Following elimination races held in mid-August, local rowers Ashton Langille and Scott Tanner won the right to represent Canada in the junior men's division while Kelly George and Kris Anne Keizer will compete for the women's title.

 Also representing Canada will be Dorothy MacDonald and Tim Mair of Prince Edward Island, who will row in the co-ed competition, as well as Walter Nickerson and Danny Moody of Lockeport, who will race in the senior men's event.

 Mr. Mair and Kenny MacDonald, also of Prince Edward Island, will compete for the men's over-40 title.

 Canadian teams will be trying to turn the tables on their American counterparts, who captured four of the five categories during the races' first leg which was held in Gloucester, Massachusetts, in June.

 Ms George, who also serves as president of the Canadian Dory Racing Association, says she is excited over the rise in popularity dory racing has experienced during the past several months.

 "In the elimination races we had 32 teams compete, so we had a huge increase which was fantastic," she says. "We had more teams from PEI and we had a team from New Brunswick, from Grand Manan Island. I don't know when we've seen a team come from there, so that was awesome."

 In previous years the Lunenburg phase of the international races was always slated to coincide with the town's annual sea-based festival. However, the latest incarnation of that event, the Lunenburg Waterfront Seafood Festival which was held for the previous two Septembers, was cancelled earlier this summer due to a lack of volunteers.

 That, however, will not stop race organizers from staging their own welcoming festivities for their American guests.

 An opening reception for competitors, sponsors and volunteers will be held the evening of September 9 featuring a mussel boil and entertainment by Anna Ludlow. That will be followed by a harbour cruise, pool party and barbecue the following day.

 Saturday kicks off with a pre-race, fundraising breakfast in aid of the Canadian Dory Racing Association and Terre-Neuve Newfoundlanders and Friends which will be held at Royal Canadian Legion Branch #23 from 8 to 11 a.m.

 Racing begins at the town waterfront at 10 a.m., with a chowder luncheon and awards presentation for individuals involved with the event to follow.

 Ms George says she hopes to see lots of people from the community turn out to lend their support for the Canadian teams, particularly out on the water.

 "For ... people who bring their boats out to the waterfront, we're going to give out gift certificates from local establishments, just to make [them] happy that they've come on board with us and are there to support the races," she says, adding that bullhorns are welcome and Canadian flags expected.