The water will be high, but not high enough to make conditions hazardous for the more than 900 people competing in the 27th Kenduskeag Stream Canoe Race on Saturday.

“We were worried that it might get high enough to make it unsafe, but the water has gone down drastically in the last 24 hours,” said race director Craig Orff, who is also recreation director for the Bangor Parks and Recreation Department.

“Some people on the committee estimated it to have gone down 1-2 feet (Wednesday).”

The high water early in the week certainly didn’t discourage many people from signing up for the race. Orff had received entries for 365 craft and 740 people by Wednesday night.

If the end of the week brings heavy rain, organizers may be forced to turn the portages at the old dam (flour mill) and Maxfield Mill Dam into one long portage.

“We may need to have them portage at the flour mill and put in just past Maxfield Dam if the (water) level gets up too high. Either way, we’ll have the portages marked with big fluorescent signs,” Orff explained.

Orff said he and the other members of the race committee will make the final decision on whether to combine the two mandatory portages Friday afternoon.

This year’s race may be a battle between nine-time champion Robert Lang of Renforth, New Brunswick, and the kayaking duo of Houlton’s Fred Ludwig and Bradley’s Rick Swan.

Swan and Ludwig paddled to victory last year in a two-man whitewater kayak which Ludwig made from a regular kayak.

“Fred made it from an old kayak. He cut it in half and added to the middle to lengthen it out,” said Swan.

This year, he and Ludwig will use one of Lang’s own weapons against him.

“We’re using a new flatwater racing kayak this year which came right out of the factory,” said Ludwig. “I picked it up in a trade for a single kayak with Lang last year.”

“This new one is designed to racing specs and faster… on paper,” said Swan.

It will have to be to beat the former Canadian National Team kayaker, who has never been beaten in the race.

Lang came down with strep throat just before the race last year and was forced to miss it.

The 16-mile race features 18 different racing classes. Registration before 4:30 p.m. on Friday is $12. Race-day registration is $20 and will take place between 7 a.m. and 9 a.m. near the Kenduskeag Village Grange Hall. The race will begin at 9:30 a.m.

To preregister, call the Bangor Parks and Rec. Dept. at 947-1018.