BANGOR, Maine — The water will be high for Saturday’s 49th annual Kenduskeag Stream Canoe Race but not unusually high, and the fact the race was pushed back a week for the first time in its history will prove a wise decision.
That was the word from Bangor Parks and Recreation director Tracy Willette and race director Debbie Gendreau on Thursday.
Gendreau said the stream would have crested at 15.9 feet last Saturday because of the ice and the fact high tide was at 10:57 a.m. That would have endangered paddlers negotiating the bridges in downtown Bangor, so the finish line would have had to have been moved up the stream, as it was a year ago when the race was shortened by 1 mile.
The highest the water level could be this Saturday would be 13.4 feet because high tide will be at 4:28 a.m.
“We don’t have to worry about high tide, and all of the ice is out of the stream. We’re in good shape,” Willette said. “The water level will be good.”
Six Mile Falls, where most of the spills occur because of fast-moving rapids, will be “easier to run” thanks to the high water, according to Gendreau.
“The water will be flowing over the rocks. There will be less turbulence,” she said.
“There will be good action, and the paddlers will have several lines (channels) to choose from (to negotiate the rapids),” Willette said.
Willette noted that the 10 miles of flat water that lead up to Six Mile Falls will have a “little flow,” which should benefit the paddlers.
“It won’t be completely calm and flat,” Willette, who added that participants should dress warm, said.
More than 400 paddlers had pre-registered as of late Thursday morning.
Gendreau said the race has averaged 700 to 800 canoeists and kayakers during her seven-year tenure as race director. She anticipates a similar turnout Saturday.
“We have had more cancellations this year because we had to move the race back a week,” Gendreau said. “Usually we have no more than one or two, but we’ve had over a dozen so far.”
There will be 24 race classes overall, including the C-2 College Recreation and C-2 High School Recreation classes, which will be contested for the third year.
The pre-registration fee is $20 per person until 1 p.m. Friday, then increases to $40 for the rest of Friday and before the start of the event Saturday. Pre-registration may be done at the Bangor Parks and Recreation office at 647 Main St. or online at BangorParksandRec.com.
For more information, call 992-4490.
Race-day registration and check-in will be held from 6:30 to 7:45 a.m. in Kenduskeag Village, followed by a briefing at 8 a.m. Boats will be launched five at a time, every minute, beginning at 8:30 a.m.
Eleven-time race winner Robert Lang of Renforth, New Brunswick, owns the course record of 1:50.08 set in 1997. Fred Ludwig and Steve Moser have the two-person kayak record (1:51.27 in 1997) and Jeff Owen and Steve Woodard hold the two-person canoe mark (1:52.30, 2007).
Willette and Gendreau said they already have started discussing special events to celebrate next year’s 50th annual race.
“That’s going to be a big deal. The longevity of an event like this is unique,” Willette said.