Each year the ACA and the Palisades Park Commission join with the PIPC Camp Directors Association to sponsor, organize and run the Youth Regatta. The event is a highlight activity for the youth camps in the park. Every year many of the camps bring all their campers to paddle and cheer.

     The regatta now includes a Spirit Award, which is independent from the race results. This has enabled the camps to get a great effort from their kids to show camp sprit and have a good time. Some of the camps use talented and artistic campers to make banners and costumes for weeks before the race.

Enthusiastic participants in the 2004 Youth Regatta

     Regatta week is a favorite camp session for some campers who return year after year especially for this event. Some camps have time for only fundamental canoe training due to session changes.  At other camps the kids train for the entire summer leading up to the race.  We have 34 different events; a short course for the younger campers and longer course for the older paddlers. The races are for females, males, campers and staff. Everyone has a great time. Most camps bring everyone in camp to the event to cheer for their paddlers.  Young paddlers from the ACA camp also compete in the regatta.

     The American Canoe Association has sponsored this event from it's inception.  As you can imagine, running this event takes many hands on the day of the race.  We need several people on the finish line as timers and spotters; some people are need for the scoring of the events. Many paddlers are needed on the water to assist the starter and to assist competitors who capsize.

     We also need people on the starting line to help organize the paddlers for their races and to start the race.  Many of our safety and starting people need relief during the day so that there are some opportunities to volunteer for only a half day.  We need people early to get the race started and then more around noon to give the first group a break.

Volunteers should contact Scott Greifenberger 1425 Bellmore Ave, Bellmore, NY 11710 516 781-8889 E-mail scottcanoe@aol.com or Sue Scher 845 351-2883  E-mail sscher5@optonline.net