photos by Todd Newcomer

After two days of partying and parades, Durango's whitewater speed demons joined in on the Animas River Days festivities on Sunday morning. Equipped with streamlined fiberglass boats and shoulders of steel, downriver racers left the 32nd Street put-in for a high-speed grunt down the Animas River. Gaps were quickly created as boaters gathered momentum and headed for the Main Avenue bridge. After a quick splash through Smelter Rapid, the finish line at 4 Corners Riversports was nearly in sight. Andy Corra crossed the finish line first with a time of 23 minutes, 44 seconds. Jana Freeburn won the women's race and Rogan Brown and Anna Pierotti took the junior divisions.

Hannah Keener smiles as she enjoys her trip down the Animas en route to a second place finish in the junior women's class. Cully Brown passes Kier Samuelson in Smelter Rapid, securing his second place finish in the junior mens class on Sunday morning on the Animas River. Downriver boaters mingle on the Animas River at the 32nd Street put-in before the race began. Kim Dalen gets her skirt secured as paddlers prepare for the start of the race. Kier Samuelson shoulders his boat as he leaves the river after taking 3rd in the day's race. Corey Nielsen goes over the final times with racers before the awards presentation. Racers relax and take in a few deep breaths in the eddy at the 4 Corners Riversports take-out at the end of the race.