USCA 2010 Nationals — Peshtigo: Course Descriptions
Marathon Courses — Peshtigo River

The main marathon course [for all C1, C2, K1, K2 classes except K1, C1 and C2 Junior classes (Junior), Adult/Youth (A/Y) , TriCounty (TriC), and Stand Up Paddleboard (SUP)] is just over 14 miles. Winning times will probably be just around 2 hours.

The marathon races (including A/Y, TriC, Junior and the SUP exhibition event) start a few hundred yards upstream from Potato Rapids Dam.

The A/Yand Junior course will be similar to the regular course, but the upstream buoys will be downstream from the short cut referred to below* making the A/Y course about 8-9 miles in length with the same portage as all the other classes.

The TriC and SUP marathon races will be on a yet shorter course 7-8 miles, turning a buoy about a half mile up from the start.

The starts are technically upstream. However, the start area is wide, and has still, deep water: the current only becomes detectable a mile or two upstream.

About a mile into the race the usable river narrows and there is a short cut* worth scouting and taking. Further upstream, you'll encounter current, not strong, but it's there, and a series of shallow stretches before coming to a two-buoy clockwise turn about 5 miles upstream. Note: this year as of late June, we have had more rain than in a typical year and for the pre-Nationals race (June 26-27) the river was deeper (fewer shallows) than usual. How it will be in mid August will depend on rainfall especially in the last few weeks before the Nationals.

Back at the dam, there is an easy 200-yard portage with a shallow takeout that has been cleared (semi-solid bottom, no rocks).

The put-in is on rock shelves, relatively easy, but note that on some of the rocks the attached aquatic vegetation (moss, etc) may make it slippery.

Below the dam, the river bed is rocky/gravelly and shallow for less than a quarter mile. This is the only rocky section — all the rest is soft bottomed, kind on your paddles and boats. This short rocky bottom is a (minor) threat only to your paddles. We don't know of any rocks that you can hit with your boat.

You will quickly pass under a road bridge (Hwy 64) and shortly thereafter need to know a short cut to the right. Check it out. There are two other short cuts between Potato Rapids Dam and Badger Park: one is on river right through a large patch of weeds; the other, also river right, is at a left turn bend, and is a shallow artificial channel that runs by some houses. Paddlers are advised to scout them before the race.

The rest of the course is deep water with some suck water. The river widens as you reach the dam-affected area about a mile from the finish at Badger Park, and though the river is well defined, there are plenty of weed beds/banks/shallow islands and at one point there is a choice of short cuts through the reeds/grasses.

The finish will be at Badger Park. There will be a two-buoy wide turn so that you finish upstream. Timers and spectators will get good views of the final sprints and finishes this way. There is a sandy beach where you can take boats out.

Boat Jigging (measuring for specs)

The jigging station will be at Badger Park. REMEMBER: YOU MUST GET YOUR BOAT JIGGED IF YOU FINISH IN THE TOP FIVE IN YOUR RACE OR YOU FACE DISQUALIFICATION.

Sprint Events (Tuesday and Thursday) and Biathlon (Wednesday)

The river at Badger Park is wide with minimal current and this is where the sprint events and biathlon will take place.

Orienteering (Wednesday)

The Orienteering location is a secret at this point.

It is a five to ten minute drive from the start at Potato Rapids Dam to Badger Park. The start location will be posted at the small finish pavilion in Badger Park at 7:00am.

For course map, click here.