Hi guys, I wanted to give you an invitation to the Illinois Whitewater Festival being held next Saturday, July 14. We will be having a slalom race and a boatercross on the Marge Cline Whitewater Course located on the Fox River in downtown Yorkville, IL. https://www.yorkville.il.us/Facilities/Facility/Details/Marge-Cline-Whitewater-Course-37

It looks to be about 4 hours/260 miles from St. Louis.

This is now the 5th year that the CWA has put this together and it is a part of the Buttercup Slalom Race series. We coordinate it with the Town of Yorkville’s Rib Fest, so there is great food immediately along our racecourse. In addition to the ribs, there are bars, restaurants, and even an ice cream parlor within feet of the river.

We set up the course yesterday, so it is open for practice all week. The river is a bit high right now but very boatable. Novices in rec kayaks were able to take the straight route, while the slalom course zig zags to make the most of the features. Lower river levels will only  improve an already great course. Jim Tibensky designed it to challenge all levels.

The town permits us to camp in the wooded area just upstream of the course, but I’ll be honest, it’s a lousy spot. It’s great in a pinch if you party too much and shouldn’t drive, but a decent private campground is nearby: http://hideawaylakes.com/

Registration is open on the CWA website: https://cwa.wildapricot.org/event-2857224

If anyone has questions, you can contact us at cwa@chicagowhitewater.org

Hope to see some of you out there next weekend!

Dave McGovern