OAK HILL, W.Va. (WVDN) – Through its three decades of running, the Upper Gauley Animal Race has grown in notoriety and participation with both first-time and returning racers looking to tame the “Beast of the East.” On September 23, paddlers will again take on some of the most challenging and technical whitewater on the east coast. Competitors must negotiate nearly 10 miles of serious IV/IV+ whitewater on West Virginia’s Gauley River by navigating the Upper Gauley’s “Big Five,” culminating with a 12 foot drop called Sweet’s Falls.
ACE Adventure Resort hosts the event and requires competitors to have previous boating experience. Racers will compete in multiple crafts that will be grouped based on boat material (Composite, Plastic, and Inflatable PVC or Hypalon) to ensure fairness. Regardless of craft, all entrants will need physical endurance and solid boating skills to have a successful race. While ACE will provide safety throughout the course for emergency situations, competitors are expected to be able to confidently paddle the Gauley’s formidable whitewater.
Race director (and competitor) Liz Curry of race organizer ACE Adventure Gear says, “The Upper Gauley is a powerful river and tricky to navigate smoothly. Paddlers need technical skill, endurance, and determination to compete for the podium.”
Registration and race details can be found on ACE Adventure Resort’s website at: https://aceraft.com/event/gauley-animal-race/.
The race begins at noon at the lower put in of Summersville Dam with a chaotic mass start of all racers, followed by a finish line party at Sweet’s Falls at 2 pm. The day wraps up at 6 pm with awards and an after-party that has become a popular event in itself. The fastest man and fastest woman will be named King and Queen of the Gauley. The top three men’s and women’s plastic boat finishers will be entered into a raffle for a new Pyranha kayak.
ABOUT ACE ADVENTURE RESORT
For over 40 years ACE Adventure Resort has guided vacationers away from their reality into West Virginia’s great outdoors. Family-owned and operated, ACE started from our owners’ passion for introducing folks to the world of whitewater. Since then, ACE has grown from a small base camp into an exciting adventure resort with over 20 adventure activities, deluxe mountain cabins, and various dining options. ACE owns a 1,500 acre tract of land that extends into the New River Gorge with a series of lakes, spectacular cliffs, and scenic overlooks. The Resort includes cabins, mountaintop campsites, a 5-acre lake, a waterpark, a renowned zipline, private rock-climbing sites, and a lakeside dining lodge. In addition to adventure exploits, ACE offers a wide range of special events such as the annual Mountain Music Festival, trivia nights, mud runs, waterpark dance parties, adventure races, and more.
