The American Canoe Association has announced that it will stage the Open Canoe Downriver National Championship races on the Penobscot River in July, with the Penobscot Indian Nation serving as host.
The races are set for July 22-26, and will be held on a section of the river that has been positively affected by the recent removal of dams in Milford and Veazie as part of the Penobscot River Recovery Project.
All of the races will be held on a 9.5-section of the river between Old Town and Eddington. That stretch of river once had two dams — Great Works and Veazie — that blocked both fish and boats from traveling up or down the river.
The newly restored section of river includes several large rapids and other fast water that will challenge paddlers.
Maine last hosted the ACA’s Open Canoe Downriver National Championships in 2009, on the Kennebec and Dead rivers. The races were also staged on Maine’s Lower Dead River in 2005. For the past three years, the national championships were held on the Nantahala River in North Carolina.
