The seventh annual Race to the Dome canoe/kayak event is scheduled for Saturday, and online registration is open at racetothedome.org.
This year's race is dedicated to the late Joe Wilson, who passed away last week. Wilson was instrumental in the creation and beautification of the riverfront access park in Jefferson City, working closely with city officials for more than a decade. Following the race, a public memorial gathering will happen to honor Wilson at the newly renamed Joe Wilson's Serenity Point. The park was named after him only hours after his passing by a unanimous vote of the Jefferson City Parks and Recreation Department.
Wilson was an ever-present part of the landscape, spending all of his free time at the river with his beloved canine companions, Baby and Bandit, in tow. Mayor Carrie Tergin declared this month "Joe Wilson, Baby and Bandit Month" in his honor. Wilson's friends and family from across the country will attend the memorial starting at 5 p.m.
The Race to the Dome, an annual event, is a charity canoe/kayak race benefiting Missouri River Relief and its efforts to reconnect people to the Missouri River through river clean-ups and education. Missouri American Water is underwriting the cost of the race.
The race includes a 15.8-mile course from Hartsburg to Jefferson City and a 27.6-mile course from Providence to Jefferson City. Both races end at Wilson Serenity Point at Noren Access on the north side of the river.
The races will be held simultaneously on Saturday. They start at 9 a.m. at the Providence Access on Perche Creek and Hartsburg Access, respectively. The races should take 2-4 hours to complete depending on the distance and the paddlers' experience. The cost is $50 per paddler. A new division this year is adult/child tandem canoe from Hartsburg, sponsored by Osage Paddle Sports.
After completing the race, paddlers will enjoy lunch and beer (included in registration), live music and prizes for the winners of each division. Medals will be awarded for first-, second- and third-place finishers in all divisions. Paddlers will also receive a free T-shirt, bumper sticker and other items.