TINCUP Down River Kayak Sprint

SATURDAY, JUNE 8

9:00 AM

Make sure to cram carbs before the race – you’ll need them for the 4 mile Class II-III paddle back to the Covered Bridge in Mountain House Gear Town! With a rally race format, kayakers drop at timed intervals so you’ll be racing against the clock, and if you’re really rockin’ you may be able to catch someone!

SATURDAY, JUNE 8

9:00 AM

CATEGORIES:

Open – Men*
Open – Women*
Youth – Boys (17 & Under)
Youth – Girls (17 & Under)
Longboat Division – Men*
Longboat Division – Women*
* Note that you can only register for Open or Longboat, not both.

EQUIPMENT:

• Open – Men & Women: Boats may not exceed 9’ in length. All boats will be measured at the start of the race.
• Youth – Boys & Girls: Boats may not exceed 9’ in length. All boats will be measured at the start of the race. 
• Longboat Division – Men & Women: Boats may not exceed 12’5” in length. All boats will be measured at the start of the race.
• Whitewater-specific plastic kayaks only. Sit-on-tops are allowed, but only if they are robust whitewater models worthy of the conditions. 
• No after-production modifications of the exterior length, dimensions, or hull shapes of boats allowed.
• Athletes must wear their competitor bib outside their PFD at all times.

The following boats will NOT be permitted:

• Motors or mechanical assisted drive boats
• Inflatable kayaks  
• Sea kayaks 
• Foot rudders
• If in doubt about your boat, ask Race Directors at least 24 hours in advance of the competition.  
• Hand paddlers are allowed

mandatory equipment:

• PFD 
• Helmet 
• Protective footwear 
• A dry-top, paddling jacket or wetsuit 
• Equipment will be reviewed at check-in. The Race Director has the right to refuse any non-conforming equipment (i.e. bicycle helmets, nylon spray skirts, etc.).  

FORMAT & RULES:

• Athletes must arrive at the put-in no less than 45 minutes before the race start time to go through a gear check, attend mandatory safety meeting, receive start times, and pick up their competition bib.
• Paddlers who lose their equipment and require a rescue of any kind and/or appear to be excessively struggling and/or swimming will be pulled from the course by the safety team. Paddlers who lose their gear and exit the river will receive a DNF. 
• The race is run in time trial format.  
• Final race rules and format will be available during the safety meeting.   
• Event organizers and whitewater rescue teams are not responsible for equipment rescue and/or equipment removal from the GoPro Mountain Games whitewater courses should athletes lose their equipment during practice or competition. 
• Athletes are encouraged to use reef safe sunscreen during all competitions.
• All athletes should be aware that all competitions take place in mountain rivers which may have challenging conditions such as underwater obstacles, unseen hazards, rocks, debris and vegetation.
• CLEAN, DRAIN, DRY. Before participating in this year’s GoPro Mountain Games, athletes’ gear should be CLEAN of plants, mud, and debris; DRAINED of standing water; and completely DRY before your competition. Following these CLEAN, DRAIN, DRY steps helps to protect the waters we paddle from aquatic invasive species.

boat drop info:

Athletes will only need to show up to the morning meeting with their paddle, Kayak, PFD, and other personal gear. Boats can also be dropped at Vail Village Parking Structure the morning of the race beginning at 6:30 AM and will be shuttled to the put-in point.

race start info:

The race start is in East Vail at the end of Aspen Lane. There is no parking available, so athletes may be dropped off or take the shuttles provided by Lakota Guides and Timberline Guides starting at 6:30 AM on Saturday from the top of the Vail Village Parking Structure. Please allow plenty of time to check in and attend the mandatory safety meeting.  

Please respect the Aspen Lane neighborhood and use the supplied porta johns at the put-in area. 

DIRECTIONS TO PUT-IN:

From Vail Village: head east on South Frontage Road about three (3) miles. Turn right on Aspen Lane. This road is located right before you go under the highway. Put-in is located at the end of Aspen Lane, at the “T” intersection of Booth Creek Lane. 

2023 RESULTS

PRICE

EARLY BIRD  // February 1 – April 4, 2024
$40

STANDARD // April 5 – May 28, 2024
$45

EVENT WEEK // May 29 – June 7, 2024
$60

PAYOUT

Total PRIZE Purse: $6,000

MEN – Open
1st – $750
2nd – $500
3rd – $250

WOMEN – Open
1st – $750
2nd – $500
3rd – $250

MEN – Longboat Division
1st – $750
2nd – $500
3rd – $250

WOMEN – Longboat Division
1st – $750
2nd – $500
3rd – $250

PRIZES

Prizes to be determined.