Volunteer

Paddling 50 miles on a Wild and Scenic River isn’t for everyone, but anyone can volunteer to make this event successful. We would love to have your help.

Groups and individuals can contribute their time and attention in the following areas:

Registration and greeting, Friday night: Help participants get registration packets, unload vehicles, answer questions about the area, and provide other miscellaneous help or information. Volunteers are needed from 1-7 p.m. Friday before the race. We need 5-10 people, depending on the number of signups.

Pre-race greeting and support, 5:30-6:45 a.m. Saturday: Help racers set up for the 7 a.m. starting gun Saturday morning just north of Randall Creek Rec Area. We’re basically helping make sure people are in the right place as the event starts, assisting unsupported participants with their gear, helping out as necessary. Volunteers who can help should show up around 5:30 a.m. Plan to carry a few boats and get paddlers motivated for the Battle!

Checkpoints during the race, Approx. 8:30 a.m.-9 p.m. Saturday: The race will have three checkpoints. Staff/volunteers will open the first one before 8 a.m., and the second and third checkpoints as the race progresses. Checkpoint volunteers watch for participants, record the racer’s number and time, help with ice and water, help get boats on/off water and other general duties.

We use "rolling" checkpoints so paddlers just need to get close enough so the checkpoint staff can record their information. Staff at checkpoints can pick one and stay there or leapfrog down river to the finish line if they wish. We’ll need plenty of people at each one. We also will have ice and water for all at the checkpoints. Check out the website’s tab called “The Course” to see where the checkpoints are located.

On-water safety spotters, 7 a.m.-10 p.m. Saturday: We enlist a small armada of boaters who followed our participants. This volunteer opportunity is open to any powered and non-powered watercraft, so if you know someone who might want to help PLEASE ASK THEM or relay their name/contact information to race officials. We are looking for fishing and recreation powered boats as well as kayaks, canoes – really any craft – who can help provide shepherding to our paddlers and respond if necessary. The key role of on-water staff is communication and observation. Local knowledge of a challenging river is a plus.

On-land safety spotters, 8 a.m.-8 p.m. Saturday: We will have some folks at a variety of points to make sure we are attuned to the progress of the racers, these jobs will open/close as the race progresses down the river. Checkpoint staff often designated spotters.

Finish line, approx. 2-10 p.m. Saturday: We’ll need about 5-10 people to set up food/drink, record the finish times of participants at Springfield Marina and we’ll need a few strong volunteers to assist finishers and haul boats and gear.

There will be food and drink for all volunteers, as we celebrate with finishers, their teams and their families!