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DJ STONEMAN, of West Glacier, makes his way down the Wild Mile at the 2013 Bigfork Whitewater Festival. (Brenda Ahearn/Daily Inter Lake, file)
SPECTATORS GATHER on both sides of the river to watch expert slalom runs afternoon during the 2014 Bigfork Whitewater Festival on the Swan River. (Patrick Cote/Daily Inter Lake, file)
DREW HOLLINGER, of Bigfork comes through two gates on his first run through the beginner slalom at the 2010 Bigfork Whitewater Festival. (Brenda Ahearn/Daily Inter Lake, file)
RYAN WHIRKOWSKI, of Missoula, makes his way down the “Wild Mile” at the 2013 Bigfork Whitewater Festival. (Brenda Ahearn/Daily Inter Lake, file)
A COMPETITOR launches off a rock during expert slalom runs at the 39th annual Bigfork Whitewater Festival in 2014. (Patrick Cote/Daily Inter Lake, file)
A COMPETITOR navigates the expert slalom course during the 39th Annual Bigfork Whitewater Festival in 2014. (Patrick Cote/Daily Inter Lake, file)
Sunny skies and a ride down the “Wild Mile” await competitors in this weekend’s Bigfork Whitewater Festival, one of the longest running annual events in the Flathead Valley.
This year marks the 42nd straight of racers from around the world traversing the Swan River in search of glory, and cash prizes totaling $5,000.
Tabbed the “Wild Mile” by festival organizers, the one-mile stretch of river where the competition will be held is one of the most challenging in Northwest Montana and, in its heyday, made the Whitewater Festival one of the top events in the Northwest.
Today, the festival also includes a special triathlon (with kayaking in place of swimming), downtown vendor booths, food for sale in Brookside Yard and a Friday night mini-film festival at the Flathead Lake Brewing Co. Pubhouse.
RACES ARE scheduled for Saturday and Sunday, with registration each morning at downtown Bigfork’s Garden Bar.
Spectators are encouraged to attend the whitewater races, with viewing most accessible from the Swan River Nature Trail.
The triathlon will take off from the Garden Bar at 8 a.m. Sunday and consists of a four-mile flat-water paddle, a 14-mile bike loop and four-mile run on the Swan River Nature Trail.
The weekend begins Friday with Whitewater Films and Pints at Flathead Lake Brewing’s Bigfork location. Whitewater films “Dashboard Empanada,” “For the Love” and others will be shown. Items from Love Boat Paddle Co., Tamarack Ski and Lake Shop and Strongwater will be given away in a live raffle, and a portion of beer sales will be donated back to the festival.
For more information on the 42nd annual Bigfork Whitewater Festival, visit www.bigforkwhitewaterfestival.com or find Bigfork Whitewater Festival on Facebook.
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
Saturday
9-10:30 a.m. — Registration for kayak and rafting events (in front of Garden Bar)
10 a.m. — Lower Slalom
1 p.m. — Expert Slalom
Sunday
8 a.m. — Registration for triathlon and rafting events (in front of Garden Bar)
9 a.m. — Triathlon
9 a.m. — Raft & Kayak down river
11:30 a.m. — Head-to-head raft heats
Noon — Kayak giant slalom
2:30 p.m. — Final head-to-head raft heats
Awards ceremony to follow head-to-head raft heats.