Neches River Wilderness Race

August 7 @ 8:00 am - 3:00 pm CDT 

Canoe & Kayak Race Registration begins at 6:30 at the Dam Campground Race is 20-22 miles Ends at Highway 79 Jacksonville

Shuttle and lunch provided Boat rentals available www.necheswildernessrace.com

The race is set up with two classes of paddlers: leisure class and pro class. The leisure class. start one hour before the pro class which means that the pro classes don’t run off and leave the rest of the paddling field. They, by starting and hour later, will have to catch up to the leisure class and maneuver their way around and through the slower paddlers in order to make their way to the front of the pack, giving them, in effect, an added obstacle to overcome and giving both classes more time on the river together. This really adds another crazy element to the race and gives the leisure paddlers a chance to see what it’s like to “really” go fast in a canoe or kayak. Water stations and check points are setup at two locations along the racecourse, with race volunteers monitoring paddlers’ condition, and providing water to anyone needing it. Radio operators are stationed along the way to provide instant contact to emergency personnel  should it be necessary.​

At the finish line race volunteers pull canoes from the river for the weary paddlers and everyone enjoys hamburgers, cold drinks and watermelon. The shuttle starts to run, taking racers to the starting line to pick up autos. Awards are presented when all paddlers in a class have crossed the finish line. A drag boat sweeps the river from starting line to finish to make sure no stragglers remain on the river.

6:30 a.m. check in begins

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After inspection of participants and crafts, the participants will have numbers placed on their boat for identification.

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Classes will launch at timed intervals

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8:00 a.m. Leisure Class canoes will begin launching

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9:00 a.m. Pro Class canoes will begin launching.

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​If during the race a canoe has not passed the last checkpoint by 3:00 p.m. the participants will be removed from the race. We must have all contestants out of the water before dark to ensure everyone's safety.

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