The United States Canoe Association (USCA) Nationals Canoe Race is a 4-day event where canoers and kayakers from across the US and Canada test their race skills against the best in their sport.
About this Event
The United States Canoe Association (USCA) Nationals Canoe Race is a 4-day event where canoers and kayakers from across the US and Canada test their race skills against the best in their sport.
The 2018 edition of this premier race event is being hosted by the New York Marathon Canoe Racing Association (NYMCRA) and will be held Aug 10-12 in the greater Syracuse area. This will be the first time NY plays host to the USCA Nationals since they were held in Syracuse in 1995. The races will be held on the outlet of Onondaga Lake and the Seneca River, part of the historic Erie Canal.
Onondaga Lake was once one of the most polluted lakes in the United States. Last year marked the completion of the dredging portion of the restoration plan, which recently won the Western Dredging Association's 2017 Environmental Excellence Award for Environmental Dredging. The lake is now the cleanest it has been in over 100 years and it continues to improve. The Erie Canal was an engineering marvel in its time. Cities like Schenectady, Rochester, Buffalo, and Syracuse thrived due to the cheap shipping the canal provided.
Modern day Syracuse is located on the former lands of the Onondaga Nation. Syracuse is known as “The Salt City” as the region was known for commercial salt production between the 1700-1900’s from the Halite beds just south of the modern-day city and the salt springs that are found on the southeastern edge of Onondaga Lake. Until 1900 the bulk of the salt used in the US came from Syracuse and was largely distributed on the Erie Canal. The combination of the Erie Canal and the salt industry led to the increase of population in the local area.
In hosting the 2018 USCA Nationals, NYMCRA plans to showcase the amazing clean-up efforts of Onondaga Lake as well as the historic waterways of Upstate New York. We look forward to 4 great days of racing in Syracuse! See you there!
Start/Finish/Venue
The 2018 USCA Nationals are to be held in Onondaga Lake Park in Liverpool NY. The main parking area and staging area will be on the East Shore of the lake outlet near the Syracuse University and Syracuse Chargers boathouses.
Address: 10 Eyck Road, Liverpool, NY 13088
This will be the primary parking location as well as vendors and awards areas. The easiest access to the parking area is to enter from the north on Onondaga Lake Parkway off of Cold Springs Rd.
The race course is a circuit course. The circuit is 6.5 miles long. Racers complete 2 loops for a total distance of 13 miles. The map shows the course in red (downstream) and green (upstream). Racers gather south of the start/finish line towards Onondaga lake. A drift line will form at the NYS Thruway bridge and will drift north towards the start line. Race officials will give a 5 minute, 2 minute, and 1 minute warning. The race will start anytime after the 1 minute warning when the on-shore officials feel the racers are in a straight line. Racers head north away from the lake, passing to the right of the Klein Island. The racers turn right as they enter the Seneca River, heading East. There is a counterclockwise buoy turn at Grenadier Village Apartments, Racers then head upstream (west) keeping Klein Island on their left. After the marinas there are a few stretches of shallows before the second buoy turn. Racers complete another counterclockwise turn. Again, keeping Klein Island on their left, racers enter Onondaga Lake Park. The left shore along the island provides more shallows. Racers take a right hand turn towards Onondaga Lake, then complete a third buoy turn at the start/finish area just prior to the Longbranch Bridge. Racers complete this circuit a second time finishing in front of the Syracuse University boathouse.
USCA Membership:
To participate in the 2018 USCA nations you will need to have a current USCA membership. You may sign up online here or by mail, instructions can be found here. Registration will be available on sight but we strongly recommend signing up ahead of time to avoid delays.
Schedule of Events:
Day 1, Thursday, August 9
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Event
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Description
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Time
|
|
Opening Ceremony
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Opening Ceremony Details
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N/A
|
|
Youth Sprints
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Sprint races for participants under 18
|
N/A
|
|
Day One Awards
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Awards ceremony for the days races
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N/A
|
Day 2, Friday, August 10
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Event
|
Description
|
Time
|
|
C2 Men
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Open, Master, Senior, Veteran 1, Veteran 2, Grand Veteran 1, Grand Veteran 2
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N/A
|
|
C2 Standard Men
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Open and Master
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N/A
|
|
OC1 Men
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Open
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N/A
|
|
K1 Touring Men
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Open, Master, Senior, Veteran 1, Veteran 2, Grand Veteran 1, Grand Veteran 2
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N/A
|
|
K1 ICF Men
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Open, Master
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N/A
|
|
K2 Unlimited Men
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Open
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N/A
|
|
C2 Men Junior
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Short Course
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N/A
|
|
C1 Woman
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Open, Master, Senior, Veteran 1, Veteran 2, Grand Veteran 1, Grand Veteran 2
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N/A
|
|
C1 Stock Woman
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Open
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N/A
|
|
K1 Unlimited Woman
|
Open
|
N/A
|
|
K1 Touring Woman
|
Open, Master, Senior, Veteran 1, Veteran 2, Grand Veteran 1, Grand Veteran 2
|
N/A
|
|
K1 ICF Woman
|
Open, Master
|
N/A
|
|
C2 Woman Junior
|
Short Course
|
N/A
|
|
K1 Woman Junior
|
Short Course
|
N/A
|
|
Day Two Awards
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Awards ceremony for the days races
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N/A
|
Day 3, Saturday, August 11
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Event
|
Description
|
Time
|
|
K1 Unlimited Men
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Open, Master, Senior, Veteran 1, Veteran 2, Grand Veteran 1, Grand Veteran 2
|
N/A
|
|
C1 Men
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Open, Master, Senior, Veteran 1, Veteran 2, Grand Veteran 1, Grand Veteran 2
|
N/A
|
|
C1 Stock Men
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Open
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N/A
|
|
C1 Junior Men
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Short Course
|
N/A
|
|
K1 Junior Men
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Short Course
|
N/A
|
|
C2 Woman
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Open, Master, Senior, Veteran 1, Veteran 2, Grand Veteran 1, Grand Veteran 2
|
N/A
|
|
C2 Standard Woman
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Open, Master
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N/A
|
|
OC1 Woman
|
Open
|
N/A
|
|
K2 Unlimited Woman
|
Open
|
N/A
|
|
C2 Woman Junior
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Short Course
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N/A
|
|
Day Three Awards
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Awards ceremony for the days races
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N/A
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Day 4, Sunday, August 12
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Event
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Description
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Time
|
|
K1 Sea Kayak Men
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Open, Master, Senior, Veteran 1, Veteran 2, Grand Veteran 1, Grand Veteran 2
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N/A
|
|
SUP Unlimited Men
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Open, Short Course
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N/A
|
|
C2 Men/Youth
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Short Course
|
N/A
|
|
K1 Sea Kayak Woman
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Open, Master, Senior, Veteran 1, Veteran 2, Grand Veteran 1, Grand Veteran 2
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N/A
|
|
SUP Unlimited Woman
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Open, Short Course
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N/A
|
|
C2 Woman/Youth
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Short Course
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N/A
|
|
C2 Mixed
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Open, Master, Senior, Vetern, Men/Junior, Woman/Junior
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N/A
|
|
C2 Standard Mixed
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Open
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N/A
|
|
K2 Unlimited Mixed
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Open
|
N/A
|
|
C2 Junior Mixed
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Short Course
|
N/A
|
|
Day Four Awards
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Awards ceremony for the days races
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N/A
|
|
Closing Ceremony
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Closing Ceremony Details
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N/A
|
Parking:
The main parking area and staging area will be on the East Shore of the lake outlet near the Syracuse University and Syracuse Chargers boathouses.
Website: http://cnynationals.com/#
Timing and Finish line Services
Timing services provided by Underdog Race Timing. Results will be available immediately after the race at: www.underdogtiming.com
