September 5: Hood River Labor Day Event – 69th Annual Roy Webster Columbia River Cross-Channel Swim | Swimmers From Around The World
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69th Annual Roy Webster Columbia River Cross-Channel Swim
September 5, 2011 6am
Hood River County Chamber of Commerce
720 East Port Marina Drive, Hood River, OR 97031
Quirky Roy Webster Columbia River Cross-Channel Swim Takes Place This Labor Day Weekend
69 years ago, Hood River orchardist Roy Webster and a few of his friends hopped in a boat, paddled across the Columbia River to the Washington shore, and jumped in the river to swim back to Oregon. Little did Roy know that he was a starting a tradition that would last to this day.
Each year on Labor Day the swim is re-enacted as 500 swimmers from around the world board the historic Sternwheeler boat, get ferried to the Washington side or the Columbia, jump off the boat and swim back to the Oregon shore. The Roy Webster Columbia River Cross-Channel Swim attracts swimmers from around the globe who participate in this fun, quirky event that epitomizes the spirit of Hood River County, Oregon.
