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New canoe speed record for Wisconsin River

Glenn MacGrady

Glenn MacGrady

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"It's been more than a two weeks since he paddled the 430-mile length of the Wisconsin River in an unofficial record time.

"It took Kyle Parker five days, 19 hours and 57 minutes to paddle down the river in a solo canoe, an effort that left the 23-year-old physically and emotionally exhausted . . . ."

www.greenbaypressgazette.com

Hayward man sets fastest known time for paddling a solo canoe down the Wisconsin River

Kyle Parker of Hayward set the fastest known time paddling a solo canoe down the entire Wisconsin River in five days, 19 hours, 57 minutes.
www.greenbaypressgazette.com

Kyle Parker.jpg
 
It looks like he has two carbon single blade paddles and a carbon double.

"Most days on the paddle, Parker spent about 19 or so hours on the water, and averaged between 70 and 75 miles a day. He portaged around 27 dams . . . ."
 
Interesting story. I have paddled parts of the river during spring and fall. Summer sees the southern part of the river busy with many recreational paddlers, especially on weekends. Lots of places to camp on islands and state owned shoreline. In the spring while paddling with the flow going south we would often start paddling early and quit by early afternoon when the southerly winds would be funneled up the river valley directly into your face. At times you would be battling the southerly wind and watch leaves on the steady current moving downstream faster than you could paddle. This guy must have had days where he had to really battle the southerly winds.
 
I have the same impression of all FKT endeavors: It's not a race in the normal sense, that is, against real-time competitors. It's a class within a class I suppose so I'll leave it at that.
 
Super impressive.

Racers are generally great canoeists. I've never really understood the disrespect towards them. They spend a ton of time on the water. You learn a lot about boat handling and reading current by paddling 18.5' straight keeled boats on rivers.

Some are only interested in racing and training but many are also accomplished trippers. Either way they love paddling canoes.

Alan
 
tketcham said:
Good for him. Not my idea of what canoeing is about, but good for him.
Click to expand...

Alan Gage said:
Racers are generally great canoeists. I've never really understood the disrespect towards them
Click to expand...

Where is the disrespect?

I have a square stern canoe with a motor, not for everyone and someone actually mentioned that in one of my threads, which is fine, not disrespectful at all.
 
Last edited:
Alan Gage said:
Racers are generally great canoeists. I've never really understood the disrespect towards them.
Click to expand...
I respect someone that paddles the length of a river system, as I do for someone that hikes the length of a trail system, or bicycles across the continent. But when a journey becomes a race to see how fast you can do it, the journey changes into something else. A great canoeist is a great canoeist, but to me FKT endeavors aren't the same as a race against your peers. Just my perception, no disrespect intended.
 
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