk's Nest is providing canoes and life jackets for participants. Jessica's Cucina will be on-site offering plenty of hamburgers, hot dogs and more, to not only those who stop to take part in the races, but any hungry boaters passing by on the river.
"We are excited to host our second annual canoe race in Riverview Park with Hawk's Nest Outfitters this year!" Bortolotti said. "This event is really a chance for families, locals, and the community to come out on the water and have some friendly competition."
Walk-ins are welcome to take part in the races.
