Yukon 1000
.jpg) Yukon River approximately 700 miles into the Yukon 1000 | |
| Event information | |
|---|---|
| Type | Canoe, kayak, and stand-up paddleboarding |
| Race area | Yukon, Canada & Alaska, USA |
| Distance | 1,000 miles |
| Website | https://www.yukon1000.org/ |
The Yukon 1000 is the world's longest canoe and kayak race. It is an unsupported race down the Yukon River through subarctic and arctic wilderness.
Route
[edit]The race is 1,000 miles down the Yukon River, making it the world's longest canoe race.[1] The route is remote, sparsely populated, and has long stretches without access. Past Dawson City, around 450 miles into the race, competitors are beyond helicopter range and rescues are estimated to take 24-72 hours.[2]
The race follows one of the wilder routes of the 19th century Klondike Gold Rush, beginning from Whitehorse, crossing the Arctic Circle, and ending at the bridge where the Dalton Highway crosses the river[3]. Competitors must navigate Lake Laberge, the Five Finger Rapids, and the Yukon Flats.
The route includes sections within the Yukon–Charley Rivers National Preserve and the Yukon Flats National Wildlife Refuge.
History
[edit]The Yukon 1000 has been conducted in its present form since 2009.[4] Typically, about 30 teams are allowed to compete each year.
In 2022, over 3,500 teams applied to compete. Only 40 were deemed fit and sufficiently experienced for the race and only 24 competed. [5] In 2025, over 5,500 teams applied to compete.
| Canoe | Kayak | Standup Paddleboard |
|---|---|---|
| 6 days, 5 hours, 19 minutes | 5 days, 11 hours, 48 minutes | 7 days, 6 hours, 34 minutes |
| Jakko Soivio & Heikki Hihnala | Daniel Staudigel & Jason Magness | Bradley Friesen & Scott Baste |
 Finland (FIN) |
 United States (USA) |
United States (USA)
|
| 2014 | 2022 | 2022 |
In 2024, two New Zealanders won the race, with the second best recorded times in the race's history.[6]
Rules
[edit]The race must be completed in under 10 days. Racers compete in teams of two and are tracked by GPS with SPOT devices. Racers are required to rest for at least six hours every day, leaving 18 hours for paddling. The race comprises three divisions: canoeing, kayaking, and stand-up paddleboarding.
The race is entirely unsupported. Competitors find places to camp along the route, prepare their own food, and purify their own water. Competitors are not allowed to communicate with the outside world.
References
[edit]- ^ Price, Rod (2010). Racing to the Yukon: A Lifetime of Adventure Racing from the Everglades to the Amazon to the World's Longest Canoe Race. Legacy. ISBN 9781934449585.
- ^ "Yukon 1000: The toughest challenge of my military career". British Army. November 25, 2023.
- ^ Waple, Katie (July 24, 2024). "Daring duo complete wilderness canoe challenge". BBC South.
- ^ Evans, Polly (2010). Yukon. Bradt Travel Guides. p. 197. ISBN 9781841623108.
- ^ Ufberg, Max (June 2023). "The World's Most Grueling Race Journeys 1,000 Miles Down the Yukon". Smithsonian Magazine.
- ^ "New Zealanders knock off win in Yukon 1000, the world's longest paddling race". Radio New Zealand. July 19, 2024.