Flatwater Classic

Sunday, October 5, 2008 - NEW DATE!

as of 6-05-08

Presented By

Who

Friends of the Chicago River, and 1,000 paddlers, volunteers and spectators. From first-time paddlers to avid racers and from families to corporate teams, Flatwater Classic participants power down the river in standard canoes and kayaks, as well as 26-foot Voyageur replica boats.

What

The Chicago River Flatwater Classic, the only canoe and kayak race on the Chicago River. The race begins with our Voyageur Challenge, in which 10 - 12 corporate and other organizational teams compete for the Voyageur trophy. The race then opens up to hundreds of individual racers and non-competitive participants.

Where

Paddlers begin the 7.25 mile course at Clark Park (3400 N. Rockwell) and paddle south the finish at Ping Tom Memorial Park in Chinatown (300 W. 19th St.). Along the way, participants enjoy all of the visual splendor that the Chicago River has to offer, including the wooded riverbanks of the north side neighborhoods, industrial corridor surrounding Goose Island, and awe-inspiring vista of downtown as seen by the river.

NEW IN 2008!

New for 2008 is the option for paddlers to participate in the Flatwater Classic Paddle-a-thon! Friends invites each paddler to recruit sponsors to pledge dollar amounts for each mile paddled. The paddler who raises the most money will win a weekend kayaking trip for two in Wisconsin courtesy of The Northwest Passage! See the paddler information webpage for more details!

What’s more, ALL paddlers and spectators will have an opportunity to win a fabulous outdoor adventure package including a tandem kayak, paddles, life jackets, a GARMIN, and much more! Be sure to check in at the race headquarters tent to pick up your give-away entry!

And more! We updated the boat classes and you can pre-order a tasty lunch from Goose Island Brewpub Catering & Events.

Check out the Paddler Information web page for more information on all of these great additions for 2008!

Additional Sponsors

*as of May 31, 2008

Presenting

Voyageur

Burke, Warren, MacKay & Serritella, P.C.
CNA
Chicago Park District
General Iron Industries
Goose Island Beer Company & Urban Catering
Ozinga
PricewaterhouseCoopers
Schulze & Burch Biscuit Company

Cruise

Eddyline Kayaks