Gowanus Challenge

Starts at 2nd St at Bond St, Gowanus, Brooklyn. Subway: F, G to Carroll St, R to Union St.Ever wanted to canoe at a Superfund site? Yeah, us neither. Stand safely on the sidelines and cheer on the competitors of the a 2.5-mile fund-raising race along the petri dish that is the Gowanus Canal, organized by the Gowanus Dredgers Canoe Club and Red Hook Boaters. After watching teams like the Toxic Avengers and Green-Wood Gravediggers paddle through the contaminated water, stick around for an awards ceremony luncheon at 1:30pm, where you can shake hands with the best-dressed crew, coolest-named team and other honorees. (Bring Purell.) Go to gowanuscanal.org/race for more information.