Rain is all our Borntopaddle.com kayaker saw on his way to Outdoor Inc’s Canoe & Kayak Race. After leaving at 4am and traveling 190 miles to race his 9.5 ft Swifty kayak and being extremely confident of bringing home a medal, the race was cancelled. Because of, you guessed it, rain! And lot’s of it. Although he was disappointed, he was happy to get his t-shirt, ear buds, glass case, and red tow flag.

 He didn’t get to race today, but traveling home gave him the challenge his was looking for on the river. Interstate 40 was closed in Memphis because of flooding, so he needed to use his gut instinct and his compass to travel east on side roads dodging manhole covers pushed out by rising flood waters in pouring rain and lightning to head home. He finally made it home in 5 ½ hours instead of the usually 3 hours.  I’m sure if you ask any kayaker that got to the kayak race about their trip home it would have the same challenging events.

Is our kayaker going back next year rain or shine? You bet! This kayak race is one of his favorite paddling events. Kayaking on the Mississippi river is a challenging paddle, and he has paddled it in a little 9.5 foot Swifty kayak and an 18 foot Sea kayak and brought medals home each time.

Will team Borntopaddle.com be there next year to root on our kayaker? You bet! We love to support our racing kayaker and this race is a great one to watch.

Canoe & Kayak Race, Saturday, May 1st, Memphis, Tennessee

If you haven’t entered the Outdoors Inc. Canoe & Kayak race in Memphis, Tennessee you still have a couple of days.

According to their website:

Online registration ends Friday, April 30th.

 This canoe & kayak race is 3.1 miles on the Mississippi River in Memphis. The Mississippi River is the largest river in the U.S. It has strong currents and powerful eddies and the wind can create additional problems for canoeists.

The race starts at the mouth of the Wolf River. The course goes out of the Wolf River, into the Mississippi River, under the I-40 Bridge, past Mud Island Park, and up into the Memphis Harbor. 

Run, Bike, Paddle Triathlon, Virginia

Looking for a triathlon in May? Then check out the Alleghany Highlands Triathlon – Clifton Forge, Virginia.

 The 2nd Annual Alleghany Highlands Triathlon is scheduled for Saturday, May 22nd in Alleghany County, VA.

 According to their website:

The race starts at the Alleghany Highlands YMCA in Low Moor with a 5k run, followed by a 5k paddle down the Jackson River, then a 16k bicycle race that finishes at the Douthat State Park.

Have your entry postmarked by May 7th and you’ll still make the early bird entry which includes the race, picnic, and T-shirt.

Teams and individual’s welcome.

For more information on these paddling races or to find other paddling races, events, festivals, paddlefests or triahlons all over the U.S.,   click here to go to our kayak, canoe & paddling races and events page

Looking for paddling locations in your state?

Search our places to paddle page for places to kayak or canoe for flatwater or whitewater.  Kayaking and canoeing paddling locations are listed by U.S. State