Muster up mettle for the Paddle Boat Regatta in Echo Park, Aug. 17

This Sunday, Aug. 17, 2008, paddle-boat racers will test the mettle of their pedal power on Echo Park Lake, here in Los Angeles. A fundraising event organized by nonprofit group 826LA, which helps students and teachers improve writing skills, the races of the Paddle Boat Regatta will consist of three heats with 15 teams each.

Head over to the lake to watch the racers go at it. But if you and a partner are yearning to get pedaling yourselves, it’s not too late. The deadline to register to participate in the race is midnight Saturday, Aug. 16, 2008, the night before the race. Registering now, late in the game, you may be at a disadvantage, since those who raise the most money leading up to the race get the best starting positions, but take up the challenge anyway — it’s for a great cause.

According to 826LA’s interim director, Dan Villalon, prizes will include a 3-foot custom trophy, tickets to a comedy show at the Avalon and gift bags. Also, a spot to race in the event’s third heat will be up for grabs in a raffle.

A post-race concert at the Echo (1822 W Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles) will feature bands the Damselles and Super Duper.

When: The regatta is Sunday, Aug. 17, 2008, at 4 p.m.; the concert at the Echo begins around 7 p.m. (exact time depends on when the race ends).

Where: The start and finish line will be at the Echo Park Boathouse (751 Echo Park Ave.), on the east side of Echo Park Lake.

Cost: The regatta is free to watch. To participate, your two-person team will need to have raised $100. Concert entry at the Echo is free for race participants; it’s a $10 suggested donation for others.

Contact: 826LA, (213) 413-3388

– Susan Derby, Special to the Los Angeles Times

[Image: Race course; 826la.org]

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This entry was posted on Friday, August 15, 2008 at 4:00 pm by Susan Derby and is filed under California, Family & Kids, Festival, Los Angeles, Outdoors & Adventure, Summer. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a comment, or trackback from your own site.