Stafford County, Va. –– A Stafford racing tradition will make its return to the Potomac River..
The Rockhill Ruitan’s Club Cardboard Boat Regatta will be held Saturday at Aquia Landing Park.
The annual event draws imaginative competitors from all over Northern Virginia, all whom show up with their best improvised cardboard boat they hope will stay afloat on the Potomac.
Prior to the race, cardboard boats will be judged for best design and crew costumes, most creative, most likely to sink (the Titanic award), best team effort, most likely to float, and the most coveted Pride of the Regatta award.
The gates for the event open at 10 a.m., and boats must be on the beach by 11:30 a.m. for judging, according to a spokesman from the Ruitan Club.
Following judging, the races will begin at 12:30 p.m.
There will be several race categories, including racers age 7- 14-years-old, school/civic/club groups, racers ages 51 and older, boats built by businesses with two to four crew members, and the grand finale open to all boats that are still floating.
Registration to participate is $10 in advance, $15 the day of the race and the proceeds go to local charities.
After the races, the boats are pulled from the water and discarded in a trash dumpster at the park.
