It is not clear where the original idea came from, but, whether started as a result of idle talk over coffee by a group of young Salida businessmen or as a dare for bragging rights by young boaters over beer, word of the Arkansas River Race challenge went mouth to mouth and more and more people became interested. The original boat races were organized and promoted by the Salida Chamber of Commerce to attract people to the area and to promote international relations with foreign countries. World class athletes were invited to Salida and over the years, boatmen from France, Germany, Czechoslovakia, Belgium, Scotland, Israel, Italy, England, Switzerland, Austria, Mexico, Canada, and the USA pitted their skills against the roaring, boulder-strewn river. The City of Salida embraced the event wholeheartedly and a four day festival and elaborate parade were soon organized. The boat races were advertised around the State and dignitaries were invited for the festivities. A Boat Race Queen, her attendants and Hostesses represented the Annual Salida-Arkansas Races and in 1951 and 1953 a movie starlet and star reigned over the boating weekend. A special train was arranged by the Denver & Rio Grande Western to carry hundreds of people as it followed the race down the river from Salida and estimations of 10,00 people or more lined the banks of the Arkansas to watch the boaters battle for survival.

“Whitewater hell”/“The meanest stretch of whitewater in the world”/“The longest, oldest, most prestigious and perhaps the toughest race in North America” – many such expressions have been coined to describe the 25.7 mile river course over which one of the nation’s most unique races is held each June in Salida, Colorado U.S.A.

Although whitewater competition was well developed in Europe, Salida became the birthplace of whitewater sports in the United States and in 1953 Salida offered the first whitewater slalom event held on the North American continent. Slalom races involve boatmen clearing 25 to 30 gates over a half mile course. Penalties are imposed for missing a gate, for hitting a gate, or going through a gate in the wrong direction, often a difficult feat in the swift currents of the Arkansas. A slalom racer is racing against time and being scored on demonstrating his skill and technique in maneuvering his boat. Two heats are run in each slalom class, and the boater’s better score counts in determining the winner. Every year, the slalom races have been an important part of the FIBArk festival. Many classes of slalom racers have emerged over the years due to the participation of women in the race and to the variety of whitewater boats available to the boater. Slalom racing is also enjoyable and convenient for spectators to watch.

1954 marked a very important benchmark in the history of FIBArk when the American Canoe Association and International Canoe Association sanctioned the slalom races, providing an opportunity for racers eligible for national and world competition, and a boat club, FIBArk Boat Races, Inc. was created to organize the Salida-Arkansas River Boat Races. Howard Blakey became the first event leader as Commodore of the new boat club. With a mission to preserve and promote whitewater paddle sports, the Board of Directors of FIBArk through the years has explored and expanded the ever changing opportunities in the whitewater sport industry.

The first boats used in Salida races in the 50s were fold-boats weighing up to 80 pounds, but in the next decade, kayaks were being made of fiberglass weighing as little as 17 pounds allowing kayaking to become a popular and diverse sport. Plastics in the late 1900s have also allowed for a variety of boat shapes, sizes and recreational uses.

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