MR 48 Paddler’s Guide
The Paddler’s Guide is filled with information that is essential for every participant to know and is required for every participant to read (along with the rules).
Topics:
Event Landmarks/Navigation
Minnesota DNR Mississippi River maps 8 & 9 cover the event route and show all the landmarks in the chart below and many more, and available at this link: Mississippi River State Water Trail
The maps can be downloaded as a GeoPDF and used for navigation (they will show your location right on the map). Info on how GeoPDF maps work available here
All paddlers MUST arrive to the Mississippi West Regional Park ramp (ten miles from the finish) by 3pm, and get to the finish line by 5pm. Optional stops (listed below) are good places to take a break, though there are many other ramps and parks and islands that are also good spots (see DNR map).
A custom Google map has been made that shows every landmark in this table, available at this link: MR 48 Google Map. This is particularly helpful for getting driving directions.
Relay Information
The relay is on the exact same course as the rest of the MR 48 race/tour, with the only difference being that relay teams must stop at each of three switch spots and switch paddlers. The length of each leg varies from as little as 4.5 miles to a maximum of 8 miles (see chart above). A relay team can be comprised of as few as two solo paddlers or as many as 8 tandem paddlers (or more if you have a boat that can hold more!). Depending on how you configure your team, each leg could be paddled by different people, or some people could paddle two legs—so long as no one paddles two CONSECUTIVE legs.
The relay team brings their boat to the start along with all the team members; some will paddle the first leg while the others drive downstream to the first switch spot. Team members alternate between paddling and driving in the vehicle until everyone ends up at the finish line. There is only one relay division—all relay teams compete against each other regardless of how many people are on each team.
Boat selection
As long as the boat you choose will move down the river using only human power, you can use it in this event. That said, some boats are inherently easier to move and faster and more comfortable than others. Whatever boat you plan to use, the important thing is to have spent some time with it on a river to get a feel for whether you can spend many hours in it, steer it and keep it moving at a reasonable pace.
Champlin Parking
Free parking available in the lots at Mississippi Crossings in Champlin.
Emergencies:
In the event of an emergency all participants should call 911 first and event officials second. If you have a support crew you should notify them after calling 911 and they can notify event officials. In the event you need non-emergency assistance and cannot get it from other participants, call event officials (unless you have a support crew, call them first). Assistance may take hours to reach you, especially in adverse conditions, and all participants need to be prepared to self-rescue and/or hike to find assistance if needed.
Finish line & Closing Ceremony & Mississippi River Community Festival
Divisional trophies will be given to the top 3 finishers in each division. Overall winners will get an additional placard on their trophy. No trophies are given in the Tour division, but tour participants are eligible for finisher medals.
All finishers will receive their finisher medal (if you registered early enough) as they finish the event and, if they won a trophy, they will receive that as well. Everyone is invited to come to the Mississippi River Community Festival after the event; free food and live music start at noon. Everyone is also invited to the Closing Ceremony at 5:30pm.. Everyone is welcome, including all paddlers, support crew, friends and family.
Gear:
The full list of required and recommended gear can be found in the rules. Here we expound on just a few of the items:
Required Gear:
Boat numbers stickers: Find your boat number on the roster. You must put your number on both sides of the bow of your boat, the stickers should be waterproof and reflective and the numbers should be at least 3” in height. Stickers sold and advertised as being for “mailboxes” or “addresses” often work well.
Maps: Minnesota DNR Mississippi River maps 8 & 9 cover the event route and are available at the following link: Mississippi River State Water Trail
You can e-mail the DNR at info.dnr@state.mn.us and request paper maps be sent to you free of charge.
You can also access digital versions of these maps and save them on your device, or print them out at home. Digital versions are available as GeoPDF maps. These allow you to see your real-time location on the map on your device even when you aren’t connected to the internet. For more information on the DNR GeoPDF maps see: GeoPDF Maps
Cell Phone: All participants are required to carry mobile phones and put the event organizer’s contact information into their phones. You will get the number at the pre-event meeting. Each boat must have a phone running Webscorer for tracking and timing purposes. Make sure you have a way to keep the phone charged and dry.
PFD’s: They must be “in serviceable condition”, meaning:
They are the appropriate size and fit for the intended user
They are legibly marked with a USCG approval number.
A PFD is NOT considered to be in serviceable condition if the PFD exhibits deteriorations that could diminish the performance of the PFD including:
Rips, tears, or open seams in fabric or coatings, that are large enough to allow the loss of buoyant material
Buoyant material that has become hardened, non-resilient, permanently compressed, waterlogged, oil-soaked, or which shows evidence of fungus or mildew
Loss of buoyant material or buoyant material that is not securely held in position.
Water: We recommend carrying enough water to last for 9 hours on the water. You do not want to run out of water!
Food: Having snacks and high calorie drinks in an easy to reach location can make a big difference. Start the event with your tank full and don’t let it get too low–try to eat something every hour. It’s pretty hard to eat too much. Drinking your calories is a good strategy for many folks–but make sure you’ve tried out any high-energy powders and drinks beforehand to make sure they agree with your stomach.
Recommended Gear:
Sunblock/sunscreen: A bad sunburn has caused more than a few paddlers to quit long distance paddle events early. Apply sunscreen early and often! Don’t forget that you can get burned from the sun’s reflection off the water. Use a wide-brimmed hat, sunscreen and/or long-sleeves and pant legs for full body coverage.
Support Crew:
If you want to have a support crew that can meet you at one or two of the landings over the course of the event you can; benefits to doing so include that they can:
Drive you and your boat to the start, meet you along the event course as needed and then meet you at the finish line
Carry food, water, and clothing for you and re-supply you.
Assess your health
Monitor the weather forecast
Cheer for you and boost your morale
Provide first aid if needed
Take pictures!
Communicate with event officials on your behalf
A custom Google map has been created that shows the Event Landmarks (race start and end and spots where your support crew can meet you). Your support crew can use Google maps to get directions to these spots. (Note: there are many more possible meet-up spots as listed on the DNR maps). Google map link: Mississippi River 48 Canoe and Kayak Race Landmarks
Taking a Break
If you need to take a break at a place other than the checkpoints or optional stops, there are many other ramps and parks and islands that are good spots. There are also DNR campsites marked on the DNR maps. Please do not stop at these campsites if occupied by non-participants unless it’s an emergency.
Shuttle
You can choose to get yourself, your gear and your boat to the start line or sign up for the shuttle service when you register.
Here are the steps needed to follow when using the shuttle service:
Between 4am and 4:30am: Drop your boat and teammates (if any) at Clearwater Public Landing and check-in with race officials OR leave a teammate to do so while you are gone.
By 4:30am: Leave Clearwater to drive to Mississippi Crossings in Champlin (about a 60 minute drive)
5:45am: Board the shuttle. At Mississippi Crossings, find a parking spot, then board the shuttle. Shuttle will be in the parking lot closest to the amphitheater. Shuttle will leave at 6am.
Webscorer
Info coming soon.
Things to do before the Event
Review the gear list; procure gear as needed
Come up with a transportation/shuttle plan
Decide if you are going to have a support crew
Come up with a food and hydration plan
Come up with a break plan/eating plan
Train/practice, good to train on a river, cross-train, flatwater train.
Practice capsizing and self-rescue
Join our Facebook group: it’s a growing community of people interested in our races and a great place to ask questions and share ideas. Check it out at: facebook.com/twopaddlesMN
Weather/ Capsizing
In June in Minnesota temperatures range from 40 to over 90, with the average high in the 70’s. Both heat and cold are threats to cause someone not to finish the event so you need to be prepared for both.
The water temperatures can still be on the chilly side. Do not be fooled into thinking there is no way you will capsize–it is always a possibility and you must be ready. No matter how skilled you are it’s always possible to hit a rock in swift water and get quickly overturned. It is absolutely essential to have a change of clothes in a dry bag that you can put on once you get to shore. Remember it is required to wear your Personal Flotation Device at all times. Also, you should have a plan for how to make sure you don’t lose your gear in the event of a capsize.
In the event participants encounter severe weather, racers should take shelter as appropriate.
Event organizers will attempt to notify support crew and/or participants of severe weather threats, however each participant should monitor the weather independently and make good decisions for themselves.
Event officials have full authority to hold participants in place in the event of severe weather.