

# Event Details

- **Event Name**: The 2026 North Branch Blast Downriver Race
- **Event Start and End Date**: Sat, 04 Apr, 2026 at 01:00 pm (-04:00)
- **Event Description**: The 2026 North Branch Blast Downriver Race: featuring the the Barnum, WV to Bloomington, MD section of the North Branch of the Potomac River, tentatively scheduled for 1,000cfs

We are excited to announce that this year we have partnered up with RevoRace.  To register please post here and please sign up on RevoRace's website: https://revorace.com/RaceDetails?id=69893fbab3f2fd51343fdaa6
- Specializing in kayaking and mountain bike racing, RevoRace is a complete training &amp; race management system that allows you to track your live and virtual training, join races, submit results, earn achievements, and climb the leaderboards. Results can post directly to Strava. No subscription fee required

Do you enjoy the Headwater racing series, or do you seek out races with continuous sets of whitewater, separated by modest stretches of riffles and no long stretches of flat water? If so, come on out and safely be a part of the fun for the third annual whitewater downriver race on the North Branch of the Mighty Potomac River. The first two years resulted in a small and very manageable turnout, with new friends made and a memorable and safe time all around.

The flow rate is projected to be the standard whitewater release of 1,000cfs, with a possibility of 1,200cfs-1,500cfs, based on local environmental conditions and the level of the Jennings Randolph Lake reservoir/dam. I am trying to keep this to a safe and manageable size, and would appreciate any help from anyone else who would like to assist with the management aspects. The question is...will this year's men's winner beat the 2024 winning time and course record of 47 minutes 58 seconds? With no female contestants to date, this year's female winner will set the record for the fastest known time for the women's class.
 
The liability waiver will be provided on race day, and can also be easily provided through FaceBook Messenger. Support from volunteers would be an immense help and tremendously appreciated.  The 2025 first whitewater release was cancelled due to low reservoir levels. The first spring whitewater release is usually very cold, and may be postponed if too cold and windy. The other three release weekends all coincide with other regional races, leaving the first release as the only applicable spring whitewater release to opt for this year in respect of whom are seeking to also compete in the: SlipFest, Rick Gusic’s Cheat River Massacre-ence, and the Stonycreek Rendezvous Downriver races.

RACE DETAILS:
- Date: April 4, 2026 (rain date(s): April 5th or September 19th)
- 6.1 Miles
- Class: II-III
- Projected Flow Rate/Level: 1,000cfs (1,500cfs maximum)
- Stream Gauge: USGS 01595800 North Branch Potomac River at Barnum, WV
- Elevation/Average Gradient: 30 fpm
- Race Start Time: 1:00 PM (one heat if a small turnout, but if applicable, multiple heats will be separated by two minute intervals)
- Check-In Time: 11:30 AM - 12:00 PM
- Pre-Race Meeting: 12:15 PM - at the launch area at the Put-In
- Safety Crew Meeting: 12:00 PM
- Put-In: Barnum Whitewater Area - 2136 Barnum Rd Barnum, West Virginia (off of WV State Route 46), 39°26'31.0"N 79°06'53.1"W
- Starting Line: the bridge pillar at the Put-In - lined up next to the flow rate markings.
- Finish Line: will be marked by a large orange traffic cone at the standard Take Out, Approx. 275ft. upstream of the Bloomington Viaduct (the stone arch CSX railroad bridge), at 121 Owens Avenue, Bloomington, MD: large grassy parking area next to the sewage treatment plant at the bottom of Owens Avenue, 39°28'35.4"N 79°04'05.1"W
- Awards Ceremony: in the field at the Take Out soon after the results have been compiled
- Shuttle: independently arranged to the best that you can, but please reach out ahead of time if you need assistance, and we will work to help you out
- to view maps and video clips/photographs of each rapid see the YouTube videos linked in the Educational Resources section

REGISTRATION INFORMATION:
- Race Director: Robert Hofmaster
- Safety Coordinator: Glenn Douglass - Senior River &amp; Trail Outfitters Raft Guide
- Please register at latest by March 28th
- To register, please sign up through the RevoRace website (https://revorace.com/RaceDetails?id=69893fbab3f2fd51343fdaa6) and post here, including your race class, the make and model of your kayak/canoe, any questions, and anything else that you would like, such as a fun fact
- To volunteer, send a direct message to Robert addressing how you would like to help out, such as with safety, timing, or photography
- Fee: Donation based, for insurance and/or Whiskers Animal Rescue, Inc. (nonprofit 501c3 organization in Westernport, Maryland) and the local food shelter

TENTATIVE RACE CLASSES (will be arranged based on entries - one heat if a small turnout, multiple heats, by class, if a large turnout):
- Class A: Old School Long Boats (e.g. Dancer, Mirage, Pirouette, T-Slalom)
- Class B: Modern Long Boats up to 12'11" (e.g. 12R, Green Boat, Vanguard)
- Class C: Creekers (e.g. 9R, Code, Corsica, Scorch)
- Class D: Half Slices (e.g. Antix, Firecracker, Rewind)
- Class E: Plastic Long Boats 13ft.+ (e.g. Phoenix)
- Class F: Wildwater &amp; Wavehoppers
- Class F: OC1 (One-Person Outrigger Canoe)(e.g. Silverbirch Canoes)
- Class F: Other/Non-Plastic/Inflatables (please explain)
- * classes A &amp; B may be combined and classes C &amp; D may be combined if less than four entries
- * Masters Classes if there are enough entries

FEATURED RAPIDS:
- Wood Smoke
- Rocks &amp; Rhododendron
- Easy Out
- Lead in to The Slides
- The Slides AKA The Ledges
- Shoal &amp; Eddies AKA Folly Run
- Blue Hole
- Lunch Stop
- Rick's Ride
- Warnick
- Robin's Nest AKA Bear Ledge/The Falls
- Top of the World
- Rock Face
- Piney Swamp Run
- Bloomington

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED FOR THE FOLLOWING:
- Safety Crew/First Aid
- Starter
- Timers
- Recording Results
- Check-In Area
- Photographers

EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES:
- American Whitewater: "Bloomington Section" of the North Branch - https://www.americanwhitewater.org/.../river.../2430/main
- US Army Corps of Engineers: North Branch Potomac River and Savage River Whitewater Release Information - https://www.nab-wc.usace.army.mil/nab/northBranch.html
- USGS Stream Gauge: North Branch Potomac River at Barnum, WV - 01595800 - https://waterdata.usgs.gov/nwis/uv?site_no=01595800&amp;legacy=1
- YouTube: "The 2023 &amp; 2024 North Branch Blast Kayak Race: Featuring Robin's Nest" - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V7YyMEt7i5M&amp;t=2s
- YouTube: "The 2024 North Branch Blast Downriver Race - the North Branch of the Potomac River (1,070cfs)" - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AJrSgLckusc&amp;t=45s
- YouTube: "The 2023 North Branch Blast Kayak Race (1,000cfs) - the "Bloomington" Racecourse" -https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9gLExpe6e0I
- **Event URL**: https://allevents.in/bloomington/the-2026-north-branch-blast-downriver-race/200029687398539
- **Event Categories**: sports, workshops, meetups, trips-adventures, photography, nonprofit, virtual, virtual-run
- **Interested Audience**: 
  - total_interested_count: 54

## Ticket Details

- **Ticket URL**: http://facebook.com/200029687398539?utm_source=AllEvents.in&utm_medium=event-discovery-platform&utm_campaign=bloomington-events

## Event venue details

- **city**: Bloomington
- **state**: MD
- **country**: United States
- **location**: North Branch River, Barnum, WV
- **lat**: 39.4768689667
- **long**: -79.0697684667
- **full address**: North Branch River, Barnum, WV, 57 Owens Ave, Bloomington, MD 21523-1004, United States

## Event gallery

- **Alt text**: banner
  - **Image URL**: https://cdn-az.allevents.in/events5/banners/2fa8bff6983384a608107a72b61acd2ddc166adf1321883672c348b9f741113e-rimg-w1200-h799-dc050704-gmir?v=1773270812
- **Alt text**: thumbnail
  - **Image URL**: https://cdn-az.allevents.in/events5/banners/2a2b62d535ba2bb3c48fbbe09eff33cbeab4c1f990d5ebb38401662bd948e36b-rimg-w300-h300-dc060804-gmir?v=1773270812

## FAQs

- **Q**: When is the event happening?
  - **A:** Sat, 04 Apr, 2026 at 01:00 pm (-04:00)
- **Q**: Where is the event happening?
  - **A:** North Branch River, Barnum, WV, 57 Owens Ave, Bloomington, MD 21523-1004, United States
- **Q**: What type of event is this?
  - **A:** sports, workshops, meetups, trips-adventures, photography, nonprofit, virtual, virtual-run
- **Q**: Where can I find ticket details about The 2026 North Branch Blast Downriver Race ?
  - **A:** You can find ticket details about this event on AllEvents.

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