DOVER-FOXCROFT — The 52nd annual Kiwanis Club of Dover-Foxcroft Piscataquis River Race is set for the morning of Saturday, April 25 from Guilford to Dover-Foxcroft.
Sponsored by Dover-Foxcroft Kiwanis Charities, Inc., the race starts at King Cummings Park in Guilford and paddlers will head approximately 9.5 miles down the Piscataquis River to the finish line located across West Main Street from Foxcroft Academy. Registration is 7:30-9:30 a.m. and the Piscataquis River Race starts promptly at 10 a.m.
Every person entering the race will receive a commemorative 52nd Piscataquis River Race T-shirt and boat decal.
There are 18 racing and recreational classes including open speed class for any paddled craft with any number of paddlers, single kayaks and canoes for men and women, two-person kayaks and canoes for men and women, two-person canoes for junior/senior (one paddler age 16 or under) and the Ancient Mariners (two persons with a combined age over 100).
There is a first-place trophy for the winner of each class and ribbons for second and third place. There are also challenge classes including couples challenge (one male and one female), Key Club/High School challenge (two high school students), corporate/public service challenge kayaks and corporate/public service challenge canoes.
There is one large first-place trophy per challenge class. The names of the paddlers in the fastest kayak and fastest canoe will be added to the Bob Darling Memorial Trophy.
This race is a major fundraiser for the Kiwanis Club of Dover-Foxcroft which raised $12,000 last year and close to $400,000 since this event was originally started more than a half century ago. Proceeds of the race are used for a wide variety of charities supported by the Kiwanis Club. A few of these activities include, but are not limited to, food backpacks for children, Thayer Parkway, swim program, Boy Scout Troop 100, Key Club, Terrific Kids, Heartwise, Dover-Foxcroft Shiretown Homecoming, food cupboards, Christmas giving project and scholarships for Foxcroft Academy graduates.
The Kiwanis Club of Dover-Foxcroft is grateful for the generous support of the corporate and business sponsors. The Club is always looking for additional sponsors so the Dover-Foxcroft Kiwanis Charities, Inc. is able to help more children and more people in the community.
To register and get more information, go to https://doverfoxcroftkiwanis.org/fundraiser-piscataquis-river-race.
Raffle tickets are also available for cash prizes to be drawn after the race.