Wood River Run 2026 – Richmond, VA 2026

The Cause - This 5k('ish) fun run is held to honor the memory of Christian Wood, a talented young kayaker who lost his life while paddling on the James River in 2018. The proceeds from this race will be used to fund the work of Friends of the James River Park System ( jamesriverpark.org ), the Christian Wood Scholarship Fund to send underprivileged kids to Passages Adventure Camp, and the programming of the James River Park System's Education Department. Friends of the James River Park is the largest nonprofit support group for the area's beloved James River Park System. Our mission is to protect, expand, and enhance the James River Park. This is the sixth year of this event in memory of Christian Wood. Christian was a senior at Trinity Episcopal School, an elite kayaker, and a regular counselor and instructor at Passages Adventure Camp. A talented student and amateur filmmaker, he found his joy in the rapids and whitewater of the James River. In 2018, despite his kayaking skills and p