Participants in the 74th Au Sable River Canoe Marathon are gearing up for an especially difficult race this weekend.
Low water levels will create some challenges for participants on their 120 mile, non-stop trek from Grayling to Lake Huron.
The race begins Saturday night and can last up to 19 hours. Teams will compete to break the record time - which currently sits at just under 14 hours.
Marathon spokesman Phil Weiler says the race is not for the faint of heart even in the best conditions. The water levels will create extra obstacles.
“It’s going to be brutal, it’s going to take a toll on them,” Weiler said. “It's not as much of a glide with your boat. There are things you hit now.”
Weiler said the ultra-endurance race will have record-breaking participation this year with about 100 teams competing for the best time.
The 2021 winners and defending champs - Jorden Wakeley (31, Grayling, MI) and Matt Meersman (44, South Bend, IN) - set a new all-time AuSable Marathon record time of 13 hours and 54 minutes in last year's victory.
“We expect that the 2022 edition of the Consumers Energy AuSable River Canoe Marathon will be an exciting crowd pleaser,” Weiler said in a press release. “The defending champs are back plus six former AuSable Marathon Champs, overall, are entered in the race. We have a record number of teams entered and a very competitive field from top to bottom. A number of new AuSable Marathon and individual records are likely to be set."
Weiler said he expects fan attendance to be high with weather permitting. He said many congregate at the start of the race with up to 50,000 tuning in during the hours that follow.
“There's anywhere between 10-15,000 fans at the start, and when they round that corner… It just gives you goosebumps,” he said.
There are GPS trackers on each canoe allowing online spectators to follow their favorite teams down the 120-mile river course along with social media coverage of the race.
To follow the race online, visit the Au Sable Canoe Marathon websiteor find the race on Facebook.