WCRA

47th Annual Wisconsin River Canoe and Kayak Race - Big Five Challenge - Muscoda, WI - July 7-8, 2012

Sunday, 29 January 2012 22:10

Saturday, July 7: Satrday Night Special C1/K1 race (5:00 p.m. Victora Park, Muscoda)

Sunday, July 8: 21-mile (10:00 a.m. Wisconsin Riverside, Spring Green)

Sunday, July 8: 15-mile start (10:30 a.m. Otter Creek Landing, Lone Rock)

Sunday, July 8: 8-mile start (10:30 a.m. Pine River/Buena Vista Landing, Gotham)

Saturday Night Special is a free bonus race for paid Sunday racers with a donation for the local food pantry.

Muscoda Race Entry Fees

• Adults (21 or 15 mile) $20 (pre-registered) / $30 (race day fee)
• Juniors (21 or 15 mile) $15 (pre-registered) / $20 (race day fee)
• Youth (any race) $10 (pre-registered) / $15 (race day fee)
• 8-mile race $15 (pre-registered) / $15 (race day fee)

For more information and race details, please refer to the Muscoda Race Brochure (Pdf) or contact This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Pre-Registration opening soon. Race-Day/On Site registration will be available at all start locations.

Muscoda Race Brochure (Pdf) - 2012 brochure coming soon.

Also please read and understand the Muscoda Race Waiver (Pdf).

Burlington C-1 K-1

Tuesday, 27 March 2012 02:16

NOTE: COURSE CHANGE.
We just got notification from the City of Burlington that this year we
will not be allowed to stage our races at the usual location, Riverside
Park. They are renovating the park and it is closed to the public until
May 1. So the start/finish will be at Bushnell County Park, which has always
been the downstream turnaround in the race. The race course and
distance remain unchanged - we are just starting and finishing at a
different spot. Bushnell Park is at 32300 Bushnell Rd (Hwy 142) at the
southeast edge of Burlington.

Season Opener 2012

Sunday, 26 February 2012 20:34

2012 Wisconsin Season Opener Canoe / Kayak Race

Date: Sunday, March 11, 2012 (Special Note: Previous years, this race has been on Saturday. We are moving to Sunday morning this year to avoid conflicting with a Canoecopia presentation on youth competitive paddling.)

Start time: 10:00 a.m.

Location: The Yahara River in downtown Madison, Tenny Park, just downstream of the locks, at the canoe racks.  You can reach this parking lot from Sherman Avenue.

More Information: Kevin LeRoy, cell: 608/712-0980.  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Gimmick: We try to set a race course where the winning time in minutes will equal the forecasted high temperature in degrees Fahrenheit.  For your reference, the average high temperature in Madison in mid-March is in the low forties.

Entry Fee: None.  Really, this is just a bunch of friends getting together for a little fun and is NOT an organized “event” (because it was; we’d need permits, insurance and stuff like that). We can’t charge an entry fee if we’re not actually providing anything other than a few buoys and somebody to shout, "GO!"  There are no classes and timing and scoring will be “casual”. Please make special note that there are no public restrooms available this time of year (the park’s facilities will be closed for the season). Also, the start area is in the middle of a popular urban park, adjacent to apartment homes; and this time of year, the bushes do not provide any visual cover. In other words, you must take care of your bodily needs before you arrive.

Disclaimer: It is very important that you understand that canoe and kayak racing has certain inherent risks that could cause severe injury or death.  These risks are magnified by the fact that this race will take place on nearly frozen water.  The casual nature of this race means that nobody is going to take any steps to ensure your safety.  You are completely on your own and must use your own judgment.  You should only participate in this race if you have sufficient paddling experience, understand what you are getting into; and perhaps lack some common sense.

Course description: The race course will be laps up and down the river (number of laps depends on temperature).  This stretch of the Yahara is almost exactly one mile long between Lakes Mendota and Monona.  It is almost entirely straight, is generally about 3 - 5 feet deep and roughly 30 or 40 feet wide.  Depending on water levels in Lake Mendota, current can range from minimal to moderate.  This is an urban river with plenty of urban river features such as old bridge pilings, pipes, abandoned bicycles and discarded shopping carts.  You do NOT want to hug the shoreline (especially under bridges). The middle of the river, however, is clear of obstructions.  If ice and wind conditions permit, we will use part of Lake Monona.  However, in the ten years that we've held this race, we were only able to use Lake Monona twice.

September Wisconsin Canoeing Association Newsletter

Monday, 12 October 2009 20:07

Download the September 2009 WCRA Newsletter (pdf file)