On Sunday, July 26, 90 paddle-boaters (45 teams) will meet for the second annual 826LA Echo Park Lake Paddle Boat Regatta. These fearless navigators will brave the elements, the geese, and each other as they race through (the possibly monster-infested) Echo Park Lake to earn the title of World's Best Paddle Boat Racers and to raise funds for 826LA.

Teams pre-register online, then solicit donations from friends, family, significant others, passers-by on the street, and large corporations—all to secure a better starting position.

Regardless of any advantages secured through fundraising, regatta participants will still need to rely on nautical know-how, quads of steel, and a heart that yearns for the open water. Sound like you? Register to boat.