Westfield River race adds 1-mile ‘Fun Run’ to appeal to new paddlers

March 29, 2023 | Miasha Lee

Tracy Small of Chester paddles furiously during the 2022 Westfield River Wildwater Races.
Reminder Publishing file photo

HUNTINGTON — The 68th annual Westfield River Wildwater Races will start at 9:30 a.m. on April 22. This whitewater kayak and canoe race goes through the towns of Huntington and Russell, with different distances to accommodate different skill levels.

First to go are the experts, who begin their race at Knightville Dam north of downtown Huntington, and will shoot Class 4 rapids and boulders for five miles. The “classic” race starts in the center of Huntington, and includes up to Class 3 rapids for a distance of eight miles. Experts also paddle the classic course, for a combined 12-mile run. Both of these races end in Russell.

This year marks the introduction of a new third race called the Fun Run, a one-mile paddle for newcomers starting in downtown Huntington after the classic race.

Race Director Ed Hamel said, “We wanted to do this because our attendance for the races have been down. We’re trying to figure out ways to revive the race and introduce more people to the paddlinhg sport, so we’re putting this one-mile event for newbies to get their feet wet and be a part of the excitement.”

He continued, “We don’t know what to expect out of it, because it’s the first year we’re doing something like this, but our feeling is that there’s a lot of people out there that have interest in this race, but they’re afraid to try it. It’s really trying to take that level of fear away and give them a way to paddle the race at race release level.”

Sponsors for the event include the Westfield River Watershed Association, which is organizing it, Hilltowns Community Health Center, Wild & Scenic Westfield River Committee and Polish National Credit Union. A post-race celebration will follow at Strathmore Park on Route 20 in Russell, with a puppeteer parade from the Wild & Scenic Westfield River Committee, face painting, food trucks, a DJ and live music. Race winners will receive a hand-crafted paddle trophy in an awards ceremony at 2:30 p.m. 

Leading up to the race there will be two clinics, one on Saturday April 8 and the other on Saturday April 15, both at noon in the center of Huntington. Experienced paddlers will share their knowledge of the river, warning them about hazards and working on canoeing and kayaking skills.

To register for the race, visit westfieldriver.org/races. The entry fee is $30 per person for paddlers in the expert and classic races, which includes a $5 insurance fee. There is an early bird discount rate of $25 for those who sign up by April 1. Fun Run entries are $10 per person, which includes the $5 insurance fee. For more information and updates, like “Westfield River Wildwater Races” on Facebook.

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