Great Iowa River Race 2024
June 8 @ Sturgis Ferry Park, Iowa City, IA, United States
GENERAL INFO
This race has been cancelled as of 6/3/2024 due to unsafe river conditions. If you have already registered, you should have received an email with further details. Please let us know if you have any questions by emailing fowen@johnsoncountyiowa.gov.
Canoers, kayakers, and paddleboarders are welcome to compete in this fun 9.25-mile race on the Iowa River! Community members looking mainly for a fun competition can enter into the recreational event, while serious racers (you know who you are) can enter into the competitive event. Many more helpful tips on registration are explained in the registration pages.
The registration window is open from March 1 to June 4 OR once we hit 150 racers, which ever comes first. The race is $35/person through March 31st (Use Coupon Code: EARLYBIRD). Starting April 1st, all registrations will increase to $40/person. There is no day-of-registration. Anyone not registered after June 4 will be denied entry. To be guaranteed a race t-shirt, racers must be registered by May 13th at 4:00 p.m. After that date, t-shirts will be available while supplies last.
Along with race t-shirt, the registration fee covers lunch following the race. All profits help to expand the Johnson County Conservation's environmental education program.
Shuttles will be provided to help individual racers get between the start and finish. The first shuttle will leave from Hills Campground around 7:45 a.m. See more information about the shuttles on the schedule tab.
Rental canoes and kayaks are available for $10. The supply is limited, so reserve your rental early by emailing fowen@johnsoncountyiowa.gov (you must check rental availability before registration, especially closer to the event!) Include in the email your name, address, phone number, and number/type of rentals. Payments must be made in cash upon check-in, no exceptions.
Racing with kids? Contact fowen@johnsoncountyiowa.gov for a youth coupon for those 14 years old and under. We recommend that all youth share a watercraft with an adult, for example, a tandem kayak or canoe, especially for youth 12 and under. We recommend all personal kayaks measure over 9 ft long; shorter kayaks are not appropriate for river journeys of this distance.
The above tabs with schedule, course, and directions give more logistical details.
Weather Policy: In the case of thunderstorms the day of the race, a weather delay of 30 minutes to one hour may be set in place. We will not send racers onto the water if lightning persists. In the case of flooding or high and unsafe water levels, or water levels that are too low, the race will be evaluated a week in advance, with the possibility of cancellation. In the event of cancellation, we cannot offer refunds. T-shirts will still be given out to all who registered in time to secure one. Following that deadline, t-shirts will be available while supplies last.
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