Tomorrow marks the first running of the longest, single day expedition-paddling race in the world. We expect it’ll also be one of the hardest.

The Muskoka River X will see canoes, kayaks and one lonely SUP traverse 125 kilometers in 24 hours. Participants will race around the clock to cover four lakes, two rivers systems and 19 portages. Navigation is by topographic map and compass only and all teams must be self-supported.

Paddler Steve Varieur will be paddling a solo canoe. While he’s no stranger to adventure races, having competed in the Yukon River Quest twice, this is his first significant solo race. He filled us in on what he’s expecting on race day. 

“The race is not merely a paddling race but combines key elements of adventure racing, which bring out new challenges. Teams receive no outside support, there are no aid or resupply stations and teams must remain self-sufficient throughout the entire course,” says Varieur. All variables, including food, hydration, shelter, how to deal with changing weather, injury and gear failure, all have to be considered beforehand.

Varieur expects to meet the most challenging section of the course in the dark. “Racing in the dark, or even just paddling in the dark for that matter, is a very unique experience. The rapids above Bracebridge will need to be negotiated in the dark and against current. Although not much more than swifts and class I rapids, being in the dark, dragging your boat up boulder gardens after having been racing for 15 or more hours, will prove challenging.”

Another tough section will be Lake of Bays. A serene 20-kilometer paddle in calm weather, high winds can whip this section into misery for paddlers. “As a solo paddler in a skinny little race canoe, my concern will be big waves and the risk of a swim,” adds Varieur.

With the temperature forecasted to drop to between 2 and 5 degrees Celsius Saturday night, hypothermia is a major risk for paddlers who will be forced to get their feet wet when dragging upstream over gravel bars.

So, how do you train for such a race? Varieur began cross training in February and competed in shorter adventure racing events throughout the summer. “But, for the last two months, I’ve mostly focused on spending long periods of time in the canoe.”

Registration for the race is full. Learn more at www.muskokariverx.com.

After 62 days, the six-man Paddle For The North team has returned home. They traversed 1400 kilometers through three time zones and six river systems, from the Yukon to Alaska, on their journey with the hopes of creating a documentary that will encourage conservation.  

This past weekend saw the the 34th running of the Gull River Open Canoe Slalom Race at Minden, Ontario’s Whitewater Preserve. 

Top finishers included:

For full results, click here to view all runs or best runs only (PDFs will open.)

For photos of the event by Marilyn Scriver, please visit her Flickr page here. 

The 2013 ICF World Freestyle Championship has come to an end after an exciting week at the Nantahala Outdoor Center in North Carolina.

Men’s and Women’s Squirt Finals were first on the list of many Final rounds. In Women’s Squirt, Claire O’Hara (GBR) proved herself yet again, and took home the gold and the World Champion title in her division with 1,153 points. Bringing home silver was Motoko Ishida (JPN) with 603 points and Yoshiko Suematsu (JPN) took the bronze with 286 points. In the Men’s Division, Clay Wright (USA) topped the podium with 1,340 points. In second place is Dane Jackson (USA) with 1, 160 points, while Max Karlsson (SWE) nabbed bronze with 860 points.

Jordan Poffenberger (USA) came in first place with 283 points in Men’s OC-1, Dane Jackson (USA) took home silver with 103 points, and Jez Jez (AUS) came away with a bronze medal with 100 points. In Men’s C1, Poffenberger (USA) took another gold medal with 1,068 points, while teammates Tad Dennis (USA) came in second with 843 points and Dane Jackson (USA) took bronze with 840 points.

Home-state hero Rowan Stuart (USA) was able to snatch a gold medal in the Junior Women’s K1 division with a 423 point ride. Nuria Fontane (ESP) came in second with 380 points, and Kimberlee Aldred (GBR) placed third with an even 200 point ride.  In Men’s K1 Junior, Hunter Katich (USA) took top spot with an impressive score of 1,200 points. Thomas Richard (FRA) took home silver with 1,006 points and Alec Vorhees (USA) took home bronze with 953 points.

In one of the more anticipated Finals of the week, Claire O’Hara (GBR) grabbed yet another World Champion title in the Women’s K1 division, with a 708 point ride. Hitomi Kakau (JPN) took silver with 650 points, and Adriene Levknecht (USA) went home with bronze after her 326 point run.

To some, it may have come as no surprise that 20 year-old Dane Jackson (USA) walked away with the gold medal in the K1 Men’s division. His ride earned him 1,240 points, while Peter Csonka (SVK) came second with 1,233 points and Tomasz Czaplicki (POL) came in third with 1,208 points.

The 2013 ICF World Freestyle Championships was another raging success. The Nantahala Outdoor Centre did a phenomenal job hosting the events, especially with the inclusion of the LiveFeed and the automated scoring system, which made the event extremely spectator friendly. It will be interesting to watch the up and coming athletes over the next two years as they prepare for the next competition, with the scores we saw throughout the event this week, who knows what’s coming next in 2015.