Marathon Canoe

Enderby Marathon Canoe Race Event, June 10 & 11, 2023 - Results Here!

Marathon canoe is a long-distance, competitive paddling discipline that originated in Canada and the United States. Marathon canoe races vary in distances from ten kilometres to over 500 kilometres for multi-day stage races. Races are held on rivers, lakes, canals, estuaries and even the open sea. Races often include lengthy portages around dams, locks, and whitewater, or from one lake or river to another.  While many races offer cash purses for top finishers, marathon canoeing has always strived to be an inclusive sport with an emphasis on broad participation, and marathon events typically include a range of entry categories (e.g., solo and tandem teams; stock (recreational), and racing hull canoes (‘pro-boats’). Racing canoes differ from stock canoes in that they are significantly lighter, narrower, less stable and faster, and have added features such as sliding seats to adjust trim on the fly, and a foot activated bailing device.

Increasingly in recent years, additional categories have been added to marathon events to accommodate other boat classes including standup paddle boards, outrigger canoes, surf skis, and international ICF-style canoes and kayaks (K1, K2, C1, C2, etc).  In Europe, marathon is dominated by the ICF disciplines, and racing in North American open-style canoes is uncommon.

Individual Membership Option

Individual Memberships are one year in duration, and good for one (1) year from the day of acceptance into the membership.

Definition - Individual Membership - an individual member who is accepted into the CKBC membership by joining a specific discipline, or group (e.g., Marathon Canoe). A single designate from each specific Individual Membership discipline holds one vote in CKBC. The list of disciplines or groups eligible for Individual Membership status is determined by the Board of Directors each year. 

Individual memberships are intended for those who wish to access services, programs and support from CKBC including, but not limited to, insurance coverage for sanctioned races, coaching clinics, specialty clinics, and much more. Individual Members must abide by CKBC Bylaws, Policies, and Procedures during Sanctioned CKBC Events.

The primary purpose of the Marathon Canoe Individual Membership is to allow individuals who are not able to be part of a local club to be members of CKBC in order to participate in marathon races and other events sanctioned by CKBC. It is important to note that unlike Club Memberships, Individual Memberships do not provide for insurance coverage for regular group practices or training; coverage is limited to sanctioned events.  If you are part of a community of marathon canoe paddlers or a recreational canoeing group and are seeking insurance coverage for regularly scheduled group activities, CKBC Club Membership would be the appropriate option to explore (CKBC Club Membership). The option for Individual Membership directly with CKBC is not intended to take away from local clubs, but rather provide opportunities for individuals in those areas of the Province where local clubs are not currently available. Recreational canoeists interested in obtaining an individual membership directly with a paddling organization may want to look into the Recreational Canoeing Association of BC (https://www.bccanoe.com/). 

• 2023.24 Groups/Disciplines: For further information regarding CKBC bylaws and governance, please refer to our Governance page
• Marathon
• $35/year (includes Canoe Kayak Canada Competitive Member fee)
• Liability insurance during sanctioned events
• Access to coaching and specialty clinics at member rates