By Jake Dye

Peninsula Clarion

The Cooper Landing Chamber of Commerce will host the 16th Annual Drift Boat Regatta on May 20.

The event will include a drift boat race, a spring cleanup along the river banks, and a costume contest for the racers.

Shannon Martin, executive director at the Kenai River Sportfishing Association, which has been selected as the nonprofit beneficiary this year, said Tuesday that the Regatta is a unique early summer event.

“It’s an opportunity for the local community to come out of hibernation, to get ready for the fishing season and have a fun, safe competition,” she said.

The river cleanup comes after the racers take off from Eagle Landing Resort — when rafts and fiberglass boats will float down the river and collect trash. Both the race and the cleanup end at the takeout near Sportsman’s Landing.

There’s still room for more racers and rafters to register to participate, Martin said.

“It’s the only time that two stroke is allowed on the river,” Martin said. “It’s a pretty cool sight to see.”

The race, Martin said, generally runs 20 to 45 minutes long, and the experienced racers usually replace the seats in their boats with lighter lawn chairs and even run the boats backward to improve their rowing efficiency.

At both the start and end of the Regatta there will be space for community — a barbecue at Eagle Landing Resort before the race at noon and an awards ceremony and prizes at Sunrise Inn at 4:30 p.m.

For more information, visit cooperlandingchamber.com.

Reach reporter Jake Dye at jacob.dye@peninsulaclarion.com.