Generally speaking, when a person turns 59 years old, their life (and their metabolism) slows down. Sometimes, they just don’t feel as alive as they once did.
When an event or an institution turns 59, however, it only seems to gain momentum, to grow in both fanfare and lore. In a year when Fenway Park, home of the Boston Red Sox, has turned 100, we are becoming more and more aware of just how important our institutions and events are.
While Fenway has grabbed all the attention in Eastern Massachusetts this spring over its centennial, a beloved event in Westfield is set for others to ride its wave.
The Westfield River Whitewater Races are back for a 59th running this weekend – for one day only – making it the oldest whitewater race in the country.
What originally started in 1953 as a friendly challenge among a group of canoeing connoisseurs for two cases of beer at the Whippernon Club in Russell, has evolved into a gigantic two-day event that features both novice and expert races. With a cash prize of $500 in the open class, winners will be able to purchase plenty of cases of beer.
Competitors are placed in several different classes, based on skill in a far different event from that first race in ’53, when a team from Southwick crashed the shindig, leaving the Westfield competitors in their wake.
Those early runnings were simple affairs in which the winner was the first to cross the finish line. However, in response to the growth of the field of competitors, the current time trial format was adopted in 1960. Today, the race attracts dozens of competitors from all over the Northeast, expert hobbyists and weekend warriors alike.
This year’s installment of the Bay State’s largest whitewater race will only be held on Saturday, as low water levels have put a damper on this year’s event. The novice race registration will open at the DPW yard in Huntington at 8 a.m., with a pre-race meeting at 9:45. The novice race will begin at 10. The expert registration will take place at the Knightville Dam at 9:30, with a pre-race meeting at 10:15, and a start time of 10:30. The 12-mile pro race will start immediately after the 5-mile boats by lottery.
The results and awards ceremony will take place after all of the races have concluded at Strathmore Park on Route 20. The Huntington Fire Department will be selling food at the event and there will also be live music at the park. Tickets are available at the registration table and the gate.
Competitors may still enter in the novice races for $20, or the junior/senior class for $15 or $20. Space is available in the 5 mile race for $20 or the pro race for $25. Entry forms can be found on westfieldriverraces.com. Any questions or inquiries can be made to the Westfield River Canoe Club at (413)-636-2397.
