It’s FIBArk (First in Boating the Arkansas) time. Starting at 4 p.m. August 6, FIBArk 2020 will kick off with the Hill Climb as a staggered start.
This year’s events, which are normally held in June during high water, will look slightly different than in prior years, as the event adjusts to the realities of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Land Races
The 5K, 10K and Trail Run will be held virtually. Participants will track their times with their devices, and all collected times will be recorded then used to determine the winners. Participants of the 5K, 10K and Trail Race will receive a 2020 FIBArk t-shirt for their involvement in the race.
Times will be posted for each event, however, prizes will not be awarded to the fastest participants. Participants have had from July 4 to August 7 to complete and upload their times for the 5K, 10K, and Trail Run events. Due to inaccuracies of GPS timing, the Triple Crown will not be held this year. For more information about the running events click here.
FIBArk has been an international event since the very beginning. Photo of the Salida Whitewater Park courtesy of the Salida Regional Library System
Like the running events, Mountain Bike Challenges will also be held online. The registration categories include beginner, sport, and expert. Races take place on the Arkansas Hill Trail system with length and difficulty depending on the challenge category. FIBArk has renamed the events as a Challenge because there will be no winners this year.
The team hopes participants will enjoy Salida’s Mountain Biking Trails while also social distancing. Participants were given from July 4 to August 7 to complete the trails. Since they are unable to close down trails for over a month, participants who have completed the trail will receive FIBArk t-shirts as a reward. Times will not be recorded this year. For more information click here.
River Races
At 2 p.m. on August 7 the Pine Creek Race meeting will start at Pine Creek Rapid by the railroad tracks at the bottom of the access road. The race will begin at 2:30 p.m. and start times will be assigned. The racers take two laps down the rapid and the fastest of the two times will determine a winner. All participants will receive a 2020 FIBArk t-shirt. For more information on the Pine Creek Race click here.
At 8:15 a.m. on Saturday August 8 the Whitewater Slalom Race will begin its racer meeting. At 9 p.m. the event will begin. Staggered start times will be the following:
- Cadet (14 and under)
- Junior (15-18)
- U23 (19-23)
- Open (any age)
- Senior (31-40)
- Master (41 and older)
The community is encouraged to watch the events from home as Livestream via the camera at Whitewater Park. For more information click here.
FIBArk’s signature event, The Downriver Race, with the Marathon, Heavy Half, Intermediate and Novice categories will begin with a racer meeting at 8:15 a.m. on Sunday August 9.
The Novice race will end the day with a start time of 10:30 a.m. For a full schedule of each category click here. Spectators may watch from the Ruby Mountain AHRA site, Seidel’s Suck hole, the Stone Bride AHRA site, Big Bend AHRA site or online via the Salida Whitewater Park’s livestream.
I’m surprised There is a belief that there is not some corruption with me mail in voting. There are so many illegals in our country at this time and so many people who seem to want to give Them the rights of a citizen.I don’t think the post office is necessarily to blame for illegal voting, I think there are many people would take advantage of a mail in system. If there isn’t some truth to that why is it being pushed so hard ?.
Ark Valley Voice would like to ask the source of your belief that “there is corruption in voting? Multiple studies on this show that the incidence of mail fraud is .00006 — at 200 of the 320 million population, it is basically non-existent. Colorado has done all elections by mail ballots since 2013 — quite successfully. If you are responding to this article, then you read the description of the process by Chaffee County Clerk and recorder Lori Mitchell (who is also past president of the Colorado County Clerk’s Association). Ballots go to registered voters. Each ballot is tracked step by step through the system — it’s like tracking a package you get from Amazon. As to why it could be vital this year — we are in the midst of a dangerous and deadly pandemic and historically most people who staff in-person voting locations are elderly — should they risk their lives so you can vote in person?