Racers paddle Jack Barker Memorial Canoe Race on Buckhannon River
BUCKHANNON, W.Va. (WBOY) — The Buckhannon River Watershed Association held the Jack Barker Memorial Canoe Race on Saturday, giving participants a chance to enjoy the water and the outdoors.
Racers paddled a 4-mile route up and down the Buckhannon River to honor Jack Barker, a nationally renowned kayaker and canoe racer from Buckhannon, for the 23rd year. Volunteers of the Watershed Association told 12 News the Buckhannon River is an underutilized resource.
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'[The Buckhannon River] is just so beautiful,' said Lisa Gum, Chairperson of the Buckhannon River Watershed Association. 'We've created this water trail. It's a flat water trail designated by the state of West Virginia now. It's 44 miles of beautiful kayaking.'
The Buckhannon River Watershed Association went on to say that there will be community paddles on the river throughout the summer, and that there is a Facebook group for people interested in paddling the Buckhannon and Tygart Valley River.
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