Canoe Races in Atikokan/Quetico

I received another e-mail from Chris Stromberg reminding everyone about their upcoming races:


Canoe Races in Atikokan/Quetico

Hello Fellow Paddlers

I am excited about how this up and coming year of events are unfolding and I would like to give you some updates.

If anyone is unaware, Quetico Provincial Park will be celebrating its’ 100th birthday in 2009 and the staff is excited about hosting a year of events.

If you consider yourself a paddler and you are unfamiliar with Quetico, you are missing out on what could be called the finest flat water canoeing destination in the world.

There will be a canoe parade, long distance personal challenges, a paddle symposium, but for racers we have an entire week in Atikokan and Quetico this year starting with:

* July 1st -Canada Day Canoe Parade
-XY Company’s 30 Km Pursuit – Pro marathon canoe race-Steep Rock Lake and Atikokan River (annual favourite)

*July 2nd- Ontario Provincials-OMCRA- marathon canoe race- French Lake and Pickerel Lake and River, Quetico Park

*July 3rd - Ontario Provincials- OMCRA- 2nd half

*July 4th- Voyageur Festival- 20km Voyageur Canoe Race- French Lake Beach to Pickerel Lake and return- fun shorter races and a Pow-wow and fish-fry as well.

*July 5th- Paddle Your Neighbour’s Canoe Symposium – French Lake Beach
This is an informal day at the beach with free clinics by Superior Canoe and Kayak Club, and product demos from Ostrom Outdoors. www.ostromoutdoors.com

We are inviting canoeists to come for the week, bring their racing boats, your kayaks, find a voyageur canoe, round up a team for a week of paddling and celebrations.

For the extreme marathon adventurer we will be hosting an extreme race in August 8th and 9th that will wet the appetite of any long distance hard core, marathon canoeist as well as anyone familiar with the legendary Ely – Atikokan race that was held in the 1960’s.
Originally the race went from Ely, Minnesota through the Boundary Waters Canoe Area and Quetico Provincial Park to Atikokan, Ontario.

It was held for 4 consecutive years and became famous among hard core marathon paddlers.
The Cross Quetico Marathon Canoe Race will be 120 miles (almost 200 kilometres) of self navigated wilderness racing.

Because of strict border issues and BWCAW regulations we are going to hold the race entirely in Canada from French Lake to Prairie Portage (entry to Quetico on the U.S. border) overnight and return.

Please drop me a note to let me know if you would like to continue to get updates.
Thanks for posting our events on your calendar

Chris Stromberg
Recreational Planner, Quetico Provincial Park
1-(807)-597-2735 quetico100th@ontario.ca