Wisconsin River Race | Muscoda | Big 3 Lions Club Challenge

July 10: Saturday Night Special
July 11: Big 3 Challenge (15 & 21 miles) & Citizens' Challenge Races (8 miles)
Spring Green, 21 miles • Lone Rock, 15 miles • Gotham, 8 miles • to Muscoda

Wisconsin River Race 2021

• CANOE

• KAYAK

• SUP

For all races
Preregistration ONLY:
Online thru 6:00pm Saturday, July 10.
Onsite 3:00–3:40pm Saturday, July 10.
NO SUNDAY (DAY-OF-RACE) REGISTRATION.

New C1, C2 Stock Classes
Does your
canoe qualify?

Courses map and links to start lines and finish line

Lions Club Challenge – Not in 2021 Come back in 2022!
But in 2021 there's still great Lions Club food & drink for both carnivores and vegans at finish line!

Other Awesome Races

in WI & Nearby Places

Saturday Night Special

- bonus solo race: canoe (USCA C1), kayak, SUP free for Sunday racers

Solo races, 4 miles loop course

Start & finish Muscoda's Victora Riverside Park

July 10, 2021

04:00 pm

Campsite #1, Victora Riverside Park, Muscoda

3:00 pm - 3:40 pm A. Registration and check in for Saturday Race

B. Registration and check in for Sunday Race

3:40 pm Mandatory safety briefing

4:00 pm Race Start

FULL SCHEDULE both days, all races.

RACE REGISTRATION: click button below.

The Big 3 Challenge - No day-of-race registration

- individual & multi-state challenge races at 21 & 15 miles

Win points for your state !

Spring Green to Muscoda – 21 miles

Start: Wisconsin Riverside Resort, Shifflet Rd

Finish: Muscoda's Victora Riverside Park

July 11, 2021

10:00 am

Racing Classes for the 21 mile race (men, women, & for tandem, mixed):

C2 Marathon (3x27 and USCA cruiser specs): Any two-paddler,

non-aluminum, racing canoe recognized by USCA.

Paddle type: single-bladed paddles only.

USCA C1: Any single-paddler racing canoe recognized by USCA.

Paddle type: single-bladed paddles only.

K1 Unlimited: Any solo kayak, including surf skis, without any limitation

except paddle type: double-bladed paddles only.

Wildcard: Any paddle powered craft that do not fit into any other

class in the "Big 3" race events. So: tandem kayaks, ICF spec

canoes, outrigger canoes, boats with 3 or more paddlers, etc –

but not solo kayaks, SUPs, USCA or "pro" (3x27) racing canoes.
Any paddle type.

See FULL SCHEDULE both days, all races.

IMPORTANT: Free shuttle bus PRE-RACE. There is NO post-race shuttle. Timing is strict. Please study FULL SCHEDULE.

RACE REGISTRATION: click button below.

Online registration closes 6pm Saturday, July 10

Lone Rock to Muscoda – 15 miles

Start: Otter Creek Landing, Hwy 130

Finish: Muscoda's Victora Riverside Park

July 11, 2021

10:30 am

Racing Classes for the 15 mile race (men, women, & for tandem, mixed):

C1 Stock: These are boats designed for tripping/touring, but suitable for
racing against similar designs. maximum length 17'2", minimum length 15',
no rudders, no gunwale concavities, minimal hull concavities. Paddle type:
single-bladed paddles only. Only boats listed here are allowed in the class*:
Current C1 Stock List

    Wenonah                           Savage River Works    Bell Canoe Works
   Advantage                         Blackwater                         Magic
       Prism              Otegan (modified)
   Encounter                      Mad River

Solitude Sawyer Independence

Summer Song

    Grasse River Boatworks          DY Special
   Classic                                 Shockwave
   Classic XL

* If you have a canoe not listed here that you think should qualify, email

its make, model, and a photo to Bill Coady and Gareth Stevens at least

two weeks before race date and we will consider it, and let you know.

Note: if it looks like a racing boat, it is.
[Thanks: NYMCRA & Muskoka River X for input.]
C2 Marathon (3x27 and USCA cruiser specs): Any two-paddler,

non-aluminum, racing canoe recognized by USCA.

Paddle type: single-bladed paddles only.

C2 Stock:

    Canoes built for tripping/touring but suitable for racing against
    similar designs. Minimal concave lines in hull, no concave lines in gunwales.
    No concavity in longitudinal axis of hull (bow to stern) no concavity in

cross section (side to side) below the 7" waterline. One of a kind canoes
not permitted.

Paddle type: single-bladed paddles only.

    Only boats listed here are allowed in the class.
       Current C2 Stock List
       Wenonah                  Grasse River Boatworks     Bell Canoe Works
   Jensen 18’                  Traveler 17’ 5"           Northstar
       Sundowner           Traveler 18’ 6"             Northwind
   Minnesota II    Traveler                        Northwoods
   Odyssey               Monarch
   Champlain                                              Savage River Works
   Escape                     Mad River                Susquehanna
       Escapade                   Lamoille

Jensen WWX Horizon

* If you have a canoe not listed here that you think should qualify, email

its make, model, and a photo to Bill Coady and Gareth Stevens at least

two weeks before race date and we will consider it, and let you know.

Note: if it looks like a racing boat, it is.
[Thanks: NYMCRA for input.]

C2 Back Over the Hill: Combined ages of team 110+ in any tandem canoe.

Single-bladed paddles.

K1 Sea Kayak: Any kayak up to 18 feet in length, not including rudder

(if any). Excluded, any kayak clearly designed for racing, for example,

ICF kayaks, ICF trainers, surfskis and USCA spec downriver kayaks;

such"racing" kayaks must compete in the K1 Unlimited class in the

21-mile race. Paddle type: double-bladed paddles only.

SUP Unlimited, solo: Any stand up paddleboard of any length, must

be paddled entire length of course in a standing position.

See FULL SCHEDULE both days, all races.

IMPORTANT: Free shuttle bus PRE-RACE. There is NO post-race shuttle. Timing is strict. Please study FULL SCHEDULE.

RACE REGISTRATION: click button below.

Online registration closes 6pm Saturday, July 10

The Lions Club Challenge - Not in 2021. Back in 2022
- 8-mile aluminum canoe challenge for service clubs and similar groups

Gotham to Muscoda – 8 miles

Start: Pine River/Buena Vista Landing

Finish: Muscoda's Victora Riverside Park

Not for 2021

xx:00 am

Citizens' Challenge Races - No day-of-race registration

- 8-mile races for recreational tandem boats (canoe or kayak), recreational solo kayaks,

and stand up paddleboards

Gotham to Muscoda – 8 miles

Start: Pine River/Buena Vista Landing

Finish: Muscoda's Victora Riverside Park

July 11, 2021

11:00 am

Racing Classes for the Citizens Challenge Races:

Tandem: Any recreational two person canoe or kayak (no craft designed
for racing – "If it looks like a racing canoe or kayak, it is!"). Paddle type: any.

K1 Rec: Any recreational kayak up to 15 feet in length, not including

rudder (if any). Excluded, any short kayak clearly designed for racing,

for example, ICF kayaks, ICF trainers, surfskis & USCA specified down-

river kayaks; such "racing" kayaks must compete in the K1 Unlimited

class in the 21-mile race. Paddle type: double-bladed paddles.

SUP Unlimited, solo: Any stand up paddleboard of any length, must

be paddled entire length of course in standing position. Single-bladed paddles.

See FULL SCHEDULE both days, all races.

IMPORTANT: Free shuttle bus PRE-RACE. There is NO post-race shuttle. Timing is strict. Please study FULL SCHEDULE.

RACE REGISTRATION: click button below.

Online registration closes 6pm Saturday, July 10

How the "Big 3"* States Points challenge works.

Every paddler in any Big 3 race class (all classes at the 21- and 15- mile distance races) may win points for their state based on where they place in their class, & how many boats are in their class. (Craft with more than two paddlers, can win a maximum of 2 points per state.)

For classes with 5 or more boats in competition:

1st place will win 6 points per paddler;

2nd place will win 4 points per paddler;

3rd place will win 3 points per paddler;

4th place will win 2 points per paddler;

5th place will win 1 point per paddler.

For classes with 4 boats in competition:

1st place will win 4 points per paddler;

2nd place will win 3 points per paddler;

3rd place will win 2 points per paddler;

4th place will win 1 point per paddler.

For classes with 3 boats in competition:

1st place will win 3 points per paddler;

2ndplace will win 2 points per paddler;

3rd place will win 1 point per paddler.

For classes with 2 boats in competition:

1st place will win 2 points per paddler;

2ndplace will win 1 point per paddler.

For classes with 1 boat in it:

Finishing will win 1 point per paddler.

* Big 3? "But, wasn't it the Big 5?" Yes, it was. And before that the Big 4. IL, IA, MN, WI. Then a fifth state turned up. So, Big 5. And in many years we've had as many as 8 states represented. So, now, it's the Big 3, celebrating the "Big 3" states that win the most points – however many states come to play.

The Champions, the state with the most points, take home the Trophy, a walnut paddle carved in 1985 by Frank Brazelton, then race director.

Will your state be in the Big 3 in 2021? The more paddlers your state sends, the faster they paddle, and the more classes entered, the bigger your state's chances.

The Trophy is currently held (2017, 2018, 2019) by Wisconsin after 2 years in Minnesota. The race was canceled in 2020 due to COVID.

Multi-state Challenge States Points: The Big 3, 2017-19

2017 2018 2019

1. WI: 35 points 1. WI: 33 points 1. WI: 45 points

2. MN: 21 points 2. IA: 17 points 2. MN: 23 points

3. IL: 17 points 3. IL: 6 points 3. IL: 17 points

IA: 14 points CO: 3 points IA: 15 points

MI: 4 points NE: 2 points CO: 6 points

NE: 3 points KS, MN: 1 point each NE: 6 points

Race Results – click here

Safety and rules

1. United States Coast Guard approved PFD.

All paddlers must either wear, or have in their boat within easy access, an appropriately-sized

US Coast Guard approved PFD (life jacket). All paddlers under 18 years old and adults

paddling with them must WEAR their USCG APPROVED PFDs at all times on the water.

2. Important Safety Rules re Youth.

a) 21-mile races: no solo paddlers under 18 years old. No under-16s period.
16-17 year olds must paddle with a competent adult - 18 years or older - in the boat with them.

b) 15-mile races: no paddlers under 16 years old.

c) 8-miles: no solo paddlers under 16 years old. No under-10s period.
10-15 year olds must paddle with a competent adult - 18 years or older - in the boat with them.