2025 Sponsors & Supporters
Title Sponsor of the 2025 MN Paddling Opener
Thank you Great River Energy for supporting outdoor recreation on the beautiful Mississippi River!
Great River Energy is a not-for-profit wholesale electric power cooperative serving 26 member-owner distribution cooperatives and customers. They provide reliable, cleaner electricity while maintaining affordable rates for 1.7 million people.
Official Canoe Sponsor
Wenonah Canoe makes lightweight, fast, sturdy canoes at their factory a stone’s throw from the Mississippi River in Winona, MN. More people use Wenonah canoes in our events than any other manufacturer! These are also used by many paddlers in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness.
Community Growth Sponsor & Sponsor of the “5-Mile Root Beer Float”
The Minnesota Canoe Association is especially interested in supporting the growth of paddlesports by supporting young people to discover the sport, challenge themselves to grow their paddling skills and develop a love for paddling.
Supporter
We are excited to have the support of Minnesota’s Outdoor Recreation Industry Partnership as we move forward with establishing the Minnesota Paddling Opener in 2025.
Entertainment Sponsor
Chase Bliss Audio is sponsoring our entertainment at the Minnesota Paddling Expo. This year they also continue to support scholarships and infrastructure. Chase Bliss makes incredible guitar pedals in Minneapolis for a worldwide customer base. We are very thankful for their support!
Finish Line Sponsor
All of the tours, relays and races end in the beautiful city of Champlin. Our finish line is at Mississippi Point Park. Right nextdoor is the midway of the Father Hennepin Festival, with games, rides and food!
Safety Sponsor: Paddle Bridge
Paddle Bridge Guide Collective offers awesome kayak tours on the Mississippi River in the Twin Cities and their guides will be stationed along the last five miles above the finish line to help anyone who needs it. They will be especially focused on helping the participants in the 5-mile “Root Beer Float”. Paddle Bridge’s guides are dedicated to accessibility and stewardship of the Mississippi River in the Twin Cities, and excellence in paddling instruction. Paddle Bridge offers guided tours on multiple routes daily, with lessons available.
River Steward Sponsor: One Mississippi
Without a healthy River, paddling and recreation on the Mighty Mississippi would be less enjoyable, and perhaps impossible. One Mississippi is a leading organization working to protect the people, land, water, and wildlife of the entire River. We invite you to join our growing national movement of over 20,000 people and more than 70 organizations, dedicated to protecting, strengthening, and restoring the Mississippi River. The Minnesota Paddling Opener is part of One Mississippi’s River Days of Action program, June 1-15, and features hands-on habitat restoration, recreation events, educational webinars, engaging place-based tours, and more!
Major Sponsor: Paddle Dynamics
Paddle Dynamics is run by Jeff Schnelle and his goal is to help people discover their passion for paddling with some great products. Jeff, along with Andy Nevitt who has paddled the MR 145 and runs the local satellite warehouse for Jeff, can help you find an awesome surfski (arguably the fastest boats in the paddle world), racing kayak, Outrigger boat, sweet kayak paddle, racing lifejackets and much more. They have products from Stellar, Epic, Ozone and more.
Major Sponsor: Red Leaf Designs
Red Leaf Designs makes awesome custom gear for canoes and kayaks: storage and transport covers, spray decks, seat pads, paddle pockets and much more. They have great customer service as well.
Major Sponsor: Repair Lair
Repair Lair specializes in fixing outodoor clothing and camping equipment. They can fix almost anything. They also buy/sell consignment gear and provide expert outdoor advice. They are located at 4153 Minnehaha Ave. in south Minneapolis.
Major Sponsor: Hornbeck Boats & Outdoor Supply
Recently opened in Northeast Minneapolis at 945 Broadway St, Hornbeck Boats and Outdoor Supply sells the lightest boats in the woods starting at just 15lbs. Hornbeck is the first to introduce packboats to the midwest in a major way and will be providing their entire fleet of Hornbeck boats, Greyduck canoes and Mocean kayaks at the finish line for Demo on June 15th from 12-5pm! For more information you can email info@hornbeckoutdoors.com or call (612) 546-4705
"As a born and raised Minnesotan, I'm so excited to introduce these amazing boats to the Land of 10,000 Lakes. The MN Paddling Expo is the best way to kick off an incredible season of paddling and fun and we are proud to support it." - Eli Nord, General Manager
Major Sponsor: Wilderness Inquiry
Wilderness Inquiry is a non-profit organization committed to making the outdoors accessible to all through guided trips and programs from the Boundary Waters to Belize. Sign up for an awesome adventure at their website!
Major Sponsor: Urban Boat Builders
Urban Boat Builders has a mission to empower youth to succeed in work and life through woodworking and experiential learning. Young people build beautiful boats and learn many skills while doing so.
Major Sponsor: Friends of the Mississippi River
For more than 25 years, Friends of the Mississippi River has engaged people to protect, restore and enhance the Mississippi River and its watershed in the Twin Cities region. The kinds of initiatives they work on range from advancing water quality policy to developing a career pathways program for the next generation of leaders, shaping community river access to planting climate-adapted trees in habitat corridors. More than 5,000 people each year advocate for the river and steward the land through which it flows. As the headwaters state of the mighty Mississippi, our work here matters beyond Minnesota. Join FMR as a volunteer, advocate or member at fmr.org.
Major Sponsor: Dorothy Molter Museum
The Dorothy Molter Museum is a seasonally operating, historic museum focusing on the life and legacy of Ely Area icon, Dorothy Molter, aka “The Root Beer Lady”. Ely is the gateway to the famous Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. This year all paddlers who get to the finish line will get a free bottle of Dorothy’s “Isle of the Pines” Root Beer.
Major Sponsor: Lake State Mountaineering
Lake State Mountaineering is your Premier Adventure Partner Located in the Twin Cities. They provide customers in the Twin Cities the necessary gear, advice, and education for both new and veteran outdoor enthusiasts. Check out their store in the North Loop of Minneapolis. They can help beginner and veteran paddlers and climbers to become, do, and be the most informed and appropriately geared enthusiasts to enjoy the outdoors in a safe, enjoyable, and confident manner.
Major Sponsor: Mississippi Park Connection
Mississippi Park Connection (MPC) provides opportunities for people to get to and on the river and have a national park experience in the Twin Cities. MPC strengthens the enduring connection between people and the Mississippi River by enriching the life of the river and the lives of all who experience our national park, the Mississippi National River and Recreation Area.
Municipal Partner: City of Otsego
The City of Otsego works with closely with us to provide a great experience at beautiful Norin Landing, starting place for the Mississippi River 20 race, tour and relay.