Canoe marathon is a paddling sport in which athletes paddle a kayak (double-bladed paddle) or canoe (single-bladed paddle) over a long distance to the finish line. The

International Canoe Federation The International Canoe Federation (ICF) is the umbrella organization of all national canoe organizations worldwide. It is headquartered in Lausanne, Switzerland, and administers all aspects of canoe sport worldwide. 157 countries are affiliated ...

states standard distance races are at least without an upper limit, while short distance races are between , and . Many events are raced down sections of river, including currents or

portage Portage or portaging ( CA: ; ) is the practice of carrying water craft or cargo over land, either around an obstacle in a river, or between two bodies of water. A path where items are regularly carried between bodies of water is also called a '' ...

s around obstacles. Some events attract thousands of competitors and are staged over several days.

Classes

Racers are generally divided into different classes though the available classes at each race will vary. Example classes are: *K1 *K2 *K4 *C1 *C2 *C3 *C6 *OC1 *OC2 ''K'' refers to a kayak, ''C'' a canoe and ''OC'' to an outrigger. The number refers to the number of paddlers in the boat. Some included on this list are very infrequently raced at the marathon discipline, but ''C1'', ''C2'' and ''K1'' are virtually in every race. ''K1'', ''K2'', ''K4'', ''C1'', and ''C2'' classes are permitted in International Canoe Federation events.

Events

* ICF Canoe Marathon World Championships, an International Canoe Federation competition * The long running Avon Descent held in

Western Australia Western Australia (WA) is the westernmost state of Australia. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Southern Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east, and South Australia to the south-east. Western Aust ...

, a two day whitewater marathon river race over for kayaks and canoes where paddlers compete alongside powerboats. * The MR340 is an annual continuous race on the Missouri River from Kansas City to St. Charles, Missouri. Participants have 88 hours to complete the race. * Devizes to Westminster International Canoe Marathon: A race over of canals and rivers from

Devizes Devizes () is a market town and civil parish in Wiltshire, England. It developed around Devizes Castle, an 11th-century Norman architecture, Norman castle, and received a charter in 1141. The castle was besieged during the Anarchy, a 12th-cent ...

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which can either be completed "straight through" or over four days. The course includes portages around 77 locks. There are no rules about the boat specifications but most competitors use ICF kayaks. * The Dusi Canoe Marathon in

South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the Southern Africa, southernmost country in Africa. Its Provinces of South Africa, nine provinces are bounded to the south by of coastline that stretches along the Atlantic O ...

: a three-day race over . Classes include K1, K2, white water, touring kayak, and touring canoe. * The Eleven Cities Tour in

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: a 36 hours max race over . Classes include K1, K2, white water and touring kayak. * The

Fish River Canoe Marathon The Fish River Canoe Marathon is a two-day event taking place on the Great Fish River, Fish River in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa. It covers a total distance of , from Grassridge Dam southward to Cradock, Eastern Cape, Cradock. The t ...

: a two-day river race over () in South Africa in ICF-style K1s and K2s. K3s are also run. * The YMCA Massive Murray Paddle, down the Murray River in Australia. Classes include ICF canoes and kayaks, as well as touring craft as defined in Australian Canoeing regulations, surf skis,

outrigger canoe Outrigger boats are various watercraft featuring one or more lateral support floats known as outriggers, which are fastened to one or both sides of the main hull (watercraft), hull. They can range from small dugout (boat), dugout canoes to large ...

s and recreational paddle-craft such as

sea kayak A sea kayak or touring kayak is a kayak used for the sport of Watercraft paddling, paddling on open waters of lakes, bays, and oceans. Sea kayaks are seaworthy small boats with a covered deck and the ability to incorporate a spray deck. They t ...

s. * The Hawkesbury Canoe Classic. down the Hawkesbury River in NSW Australia from Windsor to Brooklyn. The event is run at night (under moonlight on some years). Classes include canoes, kayaks and skis, as well as limited dragon boats. * The Texas Water Safari a race over from the interior

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south to the

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. It must be completed in 100 hours. Classes include: ** Solo: USCA C-1, unlimited (any human powered boat) ** Tandem: USCA aluminum, standard, USCA C-2, unlimited ** Up to six crew: unlimited. The record time of 30 hours was done in a six-man canoe. * The Triple Crown of Canoe Racing consists of three separate marathon races with a total distance of over 5 days of racing: ** th
General Clinton Canoe Regatta
held in May on

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weekend, one-day race, ** the

Au Sable River Canoe Marathon The Au Sable River Canoe Marathon (ARCM), presented by Consumers Energy, (also stylized as the Au Sable River (Michigan), AuSable River Canoe Marathon) is an annual canoe race in Michigan from Grayling, Michigan, Grayling to Oscoda, Michigan ...

, held on last weekend of July, overnight race, and ** the Classique international de canots de la Mauricie, held in September on

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, three-day race. * The Adirondack Canoe Classic, also known as "The 90 Miler," is a three-day, canoe race from Old Forge to Saranac Lake in the

Adirondacks The Adirondack Mountains ( ) are a massif of mountains in Northeastern New York (state), New York which form a circular dome approximately wide and covering about . The region contains more than 100 peaks, including Mount Marcy, which is the hi ...

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, United States. Classes range from C1 Stock to war canoes and traditional guide boats. * La Ruta Maya: a four-day river race in

Belize Belize is a country on the north-eastern coast of Central America. It is bordered by Mexico to the north, the Caribbean Sea to the east, and Guatemala to the west and south. It also shares a maritime boundary with Honduras to the southeast. P ...

* The Muskoka River X: a 24-hour race over of lakes and rivers in

Ontario Ontario is the southernmost Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada. Located in Central Canada, Ontario is the Population of Canada by province and territory, country's most populous province. As of the 2021 Canadian census, it ...

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its Provinces and territories of Canada, ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, making it the world's List of coun ...

. The course includes 20 portages. Paddlers must carry expedition gear such as shelters and emergency rations. Classes include canoe (single and tandem), kayak, and stand up paddle board. * The Yukon River Quest: a wilderness paddling race from

Whitehorse Whitehorse () is the capital of Yukon, and the largest city in Northern Canada. It was incorporated in 1950 and is located at kilometre 1426 (Historic Mile 918) on the Alaska Highway in southern Yukon. Whitehorse's downtown and Riverdale areas ...

Dawson City Dawson City is a town in the Canadian territory of Yukon. It is inseparably linked to the Klondike Gold Rush (1896–1899). Its population was 1,577 as of the 2021 census, making it the second-largest municipality in Yukon. History Prior t ...

in The Yukon,

. Classes include canoes and kayaks (single and tandem), and voyageur (six-person) canoes. * The Yukon 1000: a biennial wilderness race over of the

Yukon River The Yukon River is a major watercourse of northwestern North America. From its source in British Columbia, it flows through Canada's territory of Yukon (itself named after the river). The lower half of the river continues westward through the U.S ...

lasting 7–12 days. Classes include K1, K2, C1, C2 and voyageur canoes.

References

{{Canoeing and kayaking Canoe racing Canoeing and kayaking Canoeing disciplines

Classes

Events

See also

References