Cayuco is the Panamanian native term for canoe, the traditional means of transportation for the Panamanian indians. In 1954, the Boy Scouts of America in Panama started this amazing and unique activity, originally simply for recreation, of crossing the Panama Canal in the infamous cayucos. Starting in the Atlantic and ending in the Pacific, this 38 mile, three-day event became more and more competitive over the years. With initially only seven boats in the first race, today, the race counts on about 40 to 50 boats a year.

Different categories were formed: the juvenile category and the open category. There's the juvenile category, which is divided into male, female, and coed, and the open, or patch, category, for those over 21. Until 1997, the cayucos were allowed to go straight through the Canal, meaning that they were able to cross the locks. In 2003, however, commemorating Panama's 100th anniversary and the cayuco race's 50th, cayucos will once again be permitted to transit the Canal during the race.

The race begins on a Friday with the first leg, which begins at the Atlantic entrance of the Canal in Cristobal and ends at the Gatun Locks. The second leg, on Saturday, consists of crossing the Gatun Lake, with an average of three hours. The third day, Sunday, is made up of three different stretches, two sprints and a one and a half hour stretch. The first sprint starts in Gamboa and ends at Beacon 93; the second stretch takes paddlers across the Gaillard Cut (AKA Culebra Cut); and the other sprint, and the final stretch, from the Miraflores Locks down the Pacific channel to the finish line at the Diablo ramp.

First Stretch: Cristobal, Colon Second Stretch: Gatun Lake Third Stretch: Gamboa 10-minute Sprint Fourth Stretch: Culebra Cut Fifth Stretch: Diablo 15-minute Sprint

Trophies are awarded to the top four boats in each category. All participants, however, get a commemorative patch, a patch made by the overall winners of the previous year. The overall winners of every stretch in the male and female trophy category receive a bead for the stretch. There are five different colored beads, one for each stretch. At the end of the race, if a crew has all five beads they are referred to as Master Paddlers.

The tradition continues.