Salem Artist Wins 'Run of the Charles' Contest

A Salem resident has won the t-shirt design contest for the 32nd annual Run of the Charles Canoe and Kayak Race on April 27.

Christopher Chacon, a sophomore who studies illustration and conceptual art at the New Hampshire Institute of Art in Manchester, was selected as the winner because of his creative and playful use of water in the design, according to the Charles River Watershed Association.

"The restoration of the Charles River was the key importance of the race, and I wanted to demonstrate the balance between nature and man," Chacon said in a press release.

The "Run of the Charles" race t-shirt is a bit of a collector's item for participants. The shirt is included in the registration fee.

"We really love Christopher's design," Bob Zimmerman, Charles River Watershed Association, said in announcing the design. "It encapsulates the feel of the race, from the backdrop of the city skyline to the swirling water beneath the paddler, which almost seems to splash right off the t-shirt!"

The race, which draws about 1,400 paddlers each year, celebrates the continued work to improve the Charles River and its watershed.

Visit the CRWA's website for more information on watershed protection efforts and details on the 32nd annual Run of the Charles Canoe and Kayak Race.