Paddle with purpose
Races for all skill levels and many boat types. Challenge yourself! Join our community of racing paddlers on rivers and lakes; taking the water as it comes. Learn to read the water and techniques of efficient paddling from NCCP certified Marathon coaches.
Ontario Races
Spring March, April, May
sanction approved
Upper Jock River Race
Ottawa April 22, 2023
Gaeten Plourde
Online registration http://jockriverrace.com
Registration deadline: is night before the race
$25 - $35 per person, discounts for advance registration
Briefing: 11:45am, immediately before the race
The 50th running of the Jock River Race, a rite of Spring, is happening in April 2023! The 12.5km race through the Richmond Fen is one of the area’s great springtime adventures. Attracting over 250 participants, the race is open to all paddlers – canoes, kayaks, outriggers and SUPs. Registration opens Feb. 1.
cancelled due to water levels
Sydenham River Race
Alvinston April 30, 2023
Melissa Levi: mlevi@scrca.on.ca
scrca.on.ca/events
Race recognized not sanctioned by OMCKRA. 7 km, 12 km and 15 km courses, for every level of paddler. Fund raiser for the Conservation Authority. Well attended with up to 80 canoes and kayaks participating. South of Alvinston and north of Bothwell, on the Mosside Line Road, 3km west of Nauvoo Road. Registration at start of course from 10 – 11 am. Start at 11:20 am.
sanction approved
Pittock Paddle
Woodstock, Pittock Conservation Area
May 06. 2023
Advanced email registration Race Roster
Race Briefing: 09:30 on race day; Start at 10:00 am.
Fee $40.00 per paddler
2023 Pittock Paddle - Final Results
Replacing the Thames River Classic, the Pittock Paddle will offer two distances of 17 km and 24 km. Lake and some technical river paddling. All experience levels. Join us for a paddle and a burger afterwards. This early season race will run in all weather conditions (excepting thunder). Dress accordingly. 24 km: Pro C2, Stock C2, Stock C1, Fast Kayak, Long Rec Kayak. 17 km: Stock C2, Stock C1, Fast Kayak, Long Rec Kayak, Rec Tandem, Short Rec Kayak, SUP. All are Open gender.
sanction approved
Marsh Mash Canoe Race
Bradford, Marsh
May 13, 2023
marshmash.ca
Race of the Year 2008 and 2016. The race is on the north branch of the canal that surrounds the well-known Holland Marsh. It is well suited to new and experienced paddlers.
June
sanction approved
Canoe The Nonquon
Port Perry June 3, 2023
Michelle Rahm: mrahm@scugog.ca
museum@scugog.ca
$65 per watercraft
Register onsite at Latcham Centre, 121 Queen Street, Port Perry on Fri, June 2 (6-9 p.m.) and Sat, June 3 (7-10 a.m.)
paddlestats.net/result/NONQUON/2023
Established in 1969 it is the longest running race in Ontario. Funds raised benefit the Scugog Shores Museums. Few kilometers on the Nonquon have many tight bends to practice your rudder turns; also some dead-end channels along the river section — when in doubt keep right! No portages but you may have to push over one or two beaver dams. Individual start; 12 & 20 km races. 12 km river & 8 km sprint on shores of Lake Scugog. A well attended race with a long-standing history in the community. Marathon C1 and C2. Various Recreational boats; Canoe, SUP and Kayak.
sanction approved
Saugeen Paddlers Voyageur Canoe Race
Paisley June 3, 2023
North Canoes are 26 feet long and crewed by either six or eight paddlers. They are replicas of canoes used by the North West Company, transporting furs from the interior to rendezvous points such as Fort William. At Rendezvous, their cargoes of fur were transferred to Montreal Canoes, 34 feet long, for the 54-day shipment east to Montreal. The North Canoes in turn, would take the goods from the east to the interior for trade. Teams participate in games of skill — some traditional, some with a little more modern influence, and they race in North Canoes.
sanctioned
Manotick Round-the-Islands Paddle
Manotick, Saturday, June 17, 2023 – 10:00 a.m
Contact Brian Schacht at 613-692-4886 or brianw.schacht@gmail.com
website
Father’s Weekend family fun event paddling on the Rideau Canal and the back channel around Long & Nicolls Islands, .If you own a canoe, kayak or paddle board, this 10 km. adventure is for you, along with your family or friends. The paddle is clockwise around Long & Nicolls Islands Event starts and finishes at the boat launch, next to Manotick Public Pool and Library with two portages around the dams. Entry fee: $20 per person or $35 per canoe/kayak/paddle board. Members of OMCKRA: $12 per person or $20 per canoe/kayak. Medals awarded for 1st, 2nd, 3rd place in solo and pairs, plus random dissimilitudes. Judging of the latter may be sketchy and prejudicial.
July
Parry Sound 50
July 15, 2023 10 AM 50k; 1PM 5k and 17k
Register onsite 8AM or online PARRY SOUND 50 REGISTER HERE
Nine Mile Lake Beach Park
North of Parry Sound then Hwy 124 to the right. Nine Mile Lake Rd is 5 K east of Hwy 400 on left , Take Nine Mile L. Rd. to the end.
Nine Mile Lake Beach Park. Course is deep water, few or no weeds. Sheltered from most wind directions. Little or no boat traffic. All boat classes. 50k if one paddler under 15, the other paddler must be over 18. 50k is 3 loops of Nine Mile Lake, with short portage each loop. One paddler per boat must run up beach, boats do not need to be carried, leave food and drinks on portage/beach to pick up after each loop. 17k , 5k. has 2 portages. 5k is short loop on Nine Mile Lake. All participants must meet coast guard safety requirements including PFD in boat for each person , noise maker , bailing bucket (unless exempt), throw rope. Inflatable approved PFDs are permitted but must be worn. Any non-swimmers MUST WEAR an approved PFD !!! All participants 18 and under MUST wear an approved PFD. Participants are responsible to ensure they are physically capable of undertaking this physically demanding event.
Aug
sanction approved
Kingston to Ottawa (K2O)
Aug 12 2023
Rideau Canal, Rideau Ferry to Cataraqui Canoe Club (Kingston)
Mike Broekhoven
info@kingston2ottawa.ca
Register: kingston2ottawa.ca
Start: 6:00 am
The Kingston to Ottawa 100 (K2O) Paddling Race is an ultra endurance marathon paddling race through a UNESCO World Heritage site, the Rideau Canal waterway. Starting from Rideau Ferry Bridge and ending in Kingston. There will be two distances, 90 km full event, and an approx. ½ distance event. All categories will apply to both distances.
sanction approved
Wai Nui Why Not Race
Oakville Aug 13, 2023
16 Mile Creek and Lake Ontario
https://wainuioutrigger.net/wai-nui-why-not-race/
Held in picturesque Oakville at the Wai Nui club. Consistent with outrigger culture, this is a Hawaiian-themed event. After the races lunch, awards and some very cool swag will follow at the Oakville Power Boat Club. Bring your own chairs - there is lots of space on the lawn. Wai Nui Why Not is the second of the four races in the Waterway Series. Fees include racing, lunch, awards and swag. Lunch only tickets are available.
Late season (Sept, Oct.)
sanction approved
Muskoka River X
in Huntsville
Sept 16-17 2023
organizers: Michael Varieur, Rob Horton
www.muskokariverx.com
www.facebook.com/MuskokaRiverX
The Classic is back! The world’s longest single day expedition paddling race is a 133 km journey that covers two rivers systems, four lakes and includes 20 portages in less than 24 hours. Starting pre-dawn on shore of Peninsula Lake paddlers travel south on the North Muskoka River through the towns of Huntsville and Port Sydney before arriving in Bracebridge. Turning north, the long upstream journey under the setting sun follows the South Muskoka River to Baysville. During their final section, paddlers must find their way home under the cover of darkness, navigating mighty Lake of Bays to the finish line on Peninsula Lake. No outside assistance. No support teams. No re-supplies. No electronic navigation. Considered by some to be the toughest single day canoe race in the world, your X-PEDITION is waiting.
pending 2023 review
Toronto International Outrigger Canoe Race TIOC
Toronto Sailing & Canoe Club
organizer: Chris Hebert
Maka Koa Outrigger Club
Sept 23, 2023
7 am - 3 pm cost $50
www.tioc.ca
The TIOC is set to go and will be a terrific day of competitive racing and fun. Based out of the Toronto Sailing & Canoe Club (TS&CC), this popular event challenges an international field of outrigger canoe, SUP, surfski & kayak paddlers. Race courses span from 5km for newer paddlers, to a 20km+ course around Toronto Islands. The races are followed by a luau with delicious food and drink. All are welcome, including spectators!
sanction approved
Nottawasaga Fall Classic
Schoonertown Parkette,
Sunset Ct., Wasaga Beach, ON, L9Z 2A9
Oct 14, 2023
organizer Peter Braul email
ONLINE REGISTRATION LINK TBD.
on site registration and payment at 9:00 AM
Facebook: collingwoodpaddles
Join us as the leaves change colour in downtown Wasaga Beach for a fun race for all sorts of paddlers! If you have a boat and want to race it but don’t see a category, we’ll find a way to make it work! This section of river includes shallows, moving water, docks, boats and other entertaining features. Any underwater objects will be clearly marked and easy to avoid. All boats racing the same distance will start together heading upstream. There are no podium prizes for this race, just pride in having done your best and recognition from your peers. Black Bellows Brewing in Collingwood has graciously donated some merchandise and gift cards to be raffled off as door prizes. See you on the river! ONLINE REGISTRATION LINK
Provincials, Nationals and other Championships
To participate in these Championships paddlers/ athletes must be members of the provincial Marathon organization.
Ontario Provincial Championships
Ontario's Provincial Marathon Championships take place as part of the following races.
C2 Pro Mixed, C2 Stock Mixed TBD
C1 USCA, C1 Stock, HPK (incl ICF K1) TBD
C2 Pro Mens, C2 Pro Womens. C2 Stock Mens, C2 Stock Womens TBD
Canadian Marathon Nationals
Quebec
August 11, 12 and 13, 2023
email marathon@canoekayak.ca
Great way to meet and paddle with Marathon paddlers from across the country, US and Belize. OMCKRA is a proud member of the Marathon Canoe Racing Council (MCRC) of CanoeKayak Canada (CKC) more about MCRC.
Marathon World Championships
August 31- September 3 2023
2023 ICF CANOE MARATHON WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS
Vejen, Denmark
email: info@omckra.com
ICF Marathon World Championships. CLICK HERE to go to CKC site with documents including Expression of Interest, Application for Hosting a Provincial Qualifier, World Marathon Team Selection Criteria. Scroll right down to the bottom of the webpage. Marathon Worlds athletes must be members of a provincial Marathon organization. Join OMCKRA! Selection is coordinated by the Marathon Canoe Racing Council (MCRC) of CanoeKayak Canada (CKC). more about MCRC.
Add your race to the Ontario Marathon series
Send in a Sanctioning Request Form for your local race, or get help from OMCKRA to build a new race in your area.
Races cancelled this year or not sanctioned by OMCKRA
Races below
Cancelled In 2023.
Mattawa River Canoe Race
North Bay July xxx, 2023
PRE-REGISTRATION REQUIRED
nbmca.on.ca
The Mattawa River Race starts on Trout Lake in North Bay and continues down the Mattawa valley, ending at the town of Mattawa on the Ottawa River. The course features long lake crossings, multiple portages, dams and rapids as well as twisting river sections
"Cancelled In 2023. See new format in 2024!"
CANCELLED
Little Current to Killarney Canoefest
Little Current July xxx, 2023
facebook link
currenttokillarney.com
The race is a marathon canoe race approximately 40 km in length. Manitoulin Brewing Company (MBC) and Killarney Mountain Lodge (KML) put together a video last October 2018 to unveil MBC’s new beer, Killarney Cream Ale https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PDQsE4r_YI4. The video concept was built around the delivery of the first keg of this signature Ale being made by 30 foot Voyageur Canoe from the Home of The MBC, Little Current, Manitoulin Island to the KML, in the Town of Killarney on the shore of Georgian bay. Once this epic Voyage was completed the owners of both companies said “We need to share this with others” and so “The Current to Killarney Canoe fest” was born.
Kawartha Paddle Quest
Peterborough Aug 28, 2021
www.kawarthapaddlequest.com
kawarthaquest@omckra.com
Peterborough is the host for the Annual “Kawartha River Quest”, home of the Canadian Canoe Museum and the highest hydraulic lift lock in the world!!
North of 7 River Run
York River, Bancroft
northof7@omckra.com
cancelled
Courses run on the beautiful, deep, winding York River and on Baptiste Lake, ending by the Waddle & Daub Cafe in Riverside Park, downtown Bancroft. All funds raised go to help support the not for profit Bancroft Community Transits’ transportation for children and youth in the community and for employment and social programs that foster social inclusion. For more on this worthy cause see: http://www.bancroftcommunitytransit.com/index.php/news-events..
not sanctioned by OMCKRA
Water and Dirt
(was Upper Ottawa River Race)
Deep River/Petawawa
organizer: Colin Coyle
Aug 11-27, 2023
raceroster.com/upper-ottawa-river-race
The Water and Dirt Festival is a three day event celebrating active outdoor lifestyles and the Ottawa River. This event is not associated with OMCKRA in 2023