The King is excited to announce that the James River Outdoor Coalition (JROC) is taking ownership of the King of the James. JROC was formed in 1997 to provide resources to complete improvements in and around the James River Park System and to educate and advise others on issues pertaining to the park. The King of the James consists of approximately 15 miles of some of the best urban terrain in the world, and while this race highlights some of the fantastic outdoor features found in Richmond – it’s only a fraction of James River Park System, also known as the kingdom.
In the past 20 years JROC has completed notable projects that will be utilized during the King of the James Race. Some of these projects include the construction of the 14 th Street Whitewater takeout, where the King will cross the finish line, and the Reedy Creek universal river access, where the whitewater kayaking portion will begin. JROC was the first group to do trail building specifically for mountain biking on Buttermilk and Buttermilk Heights. This led to creating the rest of the trail network, which now includes the Northbank trail among others. JROC and its members have helped on all the trails at some point, whether through physically working on them, financial assistance, or buying specialty tools and equipment. Motes don’t build themselves you know.
By participating in the King of the James you are giving back to the park we all love. All proceeds from the event will go back into the James River Park System. The event can be done as a Solo, Solo with Raft support or as a Relay Team or Raft Team. This race isn’t for the faint of heart, and therer can only be one king of the James. Experience is required and you must have all the necessary equipment and be an expert whitewater kayaker to participate in the solo event. If racing isn’t your thing – we could use your help as an event volunteer! Please email jrocmail@gmail.com for more information.
All of the proceeds from the King of the James will benefit the James River Outdoor Coalition. JROC is a non-profit 501(3)(c) organization and all donations are tax deductible. If you’d like more information on JROC, find us on facebook or go to jroc.net
