Fifteen people completed the rafting and running race on Saturday morning

Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin – The Wisconsin Rapids Rafters had 15 people complete the first annual “Raft the Wisconsin Race” on Saturday morning.

The race began at 10:00 a.m. as the participants climbed into rafts and launched into the Wisconsin River near the Daily Tribune building on 1st Avenue. After rafting across the river, the participants ran the nearly 3/4 of a mile run up Birch Street and down Lincoln Street, finishing through the front gates of Witter Field.

The winner of the race was Dean Olds, while Mayor Zach Vruwink, Hazel Ashbeck, Todd and Darlene Schierland, Ben Domine, Morley Rendmeister, Matt Guptail, Tracy Hall, Jeff Enerson, Joan Rehberg, Bob Gawlitta, Paul Selz, and Carol and Weston Olds made up the remainder of the field. All 15 will be honored during tonight’s game against the Green Bay Bullfrogs.

The game starts a two-game set with the Bullfrogs at Witter Field for the final two games of the year. The Rafters will have a chance to set a new team-record for wins in a season by picking up a win in either game. First pitch tonight will be at 6:05 p.m. with gates opening at 5:05 p.m. The first fans in the ballpark will receive a “Rafting Roscoe” bobble head doll and everyone in attendance will be entertained by the final Rafters postgame fireworks of the season, presented by Budweiser.

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The Wisconsin Rapids Rafters are a member of the finest developmental league for elite college baseball players, the Northwoods League. Playing its 22nd season of summer collegiate baseball in 2015, the Northwoods League is the largest organized baseball league in the world with 18 teams, drawing significantly more fans, in a friendly ballpark experience, than any league of its kind. A valuable training ground for coaches, umpires and front office staff, more than 120 Northwoods League players have advanced to Major League Baseball, including Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer (WAS) and MLB All-Stars Chris Sale (CWS), Jordan Zimmermann (WAS), Curtis Granderson (NYM), Lucas Duda (NYM) and Ben Zobrist (KC). All league games are viewable live via the Northwoods League Website.  For more information, visit www.raftersbaseball.com.