Race the Androscoggin with Moxie‏

 The start of the 2011 Chief Worumbo Androscoggin River Race in Durham.

 Race the Androscoggin with Moxie

The Androscoggin Land Trust (ALT) and the Moxie Festival Committee are pleased to announce that registration for the 14^th Annual Chief Worumbo Androscoggin River Race on Sunday, July 15, is now open.  Last year’s race attracted 166 racers from throughout New England.

The public is invited to cheer the racers at the starting line in Durham at 11:00 or as they arrive at the Sabattus River Boat Launch finish line area on Route 196 in Lisbon beginning at 11:30 am.

St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church in Lisbon will offer spectators at the Lisbon Finish Line a variation of Sloppy Joes called (guess what?) Moxie Joe sandwiches and hot dogs with Moxie mustard.  Entertaining the crowd will be a Native flute player from the Spirit of the Wolf Pow Wow taking place begin Lisbon High School.

Begun by Faye Brown, a local barber in Lisbon Falls, the race has grown to one of the largest single day events on the Androscoggin River and a major draw for paddlers from Maine and New England to enjoy the wide open corridor and the views of farm fields and forests along the route. The race is now an event of the Androscoggin Land Trust and spans a six-mile corridor where paddlers pass by two conserved farms, an island recently conserved in partnership with the Town of Lisbon, and a public riverside park in Durham.

The Worumbo Race is an amateur competition of approximately six miles, with possible class I rips and easy class II rapids, depending on water levels on race day.   The race is planned as a family friendly event and allows racers to experience a section of the Androscoggin River with many other recreational enthusiasts. 

Race day registration begins at 9:00 am at the Durham Boat Launch on Rte. 136 in Durham near the Auburn/Durham line. Participants are encouraged to arrive well in advance of the 11:00 am mass start. The race finish is just under the railroad trestle where the Sabattus River joins the Androscoggin on Rte. 196 in Lisbon. 

Registration is $25 for adults and $15 for children 12 and under if registered by end-of-business Tuesday, July 5. The registration fee includes a t-shirt, lunch, and free shuttle service. Late and race-day registration is the same price however it includes shuttle service only. T-shirts and lunch will be available for sale at the finish line for late registrants and spectators.

According to Lisbon Public Safety Officials, an estimated 50,000 people attend the three-day Moxie Festival.  The Town of Lisbon has approximately 9,300 residents.

To register, visit the Androscoggin Land Trust’s website www.androscogginlandtrust.org, or call (207) 312-5428. 

Since 1982, The Moxie Festival in Lisbon, Maine has been held on the second weekend in July.  The Festival now includes a three day Pow Wow; Friday night fireworks; a Saturday 5 k Race, parade, Street Fair, and Concert in the Park; and on Sunday, the Chief Worumbo Androscoggin River Race and the Moxie Car Show.  (www.MoxieFestival.com) Moxie was designated Maine’s official soft drink on May 20, 2005.

The Androscoggin Land Trust protects important natural areas, traditional landscapes, and outdoor experiences within the Androscoggin River watershed by promoting stewardship and supporting a network of public and privately held conservation land. They currently conserve over 4,700 acres of land, including over 10 miles of riverfront along the Androscoggin River. More information is available at www.androscogginlandtrust.org.

A 2011 racer crosses the Lisbon finish line of the Chief Worumbo Androscoggin River Race held on Moxie Festival weekend.