My first exposure to the kayak challenge phenomenon felt more like cruel and unusual punishment. Of course, I started the challenge in the water. The event was a Greenland skills gathering and organizers had arranged for a portage and paddle race as well as a “seal hunt” using spongy balls for weapons and wetsuit-clad junior guide staff for seals.
So it was I found myself dodging pointy bows, digging sticks and eagerly hurled missiles, while two-dozen enthusiastic paddlers raced for bragging rights and brownies on the beach. Today’s events are considerably more sophisticated, but every bit as exciting.
Overnight odysseys
The indisputable granddaddy of endurance paddling events is the Yukon River Quest. In June, the 17th annual quest saw 58 teams of racers pitting themselves against 715 kilometers of Yukon River wilderness between Whitehorse and Dawson City, riding the powerful current and surviving sleepless nights under the midnight sun to complete the world’s longest annual canoe and kayak race in 3.5 days or less.
But not all multi-day challenges are grueling marathons. Debuting August 2015, the annual Montreal to Quebec Kayak Challenge traverses 260 kilometers of the historic St. Lawrence River in four days. With kayaks, food, campsites, live music and safety boats provided, “it’s an inclusive and laidback atmosphere, perfect for all outdoors lovers,” says founder Mathieu Fortier.
Many new paddlers were among the 130 participants this year, buoyed through 65-kilometer days by the flotilla’s positive group energy. With Fortier aiming for 250 paddlers in 2016, this new paddling event is the largest ever organized in Quebec.
Iconic waterways
There’s no better way to witness the famed sights, sounds and skylines of Manhattan than from the cockpit of a kayak. In August 2015, more than 100 paddlers of all skill levels took part in the 12th annual, all-day tour around New York’s iconic island. Keeping pace with the event’s growth each year, Manhattan Circumnavigation organizers have added guides, safety boats and an on-land support crew.
Meanwhile, two young events in the Midwest bring the kayak challenge model to the nation’s newest national water trail—South Dakota and Nebraska’s scenic Missouri National Recreation River. The 70-mile South Dakota Kayak Challenge has nearly doubled in participation since 2010, reports founder Jarett Bies, with some 140 racers plying the Missouri this May. Then, in July, the 2nd annual Fort to Field 50 Paddle Battle saw all forms of paddle-craft take to the water trail on a 50-mile course.
Beyond the paddle
Every August since 2009, the Great Canadian Kayak Challenge and Festival brings together arts and culture vendors, kayak races and instruction, leisure paddles, hot air balloon rides, a highland dance competition, a triathlon, two nights of free concerts and camping, and $20,000 worth of fireworks on the banks of Timmins, Ontario’s quietly meandering Mattagami River.
This premier tourist event is the brainchild of Guy Lamarche, Manager of Tourism, Events & Communication for the City of Timmins, who says the on-water festivities this year drew over 100 local, regional and even international paddlers, raising the bar for 2016. Courses range from a 35-kilometer elite challenge to shorter recreational, novice and youth races.
This article originally appeared in the 2016 Paddling Buyer’s Guide issue.
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