An annual staple of the summer season in the Aurora area, the Mid-American Canoe and Kayak Race is set to draw hundreds of people to the Fox River on Saturday.
The Fox Valley Park District event, now in its 65th year, “combines competition, recreation and community spirit while showcasing the scenic Fox River corridor through St. Charles, Batavia, North Aurora and Aurora is a longstanding community tradition that continues to bring participants, volunteers and families together who are ready to kick off summer,” according to Lynn Piotrowski, facility manager at Prisco Community Center in Aurora, who is again overseeing the race.
The race will again feature a six-mile course that begins at the Batavia VFW, 645 S. River St. in Batavia, and a 10-mile course that will launch from Mt. St. Mary Park in St. Charles on Prairie Street east of Route 31. Race heats begin at 8:30 a.m. in St. Charles and 10 a.m. in Batavia.
Those looking to take part in the race must register at www.foxvalleyparkdistrict.org/event/mid-american-canoe-kayak-race-4/ or at the Prisco Community Center, 150 W. Illinois Ave. in Aurora.
Piotrowski, serving her third year as race manager, said she hopes the trend of growing participation in the race continues following issues earlier this decade that included the pandemic as well as dangerously high water levels.
“We had to cancel the race one year because of COVID and there have been a couple of years around the pandemic where we had issues with the water levels,” she said.
“People get on a circuit and put their races on a calendar, but we feel people have come back to the race,” she said. “We are seeing families returning, many who have done it the past few years because now it’s part of their summer routine.”
Piotrowski said the race is basically split between those who enter looking to seriously compete along with those who just want to enjoy being out on the river.
“Half of the people are in our competitive heats and the other half are in our recreational heats – half are here to be competitive and half for just recreational time,” she said.
In a press release, the Fox Valley Park District announced a new timing system will be used this year. All boats will be chip-timed through an electronic timing system designed to improve accuracy and provide quicker race results, officials said in the release.
Timing chips embedded in participant bibs will automatically record finish times, the release said. The new system also shifts the official finish line to the Illinois Avenue bridge in Aurora, where timing equipment will be suspended above the river.
“In past years, racers would often raise their paddles as they passed under the bridge, even though the actual finish line was still a short distance away,” Piotrowski said. “Now, the bridge truly becomes the finish line. Racers will be able to see it ahead of them, push through that final stretch and experience a much more exciting finish to the race.”
Heading into the final days before the race, Piotrowski said the park district is “on track to be a little bit ahead as far as the number of participants.”
Last year, there were 280 participants and officials are expecting the race to top 300 this year. There is no participation limit, Piotrowski insists, “as we have the volunteers and the capacity for unlimited participation.”
Officials said that following the race, participants and spectators are invited to a celebration at nearby McCullough Park.
A wristband for lunch at the celebration is included with race registration. Reuland’s Food Service will prepare a grilled lunch menu with additional food items available for purchase. Non-racers may also purchase a $27 ticket that includes lunch and a race T-shirt. Fans can also purchase just the race T-shirt for $15, event organizers said.
David Sharos is a freelance reporter for The Beacon-News.
