Gregory River Canoe Marathon 2026

For 51 years the North West Canoe Club has staged the annual Gregory River Canoe Marathon over the May Day long weekend, showcasing the iconic Gregory River.

Mount Isa Mines has been a long-term sponsor of the annual event that attracts hundreds of paddlers and spectators to the picturesque Gregory River in north west Queensland for the recreational short course and K2 event.

The Gregory River was running fast this year and the paddlers were treated to thrilling conditions that produced spectacular racing, and broken records.

The fast-moving river translated into fast times, with records broken in the SUP, Long Plastic M2 and TC2 M4 categories.

This year saw recreational paddlers race from the Knobbies to Checkpoint 2 for the first time, introducing a new level of adventure to their race.

For many paddlers, it was their first glimpse at Kamaga Falls. Whilst there was a mandatory portage around Kamaga 1, most competitors embraced the challenge of paddling Kamaga 2 head-on in the fast-flowing conditions.

A highlight of the weekend came in the TC2 M4 division when a sleek new craft aptly named the Jenje Racer, in honour of the Jenje family’s long-standing history and contribution to the Gregory River Canoe Marathon, burst into the record books in spectacular fashion after a blistering inaugural performance.

The Jenje Racer mould has been donated and will be stored in Mount Isa, paving the way for more boats to be built locally in future years.

A crowd favourite, TC2 Canadian Challenge proved to be one of the major drawcards, with teams of four to eight paddlers racing for both line honours and the coveted random draw prize, a Gregory-labelled esky packed full of the goodies.

Team Cobras claimed victory on the water, while the lucky Cloncurry Crocodiles paddled away with the prized esky to plenty of cheers.

Alison Whitehead from the North West Canoe Club thanked volunteers, safety crews, sponsors and the paddling community who continue to keep the event thriving after more than five decades.

“This year had everything: fast water, first-time paddlers, broken records, amazing community spirit and a whole lot of fun,” says Alison.

“After the success of the 50th year, it was fantastic to see so many people make the journey back to the river.”

Planning is already underway for next year’s event, with organisers encouraging paddlers to start preparing now for another epic Gregory River adventure.