The 55th Annual Marathon will be on Sunday, May 20, 2012
Details:	Although the 2012 Marathon date is now certain, other registration and waiver details will not be available until close to March 1, when the registration process will open. .
	Further information and application materials will be posted as they become available.

The Des Plaines River Canoe and Kayak Marathon, founded in 1958 by Ralph Frese, is the second oldest continual canoe race in the United States. The race is 18½ miles on the beautiful and historic Des Plaines River. There are numerous classes to accommodate people of all ages and levels, with a halfway take-out option possible for non-competitors. Everyone is welcome to participate. First time participants, repeat paddlers, and serious competitors can all enjoy the excitement, challenge, and camaraderie that this historic event provides.

Welcome 2012!

WE WELCOME YOU to the 55th Des Plaines River Canoe and Kayak Marathon! We see need for only minor fine tuning introduced below for the 2012 Marathon. As before, we remain grateful for the considerable assistance of our co-sponsors, the Forest Preserve District of Cook County and the Lake County Forest Preserves. We do wish you abundant enjoyment and success with your preparation and participation in the May 20 Marathon!

- Al Pilgrim & Jack Snarr, Co-Chairmen

REGISTRATION will be primarily by the internet-based SignMeUp.com/canoemarathon system employed the past two years. Click here to register now. Alternatively, you may leave a message on the Marathon Hotline to have paper information and application materials mailed to you. One partner can register up to four occupants of a craft, order t-shirts and make payment, although other paddlers or passengers must signify agreement to the waiver via an automated email process. Registration of greater than four participants per craft must be done by requesting a paper form.

CLASS SPECIFICATIONS will remain the same for 2012, although if you anticipate including NON-COMPETING PASSENGERS in your boat, beyond two occupants, their fee will be only $5.00 each. We hope thereby to encourage participation by young family members. Craft with greater than two occupants will automatically be assigned to the No Contest Class.

AGAIN THIS YEAR the Illinois Canoe/Kayak racing scene will feature the Illinois Triple Crown Championship Awards to those four men and four women (two of both genders for canoe and two of both for kayak) with the fastest total times overall in the Des Plaines, Mid-American and Chicago Flatwater Classic races. Partners, if any, in the three races need not be consistent, but must be of the same gender. Watch the websites of these three races for further details as they unfold, or consult the USCA Event Calendar description at www.uscanoe.com/eventsSearchRegions.cfm.

HALFWAY TAKE-OUT OPTION enabling some participants the opportunity to paddle a shorter distance will again be supported by pre-race shuttle service from the take-out site at Rivershire Park in Lincolnshire back to the Start. Cars may be parked in an adjoining lot. A map and further detail on parking and shuttle service will be included in the emailed follow-up information.

BOAT NUMBERS must now be picked up and applied to your craft at the Start of the race, per follow-up email instructions announcing your Start time and providing additional procedural details.

RYERSON DAM was removed prior to the 2011 race and the portage replaced with a mild chute for passage of canoes and kayaks. Dam #1 in Wheeling remains a mandatory portage, unless water level is sufficiently high to rescind this requirement, as in 2010, in which case announcement will be posted at the Start.

OPENLANDS SUPPORT While registering for the past two Marathons participants have opted to contribute an additional $1200 to support the efforts of the Upper Des Plaines River Ecosystem Partnership and the Illinois Paddlers' Patrol, organizations devoted to extending the environmental and recreational potential of the Des Plaines and other Illinois rivers. This year the Marathon organizers have identified Openlands as the organization for which we encourage your adding a couple dollars or so support to “round off” your total race entry fee to $25. As a brief introduction, Openlands was founded in 1963 to protect the natural and open spaces of northeastern Illinois and the surrounding region to ensure cleaner air and water, protect natural habitats and wildlife, and help balance and enrich our lives. Along the way Openlands was a coauthor of the Northeastern Illinois Regional Water Trail Plan and, since its adoption by Northeastern Illinois Planning Commission in 1999, has worked to make the plan a reality. Paddlers appreciate the respite from urban and suburban life that water trails offer, refreshing our spirits, forging powerful connections between people and waterways, and inspiring stewardship. Openlands works to improve water trail access by helping local governments plan for launch sites and sign water trails. For example, theorganizationn recently chaired a work group of water trail access owners on Salt Creek that resulted in the development and improvement of several new access points and a signage project. They also offer support to Illinois Water TrailKeepers and are planning several clean-ups for next spring and summer with TrailKeepers. In addition, they work on policy issues that affect water trails, and work with partners to produce maps and other descriptions of area water trails, including the Northeastern Illinois Water Trails Map Summary. We encourage your support of Openlands to enhance all of our Illinois paddling experiences by checking the appropriate box on your SignMeUo.com entry form. For more information on Openlands visit www.openlands.org.

TWO GRAND MASTER AWARDS will again be given in recognition of continued strong showing relative to peers of all ages in a class. One will go to that solo paddler whose percentile finish in his or her class is highest among all solo competitors over 70 years of age on race day. The second will go to that tandem paddler whose percentile finish is highest among C2 or K2 paddlers over 70, regardless of who his or her partner may be. For 2011 the winners were: Solo – Anthony Salvagione from St. Joseph, MI, and Tandem – Norm Staniszewski, from White Lake, MI. Having now received this recognition in 2011, Anthony and Norm will be removed from 2012 consideration.

NEW THIS YEAR will be FREE RAFFLE PRIZES to recipients drawn at random at the afternoon Awards Ceremony from registered boats. Prizes donated by co-sponsor Forest Preserve District of Cook County will consist of multiple free admissions and parking to Chicago Botanic Garden, Brookfield Zoo and FPD Golf Courses. Awardees not present at the ceremony will be notified of their winnings.

AGAIN WE ENCOURAGE YOU to partake of the opportunities at the Finish Area to wind down after completing the race, pick up your patch and t-shirts, enjoy the food and music and view special exhibits and the award and raffle presentations.

OTHER RACES AND PADDLING EVENTS including the Illinois Triple Crown Championship information, may be located at www.uscanoe.com/eventsSearchRegions.cfm

Sponsored by: Des Plaines River Association | Lake County Forest Preserve District | Cook County Forest Preserve District
Sanctioned by: Illinois Paddling Council | The United States Canoe Association
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