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Canoe Marathon

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Long distance endurance and strategy are key to success

At the starters order the view of the Canoe Marathon startline is instantly filled with kayaks or canoes and a spray of water is thrown into the sky by countless paddles. Shortly after the fireworks of the start, all the paddlers make it back to the start area, jump out of their boats and speed down the portage line with coaches, team supporters and spectators shouting and screaming to encourage their paddlers to go faster, to catch up, to get on the wash … This circuit goes on for several short rounds with a portage on every lap. Such is the breathtaking sport of Canoe Marathon.

This version of Canoe Marathon is very different to the so-called Classic Canoe Marathon competition where athletes started in one place and finished in another. A radical change; finding the right balance was crucial. A close dialogue with the national teams has secured the road with the main purpose of creating a spectacular competition with as much action within the view of spectators who do not have to move and are now able to watch most of the race where the start, portage and finish take place.

This course concept opens the opportunity for many potential hosts of an ICF Canoe Marathon World Cup or World Championship, which was not the case previously. It also allows for regatta courses to be used with all the advantage of existing infrastructure.
 

The long way to Victory

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A tight squeeze on the startline

Canoeing over long distances has long been a feature of Canoeing. For many years, however, Canoe Marathon was limited to national competitions. The most famous of these were the Kronborg race in Denmark, the Devises to Westminster race in Great Britain, and the very colourful Sella Descent in Spain.

International interest rose in the 1960s, when national teams started participating regularly in the Devises and Sella events as well as in the Liffey Descent in Ireland. When the Danish Tour de Gudena began in 1967, the international interest for long distance Canoeing increased immensely. In only a few years the Tour de Gudena race became a big hit with up to 20 countries entering and more than 1,000 paddlers competing.

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