By Staff
Proceeds from race
will help park, PTRF
By GREG KATSKI
Staff Writer
Get those paddles ready.
The Pamlico-Tar River Foundation will host the second-annual Race for the River Kayakalon at Goose Creek State Park on April 26. Entry fees for the kayakalon are $40 per person or $85 per team, with all proceeds going to PTRF and the Friends of Goose Creek State Park.
Kayaks for the race may be rented from PTRF at $15 per kayak. Non-USA Triathlon members are required to pay a $10 USAT one-day membership fee to race.
Unlike last year’s kayakalon, the PTRF has partnered with the Friends of Goose Creek State Park to hold this year’s event.
Part of the proceeds from the event will go toward Friends of Goose Creek State Park’s educational programs. Goose Creek State Park is mandated to provide educational programs by the state, but it does not have kayaks and canoes to hold educational activities on the water. With funds generated from the kayakalon, the park will be able to buy proper equipment for the programs.
The kayakalon also exposes people to Beaufort County and what it has to offer, according to Emmerling.
The kayakalon, which had about 100 participants last year, is expected to have a larger turn-out in it’s second year due to better advertising and exposure.
The kayakalon has seven new sponsors, as well as second-time sponsors Inner Banks Outfitters and the Tricredibles.
It is expected that about 150 people will participate in the race this year, according to Harris.
Mail-in entries for the race must be postmarked by today, while late registration — with a $10 late fee — is available at the PTRF office at 108 Gladden St. in Washington. Participants must be at least 16 years old.
Gold, silver and bronze medals will be awarded to first-, second- and third-place finishers in the following male or female age groups: 16-19, 20-29, 30-29, 40-49, 50-59, 60-69 and 70 and over. The first-, second- and third-place overall finishers in individual and team categories will receive awards. All participants will be given a commemorative T-shirt.
Check-in time for the kayakalon begins at 7 a.m., with the race starting at 9 a.m. Timing and scoring will be conducted by East Carolina Road Racing.
The course will consist of 1 1/2 miles of kayaking around the Pamlico River, 15 miles of biking on flat, country roads and 3.1 miles of hiking through single-track nature trails.
Harris hopes the kayakalon will continue to be a yearly tradition for PTRF.
The importance of the event to the community and the PTRF is clear, according to Harris.