Paddlers in kayaks and canoes will be competing this weekend on the Bayou Teche

Paddlers will line the Bayou Teche this weekend for the annual Tour du Teche event. 

Kayak and canoe racing will take place in recreational and professional categories for the event with the races beginning today in Port Barre. 

Tour du Teche is an annual staged race along the entire length of the bayou. The race, which is 135 miles, includes parts of the Teche Area with stops in New Iberia, St. Martinville and Charenton. 

The entire race is divided into smaller races that cover many Teche Area municipalities. The primary races that cover Teche Area locations are the Sugar Race, Hot Sauce Race and Black Bear Race, which all take place Saturday. 

The 59-mile Sugar Race covers St. Martinville to Franklin, while the 24-mile Hot Sauce race starts at St. Martinville and moves to New Iberia. The 35-mile Black Bear race starts in New Iberia and ends in Franklin. 

Also, the 27-mile Oil and Gas race starts in Franklin on Sunday and ends in Berwick. 

Other races include the Crawfish race that takes place today from Port Barre to Breaux Bridge, and the Acadian race that also takes place Friday from Port Barre to St. Martinville. 

Dedicated paddlers will be racing the Tour du Teche 135, which spans the entire Bayou Teche from Port Barre to Berwick. 

For more information, go to www.tourduteche.com.