Kayakers from all over the Eastern US and Canada convened at Stone Valley in Colton on Labor Day Weekend for the Raquette Race, part of the Whitewater King of New York Series. The series includes competitions along four Northern New York Rivers: the Raquette, Black, Beaver, and Moose.

The Raquette section of the race is a Class 5 rapids, the most challenging of the Whitewater King of New York Series. 

Emrick Blanchette had the winning time of 5:42 out of 42 participating racers. The whitewater race brought other kayakers and many spectators to the river, some of whom have been coming to watch the race since its inception in 2011. 

The race takes advantage of a dam release scheduled by Brookfield Renewable Energy, emptying large amounts of water collected in upstream reservoirs to create these Class 5 rapids. The force of these waters is extreme, creating precarious yet exciting conditions for racers.

The race was successful and enjoyed by kayakers and spectators alike. If you missed last weekend's Raquette race, look for the Moose Race at Lyons Falls, New York, on October 15th. 

Photos by Nick Zachara and Amanda Brooks