Canoe marathon is a paddling sport in which athletes paddle a kayak (double-bladed paddle) or canoe (single-bladed paddle) over a long distance to the finish line. The International Canoe Federation states standard distance races are at least 10 km without an upper limit, while short distance races are between 3.4 km, and 10 km. Many events are raced down sections of river, including currents or portages around obstacles. Some events attract thousands of competitors and are staged over several days.

Classes

Racers are generally divided into different classes though the available classes at each race will vary. Example classes are: K refers to a kayak, C a canoe and OC to an outrigger. The number refers to the number of paddlers in the boat. Some included on this list are very infrequently raced at the marathon discipline, but C1, C2 and K1 are virtually in every race. K1, K2, K4, C1, and C2 classes are permitted in International Canoe Federation events.

Events