Regional

Bigger courses. Tougher competition. Step outside of your comfort zone.

Regional competitions can be found all over New England. More races are launched each year as the sport and the community continues to develop. Accessible within a few hours’ drive from even the furthest locations, regional competition is an excellent way to test yourself against a larger field on a longer course — without committing to the training, logistics, and costs involved with national and international competition.

Featured New England Events

  • Narrow River Race (South Kingstown, Rhode Island, 8 miles, flat water, 4/6/24)
  • Run of the Charles (Boston, Massachusetts, 6 miles, flat water, 4/27/24)
  • Essex River Race (Essex, Massachusetts, 6 miles, protected water, existence TBD)
  • Milford Small Craft Race (Milford, Connecticut, 4.5 or 9 miles, open water, date TBD)
  • Battle of the Bay (Newport, Rhode Island, 6 miles, protected/open water, existence TBD)
  • Sakonnet Surfski Race (Portsmouth, Rhode Island, 10 miles, open water, 6/8/24)
  • Ride the Bull (Jamestown, Rhode Island, 9 miles, open water, 6/15/24)
  • Casco Bay Challenge (Portland, Maine, 17 miles, open water, 7/6/24)
  • Jamestown Double Beaver (Jamestown, Rhode Island, 10 miles, open water, 6/29/24)
  • Blackburn Challenge (Gloucester, Massachusetts, 19 miles, open water, 7/13/24)
  • NECKRA New England Championships (Hinsdale, New Hampshire, flat water, 7/28/24)
  • Clean Ocean Access Paddle 2023 (Newport, Rhode Island, 3 or 6 miles, open water, date TBD)
  • Nahant Bay Cup (Swampscott, Massachusetts, 8 miles, open water, 8/10/24)
  • Fairfield Paddle Fest (Fairfield, Connecticut, 6 miles, open water, date TBD)
  • East End Series Finale (Portland, Maine, 8 miles or 4 miles, open water, 9/2/24)
  • Great Stone Dam Classic (Lawrence, Massachusetts, 8 miles, flat water, 9/8/24)
  • Salem Sound Spectacular (Beverly, Massachusetts, 8 miles, open water, 9/29/24)
  • Sakonnet Surfski Race Fall Edition (Portsmouth, Rhode Island, 8 miles, open water, existence TBD)
    (permanently replaces Plum Beach Lighthouse Race)
  • Narrow River Race II (South Kingstown, Rhode Island, 8 miles, flat water, 10/26/24)
  • The Bridges of Essex County (Danvers, Massachusetts, 6 miles, flat water, 11/3/24)


New England Canoe & Kayak Racing Association Events

Although several of the NECKRA races appear in the Featured Events list above, there are many additional flatwater races in the area. For a complete list, consult the NECKRA Schedule or see the map below (click upper right corner for full-page version). Note that not all NECKRA races are appropriate for surfskis (because of rapids and/or shallows).



Other Northeast Events

  • Around the Cape Paddle (Cape May, New Jersey, 15 miles, open water, 6/23/24)
  • Toms River Paddle Race (Toms River, New Jersey, 7 miles, protected water, date TBD)
  • HACK Race (Ridgefield Park, New Jersey, 9 miles, protected water, date TBD)
  • D&R Canal Canoe and Kayak Race (Princeton, New Jersey, 8.6 miles, flat water, date TBD)

For additional races in the Northeast, please see Surfski America and the NYPRA Schedule. Note that not all NYPRA races are appropriate for surfskis (because of rapids and/or shallows).