Challenge on the Charles

The 2nd annual Challenge on the Charles is part of the 2011 Cape Cod Bay Challenge Event Series.

The event consists of a 4 mile stand-up paddleboard race on the Charles River followed by a rockin party on the Community Boating Docks featuring suds from Wachusett Brewing, wine from Barefoot Wines and live music from The Smoking Jackets. Hydration for the paddlers will be provided by OWATER and energy provided by PowerBar.

The goal of the event is to raise money and awareness for our charity of choice, Christopher's Haven

Christopher’s Haven

Christopher's Haven is a 501(c)3 non-profit that provides housing for families who bring their child to Boston's Mass General Hospital for Children for cancer treatment. Christopher's Haven is located at One Emerson Place, adjacent to the hospital, where seven large and completely furnished apartments and a community space are available to families who travel from out of state or outside the country for daily outpatient treatments. A typical stay is 6-8 weeks.

Event Timing

The Race will start at 3:00pm. Please be at the Community Boating docks at least ONE HOUR before the Race. Demo SUPs will be available for all to use starting at 1:00pm and up until the start of the race.  The party will start immediately after the race…around 5pm and will run until 10PM or later……

Location & Parking

Community Boating is located at 21 David Mugar Way on the Charles River in Boston. The building is on the Esplande behind the Hatch Shell (where the Boston Pops play on the Fourth of July). Parking is available at the Mass Eye & Ear Infirmary parking lot - 243 Charles Street Boston, MA 02114.  From here it is a short walk across the pedestrian bridge over Storrow Drive to Community Boating.

Boards

Boards & paddles will NOT be provided for the race. You are expected to bring your own equipment. Since Community Boating is on the Esplanade, you CANNOT drop your board off at the docks. Your best bet & easiest way to transfer your board to Community Boating is to park at the Mass Eye & Ear Parking Lot and carry your board across the pedestrian bridge. Please do your best to carpool with other paddlers and help each other transfer boards to the site. Thanks!

Safety

Safety is first and foremost on our minds at the CCBC. We will have safety boats in the water ready to respond to any potential emergency situations. Coast Guard regulations require all participants to have a PFD (personal flotation device) with them during the race. It is the paddler's responsibility to bring a PFD to the event. They will not be provided. Please be sure to read the waiver upon registration. Any paddler who participates in the race does so 100% at his or her own risk

Registration Limits

Total capacity at the Community Boating Docks is 125 people.  PLEASE NOTE: REGISTRATION WILL CLOSE 4 DAYS PRIOR TO THE EVENT.  DAY OF REGISTRATIONS ARE NOT AVAILABLE DUE TO THE NEED TO UNDERSTAND EXACT NUMBERS FOR RACE AND PARTY PREPARATION. 

Additional Information

Registration for the Race/Party or the Party only INCLUDES drinks (thanks to Wachusett Brewery, Barefoot Wines & Owater), food (appetizers and dinner buffet thanks to Family Crest Catering) and entertainment (thanks to the Smoking Jackets – who frickin rock!).

 Trophies and prizes will be awarded to the top racers and there will be a ton of great gear to bid on or win in the silent auction and raffle at the after party.

 A special thanks to Community Boating for donating venue for the event.  For additional information, please feel free to contact Mike Chase at 617-416-2723 

 Thank you for joining us in our effort to help the kids at Christopher's Haven. Last year the CCBC ohana raised $80,000, enough to support 15 kids and their families while they undergo treatment for cancer at Mass General Hospital. Kids from around the country and the world come here for the specialized treatment offered at MGH. For some its their last hope. The parents of these kids are facing every parents nightmare. Finding a supportive, nurturing, and homelike place to stay that is affordable takes a small measure of the stress from the parents and means so much to the kids as they face their own much greater challenge. Here's the reason why we paddle.

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