The Vail Recreation District partners with the Town of Vail, Eagle River Water & Sanitation District and Alpine Quest Sports to host the annual Vail Whitewater Race Series. The races will be divided between three categories, including kayak (under 9'6"), stand-up paddleboard (SUP) (under 11') and 2-person raft* (10'6" or smaller) teams with different course challenges every week. The course challenge for each event will be determined the day of the race based on river flows. 

Preregistration is highly recommended, online registration ends at 10:00 am on race day. Day-of registration will only be accepted on a space-available basis. Race day bib pickup and registration begins at 4:00 pm at the Vail Whitewater Park at International Bridge, there is a mandatory safety talk & course instructions at 5:20pm at the Covered Bridge Start Area, and all races begin at 5:30 pm.

Most races start at the Covered Bridge and end at International Bridge. The last race on June 4 will start at the Amphitheatre Bridge in Ford Park. Short-term gear drop is available at Checkpoint Charlie. Long-term parking is available in the Vail Village parking structure.

Who can participate?

The Vail Whitewater Race Series is open to all paddlers ages 16 and up and intermediate to expert abilities. The skills to run class III whitewater in your chosen craft are required. This is a fun way to track your individual performance, progress throughout the series and compete against others. All competitors are entering at their own risk.

For more information, call 970-479-2280 or email sports@vailrec.com

Racers oer 21 years of age get a free beer at the afterparty - please make sure to pick up your beer tickets when you return your racer bib at the registration tent. Thanks to New Belgium Brewing for providing Mountain Time Lager and to Best Day Brewing for providing a non-alcholic option!

Register for the Series or Individual Races

It is highly recommended to register online. R2-Raft is limited to 24 boats per race, so sign up right away if you want to secure your spot! Online registration closes at 10:00a.m. on race day and in-person registration opens on-site at 4:00 p.m.

• Vail Whitewater Race Series: R2-Raft | Kayak & SUP
• May 6 - Vail Whitewater #1: R2-Raft | Kayak & SUP
• May 13 - Vail Whitewater #2: R2-Raft | Kayak & SUP
• May 20 - Vail Whitewater #3: R2-Raft | Kayak & SUP
• May 27 - Vail Whitewater #4: R2-Raft | Kayak & SUP
• June 3 - Vail Whitewater #5: R2-Raft | Kayak & SUP
• Minturn Down River Dash*: R2-Raft | Kayak & SUP

*Seperate race from the Vail Whitewater Race Series

If you cannot attend a race that you are registered for: Please let us know at sports@vailrec.com. This helps us open the spot up for other boaters to have a rad time and expedites making the starting order to get you on the water quicker!

Bib Pickup

Race #1-4: Racers can pick up their bib at International Bridge at 4:00 p.m.

Race #5: Racers can pick up their bib at Ford Park Parking Lot at 4:00p.m.. There will be a VRD shuttle from International Bridge back to Ford Park Parking Lot. Alternatively, racers can plan their own shuttle between Vail Parking Structure and Ford Park Parking Lot.

R2-Rafters only need one paddler to wear the bib.

Vail Whitewater Race Series Rules

To standardize the competition, kayak length may not exceed 9′6”. Whitewater-specific plastic and heavy-duty composite boats only. Stand Up Paddleboards may not exceed 11’. Rafts make not exceed 10’6”. Inflatable Kayaks & Packrafts are allowed, but only if they are robust whitewater models worthy of the conditions. If in doubt about your vessel, ask Race Directors at least 24 hours in advance of competition.

• Hand Paddlers are ALLOWED | Sea kayaks & foot rudders are NOT ALLOWED.
• Properly sized PFD, helmet, and protective footwear are REQUIRED.
• Equipment will be reviewed at the start. The organizer has the right to refuse any nonconforming equipment (i.e., bicycle helmets, nylon spray-skirts, improper PFDs, etc.).
• Athletes are REQUIRED TO ALWAYS wear competitor bibs outside their PFDs.
• Athletes MUST be checked in and registered by 5:15pm.
• Athletes MUST attend the Safety/Rules/Course review meeting at 5:20pm sharp.
• The top 9 racers move to the Championship bracket. All other racers move to the Consolation bracket.
• Athletes MUST be in control of their vessel when finishing the race.

Race Format:

• Time Trial:
  • Down Creek: everyone gets a time and is seeded.
  • The top 9 finishers move on to the head-to-head championship bracket.
  • Places 10 and lower, get a consolation round in groups of 2, 3, or 4.
• Top 9 finishers get seeded into brackets as follows:
  • Heat #1 - seeds 1, 6, 9
  • Heat #2 – Seeds 2, 5, 8
  • Heat #3 – Seeds 3, 4, 7
• The winner of each heat will enter the final head-to-head race to determine the champion.
• Seeds 10 and lower go in consolation heats in groups of 2, 3 or 4.

Time Pentalties:

• If a participant false starts in the time trial, 15 SECONDS will be added to time. If a participant false starts during the brackets, the participant will be DISQUALIFIED.
• If a participant does not proceed through a gate in the designated way, 15 SECONDS will be added to the participant’s time.
• If a participant misses an obstacle, 15 SECONDS will be added to the participant's time.
• Participants must be in control while completing ostacles, failure to do so will add 15 SECONDS to the participant's time. SUP participants must be on their feet when completing an obstacle.

Did Not Finish (DNF):

• The participant’s body passes through the vertical plane of the East end of the International Bridge before the last obstacle is completed.
• In bracket competition, the participant misses any of the gates

Disqualified (DSQ):

• In the time trial, the paddler being overtaken does not yield to the faster paddler.
• Any action by a competitor during or in between races is deemed “Unsportsmanlike.”
• In bracket competition, the participant false starts.
• Participant races without race bib or bib is unreadable.
• Raft participants do not bring raft back to start for the next racers.
• Failure to be in control of vessel at the finish

If disqualification occurs after the participant’s last race, the racer may be disqualified for the following week’s race.

A protest of a judge’s call can be grounds for disqualification.

Race Results and Series Points

Results:

• Places 1-3 will be determined by their final head-to-head race.
• Places 4-9 for series points will be determined by their time trial time.
• Place 10 and lower will be determined by their head-to-head consolation race.

Series Points:

You are competing for points and awards at each race and the top overall male/female point scorers in each category at the end of the series will also receive prizes. Points are accrued each week based on your finish position. The lowest scoring race for individuals will be dropped from the final point total so series champions are determined based on their best four of five races.

• 1st – 50 points
• 2nd – 45 points
• 3rd – 40 points
• 4th – 35 points
• 5th – 30 points
• 6th – 25 points
• 7th – 20 points
• 8th – 15 points
• 9th – 10 points
• 10th – 5 points
• Participation – 5 points

Tie Breaker:

In the case of a tie, the highest average points per event will be used to break the tie. For example:

• If one paddler has 100 points and has participated in five races (20 points per race average) and another paddler has 100 points but has participated in four races (25 points per race average) the paddler with the highest average will be declared the winner.
• If two paddlers have the same number of points and the same average, a head-to-head tie breaker will be used to declare the winner (whoever won the most head-to-head races).
• If each paddler is still tied, then the LAST race in the season in which BOTH paddlers participated will be used to decide the head-to-head tie breaker.
• If two paddlers are tied and did not compete head-to-head against each other, then the paddler who finished the latest race in the calendar will be the winner.

*Please note, thanks to hyside.com we have rafts for participant use in 2025. Raft registration will be limited to 24 boats.

Parking

Race #1-4: Please park at the Vail Parking Structure - parking is free! We ask that you carpool if possible, this is a great opportunity to find a Designated Driver to participate and give you their free Mountain Time Lager!

Race #5: Please park at the Ford Park Parking Lot - parking is free! We ask that you carpool if possible. The race will finish at International Bridge where we will have a shuttle to take racers back to Ford Park. You can plan your own shuttles as well if you don't want to wait for the VRD Van.

Drop-off Zones

Race #1-4: There is a drop-off zone at International Bridge to drop off your heavy boating gear and then park at the Vail Parking Structure. 

Race #5: Racers can drop off their gear at the Ford Park Parking Lot.

Check out Previous Race Results & Photos on the Race Results Webpage.