Preliminary Event Schedule (subject to change)

Friday, June 21 Blazing Paddles Check-In, Registration, Boat Drop Off at Merwin’s Wharf

5:00 - 9:00 pm Early registration, packet pickup, & boat drop off

1. PLEASE register BEFORE June 22. While we will be taking same day registrations, we want to minimize that effort as much as possible so we can focus on a smooth check-in for pre-registered participants.
2. If you are local to Cleveland, please pick-up your registration from 5 pm - 9 pm Friday. This will reduce our volunteer workload and check-in time for our out-of-town participants Saturday morning
3. At check-in you will receive your t-shirt, wrist-band, bib number, and your board/kayak will be numbered.
4. PLEASE consider pre-staging your board/kayak Friday afternoon in our secure grass corral on the Cleveland Metroparks Merwin's Wharf property. There will be a guard stationed and a Blazing Paddles representative on-site until the CRF and Merwin's gates are locked. This will GREATLY help our efforts to accommodate our out-of-town guests checking-in Saturday morning.
5. On event day, your numbered wrist-band and vessel number must match in order for the board/kayak to be 1) moved to the river and 2) loaded onto a car after Blazing Paddles.
6. There is NO on-site parking at Rivergate Park or Merwin's Wharf. We have secured free parking for Blazing Paddles participants and volunteers at the Thunderbird site at 1970 Carter Rd., Cleveland OH 44113. Google map link here. PLEASE allow yourself time to park and walk the 1,000 yards to the Merwin's Wharf site. 
7. There is a MANDATORY safety briefing at 7 a.m. at Merwin's Wharf Saturday morning.
8. There is seating along the river at Merwin's Wharf, allowing you to relax after you check in Saturday morning.

11:00 pm = Merwin's Wharf gates close

Saturday, June 22

5:30 - 7:30 am On-site registration, packet pickup & boat drop off

MANDATORY BLAZING PADDLES MEETING: 7:15 am - Course details, safety procedures and participant questions.

7:30 am Blazing Paddles participants can begin entering the Cuyahoga River

8:15 am Deadline to claim rental boats at Merwin's Wharf

8:30 am Blazing Paddles Start (from Columbus Rd. Bridge start line)
(NOTE: this is a "mass start" event. This is a work in progress and we will better define the starting process by Friday afternoon. Thanks you for your patience).

8:45 am Put-in closes (last call for late arrivals wanting to participate in Blazing Paddles after the field has departed).

11:30 am Presentation of race awards

12:00 pm - Deadline for Blazing Paddles participants to take out at Merwin’s Wharf docks

2:00 pm - Deadline to pick-up boats from take-out (this may change if there is enough demand for participants to keep their boats at Merwin's so they can enjoy the Cuyahoga50 Recreation Hub)

Note: All paddlers are required to have a PFD. We also recommend all paddlers carry a cell phone with them. Also, use sunscreen and bring WATER! Blazing Paddles is a rain or shine event and no-refunds will be given.

SAFETY NOTICE

The Cleveland Rowing Foundation’s Western Reserve Rowing Association is holding a 500 meter sprint race just downriver from the Blazing Paddles put-in, with its finish line and recovery zone falling directly across from Merwin’s Wharf dock. Eight-person rowing shells will be approaching their finish line at race speed and will not have the ability to stop or veer away from anyone in their path. Paddlefest participants should keep their boats/boards close to the Merwin's Wharf side of the river as they head upriver, and as they return, so as to avoid injury to all participants [see highlighted area on map below). Once paddlefest participants pass under the Columbus Road Bridge, you may take up the entire width of the Cuyahoga River. See river map below.