Mother's Day Whitewater Races
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65th annual Mother's Day Whitewater Races

Races are on for 2024 May 10-12!

Celebrating 66 Years of
Mother's Day Whitewater Races

may 10-12, 2024 in beautiful pilar, nm

65th Annual Mother’s Day Whitewater Races Results!

We had over 60 entries in the 65th Annual Mother’s Day Whitewater Races last Year! If you’re curious what your finishing time is, we have the bib numbers and finishing times below! Again, a HUGE thanks to our volunteers and sponsors for making this an awesome Mother’s Day Race!

Kayak and SUP Races

1. Bib #131, 27:42 (orange kayak)

2. Bib #155, 30:28 (red kayak)

3. Bib #121, 34:28 (green IK)

4. Bib #198, 37:13 (tandem IK)

5. Bib #197, 38:39 (SUP)

6. Bib #174, 38:39 (SUP)

7. Bib #150, 38:53 (kayak)

8. Bib #200, 44:12 (SUP)

Raft Race

1. Bib #175, 29:54 (R4 – New Wave)

2. Bib #170, 30:21 (R6 – Far Flung)

3. Bib #121, 30:48 (R2)

4. Bib #174, 31:20 (R6)

5. Bib #112, 31:23 (R6)

6. Bib #155, 31:43 (R4)

7. Bib #169, 31:59 (R4)

8. Bib #131, 32:18 (R4)

9. Bib #176, 34:50 (R2)

10. Bib #197, 35:09 (R4)

11. Bib #150, 35:11 (R4)

12. Bib #200, 35:38 (R4)

13. Bib #198, 36:33 (R2)

2023 Mother’s Day Races Schedule

Friday May 12, 2023:

  • 10a Taos Junction Group Campsite opens for max 40 persons

  • 5-7p campground social events TBD

  • 7p potluck probably

Saturday May 13, 2023:

9:00-9:45am - Day-of Registration (@ Quartzite river access point)
10:00am - Downriver Races (Kayak, SUP, Canoe), Quartzite to County Line

1:00pm - Freestyle and River Surf Competition (Kayak, SUP), Sleeping Beauty Rapid
3:00pm - Family Race, Orilla Verde

5:00pm - Raft Races (R4/R6), Quartzite to County Line
6:30pm - Awards Ceremony and After Party, NMRA Headquarters (2217 NM-68, Embudo, NM 87531)

Sunday May 14, 2023:

  • 9:00am - Meet for day trips

  • 10:00am - Clear out from Taos Junction group site

  • 10:00am - Community Paddle


 

Thank You to Our 2023 MDR Sponsors!

 


The Mother’s Day Races were founded in the 1950’s by Los Alamos paddle boater and LANL employee, Jim “Stretch” Fretwell.  After competing at Colorado’s FiBark for many years, Stretch decided to start a paddle race closer to home on the Rio Grande, now known as the Pilar Racecourse.  The races were supported by Los Alamos’s Explorers: Post 20, The Atomic City Citizens Band Radio Club, The Los Alamos Fire Department to name a few.  By the late 1960’s, an estimated 2000 spectators leap frogged their way downstream on Highway 68 to watch rafts and kayaks twist and turn through the whitewater.

Stretch eventually handed it over to the Adobe Whitewater Club who has supported the race ever since!


 
The song of the river ends not at her banks, but in the hearts of those who have loved her.
— Buffalo Joe