How far could you (or you and a relay of your friends) paddle in 24 hours? Find out this weekend, June 17-18!
Rob Horton and Mike Varieur, the organizers behind the popular Muskoka River X and Big East River X, have brought a new event to town – the Algonquin Outfitters 24 Hours of River X.
The premise is simple: complete as many loops of a 10-kilometre route as you can in 24 hours. You can do it solo in a canoe, kayak or SUP, you can do it with a friend, or you can get a bunch of friends together on a relay team.
But don’t think you have to be a marathon paddler to enter. The event is about families and friends coming together as a paddling community for camaraderie and a bit of friendly competition.
The loop starts and ends at River Mill Park. Teams put in at the Town Docks, paddle on the Muskoka River and then along the shoreline of Fairy Lake to just before the Brunel Locks where they’ll turn around and paddle back to River Mill Park to complete a short portage before doing it all over again and again … and again.
Teams will be paddling at night – lights are allowed and the MRX crew has some good tips here: Lighting up the MRX.
The teams that complete the most laps in their categories in 24 hours will be crowned the winners!
Limited camping spaces are available at River Mill Park for those who want somewhere to rest their heads for a few hours – tent sites are sold out and vehicle sites are going fast.
If you need to stock up on the mandatory gear needed for the event, title sponsor Algonquin Outfitters is offering a discount for the participants.
Learn more and register at muskokariverx.com/24hrs-of-riverx. Registration is open until Saturday morning.
If you’re not a paddler but you want to cheer the participants on, the Town Docks or Camp Kitchen are ideal vantage points to watch them come and go. The race starts at noon on Saturday, July 17. (Note that the River Mill Park lot will be reserved for participants, so plan to park elsewhere.)
Don’t miss out on Doppler! Sign up for our free newsletter here.