The original Rushton Race started 55 years ago farther south near Pyrites, and in recognition of the historical place that Canton holds in canoeing, at 4 p.m. Saturday afternoon the four-mile downriver tour will start from the same place and end at Taylor Park.

The weekend kicks off the canoeing and kayaking season with what many say is the finest flatwater paddling in the U.S.

Canton Canoe Weekend provides opportunities for paddlers of all ages and abilities to get out on the water and have a good time. Always evolving, there are races for stand-up paddleboards, too.

The Rushton Recreational races on Saturday morning have classes for every paddler from novice to expert, while Saturday afternoon features the C-1 Professional World Championship race.

At 9:30 paddling begins with one-mile youth events, a five-mile event for solo canoes and kayaks, and a five-mile event for tandem canoes with two-person teams of men, women, mixed, or adult and youth. In addition there is a three-mile antique canoes class race, a five-mile war canoe/voyagers class for teams of six to eight paddlers, and classes for four-person canoe teams covering eight miles. there will also be stand-up paddleboard races of one and three miles.

Award presentations will be at 11:30 a.m. for first-, second- and third-place finishers, and all competitors will get a t-shirt.

Then starting at 12:30 p.m. Saturday afternoon, some of the best professional solo marathon paddlers in the U.S. and Canada will compete for cash prizes in the C-1 Professional World Championship on the 14-mile marathon course. These professionals bring world-class canoeing to Canton. Top amateurs competing in the 12-mile amateur marathon race immediately follow the pros. People will see the sleek black canoes as they roll into Canton on vehicle carriers beginning May 6.

Afternoon awards are at 3 p.m., including pro purses, and t-shirts fir all racers.

Sunday: C-2 Pros, Rushton Relay

At 9:30 Sunday morning, the 14-mile C-2 Professional Marathon Race starts. Two-person teams of the world’s top paddlers will compete over 14 miles for cash prizes. The pro start will be followed by the 12-mile C-2 amateur marathon race.

Awards and pro purses will be presented at 12:15 p.m.

On Sunday afternoon, May 8, the exciting Rushton Relay amateur race and the College Relay Challenge start at 1:30 p.m. from Taylor Park. Teams of four to six paddlers in two-person recreational canoes will take turns paddling the three legs of the Rushton Relay. There will be separate classes for family, mixed, men’s, women’s and high school teams, with many teams decked out in costume.

In addition, the College Relay Challenge will determine the best coed college student paddling team.

More information is at www.slvpaddlers.org and at Facebook: Canton Canoe Weekend.

Awards will be presented and drawing prizes will be awarded at 2 p.m. T-shirts go all participating racers.

Other events this season include the Madrid Canoe Regatta June 11 and 12, the Waddington You Gotta Regatta July 30, and the Remington II races from Rensselaer Falls to Heuvelton Sept.

More info is at the St. Lawrence Valley Paddlers web site, slvpaddlers.org, and their Facebook page.