How Long Is The Ausable River Canoe Marathon?

The AuSable River Canoe Marathon is a challenging, non-stop 120-mile canoe race held annually on the last full weekend of July in Northern Michigan. The race starts at night and lasts 120 miles, starting in Grayling, Michigan, and ending in Oscoda. Elite paddlers from around the world compete in this challenging event, which has Class A and Class 1 river conditions. The average time between visible daylight during the race is approximately 8 hours, with temperatures typically around 55°F (13°C).

The race is also the site of a yearly 120-mile pro-am canoe race, the AuSable River Canoe Marathon, which begins at 9:00 p.m. on the last Saturday in July. The two-person teams paddle 50 to 90 paddle strokes per minute for 14 to 19 hours non-stop. The race is presented by Consumers Energy and is one of North America’s toughest and richest canoe races.

Over 50,000 fans cheer on teams competing in one of North America’s toughest richest canoe races, with over 50,000 paddle strokes. The race is a long-running tradition that began in 1947 and continues to be a Michigan tradition since 1947. The race is a testament to the endurance and skill of paddlers who have mastered the challenging conditions of the AuSable River.