Flatwater Classic
Sunday, October 5, 2008
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.
Why
Friends of the Chicago River founded the Flatwater Classic in 2000 to give people a chance to see the Chicago River and learn for themselves why it needs their help. Alive with activity both on and under the water, the Chicago River is home to 70 species of fish, 60 kinds of birds, and a growing diversity of mammals. Our goal is a clean, accessible river that can be shared by the people, plants, and animals that call our watershed home.
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!
Sponsors
as of August 13, 2008
PRESENTING SPONSOR
VOYAGEUR SPONSOR
Burke, Warren, MacKay & Serritella, P.C.
CNA
Chicago Park District
Earth Tech/AECOM
GaiaTech
General Iron Industries
Goose Island Beer Company & Urban Catering
The John Buck Company
Ozinga
PricewaterhouseCoopers
Schulze & Burch Biscuit Company
CRUISE SPONSOR
Eddyline Kayaks
Mid-City Subaru
Special thanks to our partners and sponsors including the City of Chicago, DeVry University, the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago, The Northwest Passage and Superior Ambulance Service, Inc.
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