2nd Annual Lower Yough Open 2023

The Great Falls Foundation and Mountain Watershed Association are excited to bring another year of mass start racing to the Lower Yough!

This year’s course will start at the put-in and finish at the loop take-out. Here is the schedule:

530p-615p: registration/check-in at Wilderness Voyageurs under the pavilion. Registration fee will include a minimum $5 donation to the local Ohiopyle fire department and can be done day of at the check-in table.

545p: volunteer/safety meeting on the front porch of WV

615p: racer safety meeting on the mulch at the put-in

630p: mass start race

7p: party, awards ceremony, and raffle at Wilderness Voyageurs. The Mountain Watershed Association is putting on a fantastic party for all participants including food, drinks and possibly live music!

BOAT CATEGORIES: Short, Long, Race, and Inflatables. What's the definition of a 'short boat'? Not a long boat. In other words, we're not imposing the 9' limit, but be cool and don't push the boundaries. A half-slice at 9' 4" is fine (e.g., large Rewind), but a full creeker closer to 10' is not OK. The boat length rule is: be cool, don't be uncool. {stolen/edited from top yough race). The race category consists of speeders, wavehoppers, and Wildwater boats. Again, the rule for this category is: be cool, don't be uncool.

PARKING: Between the private boater lot and state park parking lot there is a plethora of parking at the put-in.
Parking for the awards ceremony will be in the Wilderness Voyageurs parking lot or the Ferncliff parking lot across the street. You’re also welcome to walk the quarter mile from the private boater lot to WV. The awards ceremony will take place an hour after all racers are off the water.

SAFETY: Safety coordinator will assign safety sets prior to race day. If you are unable or unwilling to paddle to your safety set, there will be one or two rafts you can hop in and get dropped off from. All safety personnel must have a throw rope. Safety personnel will meet 45 minutes before the race starts at the put in.

REQUIRED GEAR: Only whitewater appropriate craft will be permitted. Racers and Safety Boaters will be required to wear Coast Guard approved life jacket, helmet, proper footwear, and weather appropriate dry wear.

VOLUNTEERS: Volunteers are a crucial part of any event and those willing to help out can sign up online. We will need volunteers across the board from safety to check-ins and everything in between. Please comment where you would like to be assigned from the list below when you register: Safety, Check-in, on-shore marshal, timer, etc.