Read Racing News on the new MCA Forum!

Join the electronic mail group!

This allows us a means of communicating with each other without any one person having to maintain the email list or calendar of events.  You can post events on the group's calendar and send messages of upcoming races and practices to canoe racing group.

What is Marathon Canoe Racing?

Marathon canoe racing is a sit down style of paddling over a distance that varies from a few miles to over 100+ miles in one day including multi-day races. Some of these races may include some portages. The races can be held on lakes and rivers. The rivers are mostly calm but they can have some rapids of moderate difficulty with clear passage that may require some maneuvering. The larger races may have several classes whereas the smaller races there may be only a couple classes. These classes can be based on age and sex of the paddlers and the type of canoe.

Each paddler is paddling on opposite sides and they will switch every 6 to 12 strokes or so. The stroke rate is usually between 50 to 80 strokes a minute, the average being between 60 and 70. The bow paddler usually sets the pace and this person is usually the heavier, more powerful person. It’s easier to trim the canoe with the heavier person in the bow. Paddlers new to canoe racing usually start in the bow because it’s easier to learn. The stern paddler will say, “Hut” or “Hup”, when its time to switch sides. The stern paddler usually sets the course in the river or lake. The stern paddler has to call the “Hut” before the canoe starts to turn. The stern paddler has to anticipate the turn rather than reacting to the canoe turning. Both paddlers have to be compatible in technique and stroke rate to be efficient in the canoe.

Marathon canoe racing relies mostly on the upper body strength and to a lesser degree the legs but the sport also relies on technique and strategy. It’s not always the strongest paddler that comes out ahead.

Marathon racing canoes are designed to go straight and fast. The stroke that makes the canoe go fast is called the forward stroke. There some basics to the stroke but each person will have some slight differences. There are other strokes the paddler needs to learn.

Where in Minnesota can a person learn the basics of the forward stroke and other aspects of Marathon canoe racing? One place to learn is at Monday Night Rookies. It’s held at the East River Flats Park on the East Bank (University of Minnesota) on the Mississippi River. Starting the Monday after Daylight Savings begins and goes till the fall when we have to turn the clock back an hour. Rick Lorenzen wrote a article last year on the tradition of Monday Night Rookies. The late Karl Ketter and Jeff Howe practiced canoe racing on Mondays in 1976 at the River Flats Park. Over the years the tradition still continues on. Today, Ketter Canoeing sponsors Monday Night Rookies by providing canoes and life jackets at no cost. Experienced racers show up to provide instructions for the new racers. Ketter Canoeing.

The “Triple Crown of Canoe Racing” recognizes the top performances by Marathon Canoe Racers who compete at the following three races that make up the Triple Crown.

1. General Clinton Canoe Regatta, a one day non-stop 70 mile race on the Susquehanna River from Cooperstown to Bainbridge, New York. This race takes place on the Monday of Memorial Day Week-end General Clinton Canoe Regatta
2. AuSable River Canoe Marathon, a 120-mile non-stop race down the AuSable River from Grayling to Oscoda, Michigan. This race starts at 9 PM and goes through the night into the next day. The winner usually finishes around 14 to 15 hours. A paddler must finish the race within 19 hours to be considered an official finisher. This is a very interesting and exhaustive race for both the racers and the spectators. The race is billed as the “The World’s Toughest Spectator Race”. One reason is that many of the spectators follow the racers the full 120 miles down the river. This race is held the last weekend in July. AuSable River Canoe Marathon.
3. La Classique de Canots de La Maurice, this is a three- day, three- stage race starting in La Tuque, Quebec over the Labor Day weekend. On Friday the racers meet in La Tuque to get their race packet with the information about the race and have their canoe measured. All the racers, one at a time, do a 2 to 3 minute sprint around a small lake in their canoe. This time is added to the overall time the racers finish in the next day’s first stage of the race. Last years race ended on Monday in Trois-Rivieres. La Classique de Canots,

There are portages in all three of these races.

The 2002 Triple Crown Champions were Serge Corbin, of Quebec, and his partner Jeff Kolka, of Grayling, MI. They also won this award in 2000 and 2001. Local racer, Fred Rayman, of Ely, MN, placed 15th in 2000 and 8th in 2001. Local racer, Kjell Peterson, now living in Duluth, MN, placed 8th in 2000. Devin Arenz, of Cass Lake, MN, placed 10th in 2001.

Another local racer, Al Rudquist, of Grand Rapids, won the General Clinton in 1984, the AuSable Marathon in 1989 and La Classique 1983, 1984 and 1995. Al has also been a top finisher in all the races for several years.

The late Irwin “Buzzy” Peterson won the AuSable Marathon four times in 1963, 1964, 1965 and 1971. Steve Peterson raced with his father, “Buzzy”, in the AuSable Marathon in 1967 and they took 2nd place, in 1968 they took 3rd place, and in 1971 they took first place with a time of 15:36.40. “Buzzy” also race the La Classique in Quebec winning that race in 1955,1956,1957,1958,1959,1960,1961,1962,1964 and 1965. “Buzzy” was a dominant figure in marathon canoe racing in his day.

Another Minnesota paddler, designer of racing canoes, Gene Jensen, won the La Classique in 1949,1950,1971 and 1973. Gene’s wins in 1971 and 1973 were with his partner, Dan Hassel. Gene’s highest finish in the AuSable Marathon was 3rd place in 1962.

Two Minnesota women paddlers, Io Harberts, has done the La Classique and Deighen Blakely has done both the La Classique and General Clinton in New York.

There have been other Minnesota paddlers who have competed in one or all three of the major races and have done very well.

There are many races in Minnesota and beginning at the start of the season you can just about find a race every weekend. These races can last as long as an hour to about 4 hours. Hoigaard’s put on their Canoe Derby every Thursday at Lake Calhoun starting around the end of May and going onto August. They have many different classes and this is excellent time to practice your racing skills that you learned at Monday Night Rookies practices. The race season here in Minnesota starts the first part of May and goes into September. I will be putting out the 2003 Minnesota Marathon Racing Schedule when I get all the confirmations from the race organizers. I plan on putting this schedule on the Minnesota Canoe Association Website and on Marathon Canoe Racers also have organized practices throughout the week at different locations. These practices usually start after ice out in the spring and goes into the fall. Also, there are Ladies ONLY Practices.

Any questions or comments you can contact me, Chuck Ryan, Racing Director

---

---