The St. Lawrence River Elite Series going off as planned was up in the air until as recently as late last week when a decision was made to delay salvage operations on two sunken tugboats not far from the event's host town of Waddington, N.Y.
According to published media reports out of northern New York, local, state government and maritime officials convinced the International St. Lawrence River Board of Control to temporarily halt the recovery of two tugboats that capsized June 22 in the narrow channels near the Seaway International Bridge that runs across the river from Massena, N.Y. to Cornwall, Ontario.
The announcement came last Thursday as competitors were already en route to the area.
The salvage site is about 15 miles downstream from Waddington, and not far from the Eisenhower and Snell Locks, which mark the tournament's eastern boundary line.
The tournament, which starts Thursday, is expected to attract upwards of 30,000 visitors and generate more than $3.5 million for the local economy.
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