Iowa Games enjoy a pleasant Saturday of races on the water

By Travis Fischer, tkfischer@charlescitypress.com

The weather was nice and the water was fine on Saturday, June 17, as competitors for the Summer Iowa Games met in Charles City to compete for a kayaking and other watercraft competition.

“What a fantastic day for the event” said Iowa Games Commissioner Piper Wall. “We were thrilled with the weather.”

Starting at 9 a.m., the 35 participating registrants ran through 99 runs down the Cedar River, getting timed in a variety of race categories for different craft. The river was a bit lower than it’s been in past years, making a difference in how returning racers approached the course.

“People had a lot of good feedback on the course,” said Wall. “There were several people that commented on liking the low water course better.”

The Iowa Games have drawn paddlers of all ages and experience levels to Charles City, with this year’s registrants ranging from 9 years old to 71. The contest even drew several competitors from neighboring states who, even if they couldn’t compete for rankings, still made the trip for an afternoon on the water and a T-shirt.

“We’ve been really spoiled,” said Dave Hillman, who competed in the races. “The fact that we pulled in four out-of-staters … the word is out.”

Contributing to the event were volunteers from the Charles City Area Chamber of Commerce. From providing timekeepers to setting up the course barriers to providing space for trailers, Wall said she was was very appreciative of the support that the city and community offers to facilitate the event.

“I don’t think we could do these raft events without that,” said Wall. “The volunteer and city support are both phenomenal. Charles City is an amazing venue.”

The Iowa Games event also serves as a bit of a prelude to the Chamber’s own rafting event this upcoming weekend.

The 11th annual Charles City Challenge will start on Friday, June 23, with a day of admission fee practice clinics to learn the dos-and-don’ts about rafting.

“Anybody who is interested or curious about how that works can come in and check it out,” said chamber director Mark Wicks.

On Saturday, the contest will begin in earnest with a day full of competitions from the kayak rodeo to the paddleboard contest to the “Hooligan Race,” where entrants can race in anything that floats and some things that shouldn’t.