2018 National Canoe Poling Calendar.

Date(s) Event Location Contact
March 25, Sunday
register 9-11, race starts 12 noon
Tenandeho River Water Derby
4.5 miles downriver
Coon's Crossing off Rte 67
Mechanicville, NY
Scott Stepenuck
(518) 885-4098,
April 7, Saturday, 10 a.m. Eastern CT Wildwater Poling Clinic Natchaug River
Natchaug State Forest, CT 198
Eastford, CT
Nelson Walker
(860) 429-8711,
May 5, Saturday
registration 8:30 am,
races start at 9:00 am
ACA New England Canoe Poling Championships Kenduskeag Stream
340 Valley Ave
Bangor, ME
Chip Cochrane
Chip (207) 280-0191,
May 26, Saturday ACA National Canoe Poling Championships Farmington River at Punch Brook
Junction CT-4 and CT-179.
Burlington, CT
Nelson Walker
(860) 429-8711,
June 2, Saturday Great Rappahannock
Whitewater Canoe Race
Rappahannock River
Fredericksburg, VA
Chris Stec
(540) 907-4460 x110, cell (828) 329-3404,

Additional info from Nelson regarding the ACA Canoe Poling National Championship 2018.

Where: Farmington River. Burlington CT. At junction of CT Rt 4 and CT Rt 179.
Parking lot of what has been called Punch Brook access by local polers. See location on Google Maps.

Race Time: Saturday, May 26, 2018. Registration and set up at 7:30 AM. First race to start at 8:30.
It is advised to get there early especially if weather is nice. This is a very popular area for fishing, biking, running, walking with a beautiful paved Rails to Trails path along the river. Parking can be problematic with people coming and going.

Pre-race Practice: Friday afternoon May 25th, after 3PM. I plan on being at the race site to meet, greet and practice on the river. I will stay at the site till 7PM before heading home to return back at 7:30 AM Saturday morning.

Events: Wildwater and Slalom for Intermediate, Masters, and Open Classes. There will not be trophies for a Women's class this year.
Entry fee is $10.00 each race. You must be an ACA member to enter for insurance coverage or you can get an event ACA membership for $5.
ACA National Canoe Polers meeting will be held after racing is over on Saturday, at the site.

Food: Collinsville is 3-4 miles up River on Rt 179. I stopped in at ABC Pizza and we could order pizzas for after racing as one option and there are others (No reservations have been made).

Accommodations: There is no overnight parking/camping along this section of the river. There is the American Legion Campground in Riverton and Alsop Meadows in the town of Avon neither of which are very close (?15 miles). There are motels in the area but you would have to go online to check out what works for you. I live 35 miles east of the race site, a 45 minute drive with no traffic and I usually plan on an hour. I have a couple of extra bed rooms and plenty of room to pitch tents in the yard and welcome all who would want to stay at my house. I live in Storrs/Mansfield, CT, home of the UConn Huskies i.e. Main Campus of University of Connecticut. Just give me a heads up (last minute ok) if you want to stay at my house in Storrs.

Water levels: USGS gauge 01188090 Farmington River at Unionville, CT. This section of the river is almost always pole-able even at very low levels (scratchy). If we have 2 or 3 days of heavy rain, high water would be problematic for safety.

Hope to see you Saturday, May 26!!!!!!!

Contact: Nelson C. Walker ((860) 429-8711, )

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Webpage by Mena Schmid.
Last Modified: May 2018