RankPaddlerWinsTop 3’s Top 5’s Top 10’s Last 1Rick Joy 0719262008
2Serge Corbin 182222222005
3Ken Kolonich 039212015
4Jeff Kolka 91820202005
5(t)Jim Harwood 2514192006
5(t)Tony Short 0811192009
5(t)Bill Torongo 0914192012
5(t)Steve Lajoie 131519192023
9(t)Steve Kolonich 059182011
9(t)Andrew Triebold121617182019
11Jack Kolka 0511161981
12(t)John Baker 41213151990
12(t)Ted Kolka 016152007
12(t)Brett Stockton 91213152022
15(t)Ralph Sawyer 81214141968
15(t)Jerry Kellogg 4813141982
15(t)Nick Walton 037142021
15(t)Pete Mead 014142023
19(t)Steven Kolonich 158131965
19(t)Butch Stockton 5811131987
19(t)Ryan Halstead 1810132024
22(t)Jack Kent 038121968
22(t)Matt Meersman 127122024
24(t)Bob Welsch 036111981
24(t)Al Widing, Sr. 059111988
24(t)Jeff Kellogg 247111990
24(t)Randy Drake 147111998
24(t)Bruce Barton 037112007
24(t)John Sullivan 037112007
30(t)Bernie Fowler 369101956
30(t)Irvin Peterson 4910101971
30(t)Verlen Kruger 003101980
30(t)Dave Shepherd 059101992
30(t)Mike Davis 148102024
Fully Staffed Pharmacy for Quick Professional Prescription Service, Lotto, Liquor, Cold Beer Cave, Wine, ATM & Apparel.
2024 AUSABLE RIVER CANOE MARATHON RESULTS
2024 CANOE MARATHON
Hours: Monday-Friday 8:00am-5:00pm
Au Sable Program 2025
Houghton Lake Reliability Roadmap
Helping Hand for Houghton Lake New electric substation, high-voltage line will improve reliability for community
Consumers Energy has a long-term plan to build a smarter and stronger electric grid that better serves nearly 2 million homes and businesses throughout Michigan’s Lower Peninsula.
And this year, our plan includes a stop in Houghton Lake. This project will focus on continuing to deliver safe and reliable power, while supporting growing energy demand from the Houghton Lake community.
Here’s a quick look at what the planned work will include:
• Substation Upgrade: We plan to locate a new substation at the intersection of Old U.S. Highway 27 and Knapp Road. When the new substation is operational, we’ll remove an existing substation.
• Tree Work: We’re trimming trees and brush to clear easements along the construction route. Throughout this project, we’ll work with federal, state and local agencies to protect the environment and local wildlife.
• New Power Lines: We’re installing about 12 miles of high-voltage distribution (HVD) line to connect power from an existing line east of M-18 to the new substation. We plan to install the new line as close as possible to the edge of the road right-of-way. This provides ease of access for future maintenance and minimizes the need for crews to access properties.
• We’ll work directly with property owners along the route. We anticipate completing this project in spring 2027.
The Houghton Lake project is just one way reliability upgrades are modernizing the electric grid throughout Michigan and customers can count on us. Through 2028 we plan to continue to improve reliability and resiliency, working toward our goals of all customers having power restored within 24 hours, no matter how severe the weather, and no single outage affecting more than 100,000 customers.
How do we get there? The major components of our reliability upgrades are:
• Placing power lines underground protects them from the effects of severe weather, including falling trees and can improve reliability by 90% or more.
• Smart meters, sensors and automation devices are optimizing power delivery and helping us monitor our system more effectively. We’re solving problems faster to
improve reliability and resiliency.
• We’re clearing tree branches from over 8,000 miles of power lines each year to address the No. 1 cause of power outages in Michigan. Traditional tree trimming is still the most effective way to prevent and shorten power outages and improve system reliability. Tree encounters with power lines account for 37.5% of all outages.
• We’re proactively inspecting power lines, replacing or rebuilding poles, upgrading infrastructure and organizing circuits more efficiently. Investing up front to find, fix and prevent issues is 40 percent less expensive than responding to failures.
To learn more about our Reliability Roadmap, visit ConsumersEnergy.com/reliability.
ARAUCO Celebrates the AuSable River
ROSCOMMON AUTO RECYCLERS
Burgers & Smash Burgers • Sandwiches
Pizza • Kid’s Menu • Daily Specials
Breakfast
Taco Tuesday • Fish Fry
By Andy Hall
IFlashback to July 2024
went into this racing season uncertain as to whether I would be able to compete in the AuSable Canoe Marathon, given the slow recovery from knee surgery which happened last November. As I was not able to run or ski all winter I had been paddling plenty, but the starting run and portages were a concern as was how my knee would respond to long spells in the boat.
Training and early season racing made it clear that paddling in the stern would not be an option this year as either the angle of my knee, the pushing and pulling on the foot straps or the rigid footbrace made my knee hurt after a couple of hours of paddling. After a successful Clinton in the bow (thanks so much to my race partner Adam Gelinas) where I jogged some of the portages I knew I was good to go for the Marathon. I had been talking to Lydia Huelskamp since early April about possibly racing together and we agreed that provided she made it through the Water Safari OK (which she did, and she and Wade Binion crushed it!) we would race AuSable together. First time I have agreed to race a long race without ever having paddled with my partner, and the experience didn’t disappoint - I think it all went better than either of us could have expected!
After a week of training together, and a mostly clean sprint for position, race night came around with us having spent about 10 hours in the boat together. It felt like enough time, and we had survived a rough start at Spikes (got pinned to the shore for a while by an out of control boat and had a near flip - I still don’t know quite how we stayed in the boat) and had scouted enough bits of the river to be reminded of the trickier areas. The boat was ready, drinks and feeds were prepared, and our stellar feed team of Christina Wilson, Todd Johnson and Holly Huelskamp were ready to go!
After a memorable walk to the start on Peninsula Ave (thanks Dan Noomoon and family/friends for the drum parade!) we put the boat down on line number 9 in starting position 42. Waiting around on the street, with all the noise, is a little overwhelming. After checking in with some friends who were lined up nearby we headed away from the chaos for a while to warm up in the town park for the run to the river. With about 10 minutes to go to the start, we were back at the boat and I was trying not to worry about the run and the jump off the dock. The call to clear the street came shortly after, and then the eerie quiet before the start arrived with 2 minutes to go. The gun went off, we picked up the boat cleanly and were running for the river as fast as we could, and were getting passed by lots of faster runners who had sprinted slower than us. In the words of my good friend Gary Aprea, “more victims” to be chased down during the race! Looking back at video of the start, it doesn’t seem like as many got passed us as it felt like and we passed the end of the boardwalk in about 50th place. I can only assume that some of the faster runners put in earlier and we had run right to the end and so avoided the logjam of boats somewhat.
Our paddle out of town was much less eventful than the start of Spikes and we were quickly into a good rhythm and passing some slower boats. Lydia had spent time learning the river from locals
the week before I arrived in Grayling and it showed, with her calling out landmarks and nailing the lines. By the first timing point at Burtons Landing, we were up to 36th place and were catching the group of boats we would be with for much of the night. We caught Mike Fries and Trevor Robinson shortly after this, and getting past them took a while. I don’t recall where we caught the group, but by Stephan’s Bridge (the second timing point) we were part of a group of 10 boats, which included 3 other mixed teams (Frances and Joe, Andy and Nico, Sarah and Ed), the first womens team (Cecili and Michelle) and Tad and Buzzy who we would be around for most of the race. We weren’t as fast as some of the other teams when the water got shallower, and sometimes got dumped off the back, but we always managed to grind back up to the group and benefit from the ride. Stephan’s was as loud as ever with loads of spectators and the blinding light from the bridge was a shock to my night vision adjusted eyes.
Our first feed was taken just before McMasters, at John Cherven’s cabin. The feed went smoothly, but it still put us off the back of the group for a little while and we passed under the bridge in 31st place. I don’t recall much about the section down to Parmalee, other than riding with other boats and appreciating the deeper water where we were moving well. I clearly hadn’t been paying attention to where we were for a while and I was sorta surprised when we came up on the Mio cuts. We were nearer the front of the group at this point and we put in an effort and turned into the cut second behind Tad and Buzzy with only minimal bumping. The cuts broke up the group a little and we stayed near the front across the shallows immediately after, but by the approach to Camp 10 Bridge there were probably about 7 boats again spread across the pond. There was a bang and a splash somewhere to our left - the Putnam brothers unfortunately hit a stump and swam. I was enjoying the deep water here and as a result we passed under Camp 10 bridge at the front of the group in 24th place. There had been discussion about the weeds on Mio pond and we soon found them necessitating lots of clearing of the bow. We passed through the stump field without incident, following Tad and Buzzy, as part of a group of 7 boats. Tad and Buzzy and Flash and Sean were feeling frisky and pulled away when the dam came into site, leaving 5 boats that came in to the first portage pretty much together. This was the test of my knee, and how it was doing, after sitting in the boat for 6 hours and trying to get out and run..... it definitely didn’t feel great, and the portage was more of a shuffle so we lost some ground on the boats around us and boats behind definitely gained on us. A quick resupply at the bottom of the steps and we were on our way, chasing Michelle and Cecili, Alex and Vincent, Carlos and Oliver and Jon and Dan.
The water below Mio is notoriously hard. Lots of shallows and you really need to be on the right line. Andy and Nico caught us in this section, and Oliver and Carlos dropped back. We definitely benefitted from local knowledge of other group members in this
CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE
Photos courtesy of Nicole Alyce Photography
CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE section, catching back up to Tad and Buzzy and Sean and Flash. That said, we often dropped back in the shallow sections, but thankfully were able to grind back up to the group when the water got deeper. There was some wispy fog at times, which is common in this section due to the cold water coming out of the dam, but nothing like 2023 when it was just a wall of white due to the light on the bow of the boat.
Coming into the feed at McKinley Bridge we were in a group of 6 boats which is not ideal, and we were on the outside of the bend. Approaching the feeders, standing waist deep in the cold dark water, I realized our feeders were set up pretty much next to another group. We were riding Michelle and Cecili at this point so I backed off a bit to let them get in front and Lydia and I threw our empty drink bottles. Unfortunately their feeders were upstream of ours so when they stopped paddling to receive their feed we were right up along side them again leaving us separated from our feed. Christina, who was feeding me, somehow managed to reach across in front of Michelle and drop my drink and food into the boat without tipping them, but Holly’s attempt to throw the feed to Lydia didn’t work. Thankfully Lydia races with 2 bottles, one of electrolytes and one of Spiz, and she still had the Spiz bottle for fluids. The next easy river access was still an hour away at 4001 Bridge.
By 4001 the group was down to 5 boats, and Lydia got her feed cleanly thanks to Christina and Holly again wading out into the cold dark water. It was starting to get light at this point. We were riding well and with Andy and Nico in the group, were generally taking the right lines (we got on the wrong side of an island at one point, and had to work a bit to catch back up, but I was still feeling pretty good). Coming into Alcona pond there was a little discussion about which cut to take. Dan and Jon went somewhere different from the rest of us, but we all came out into the main pond together and made our way to the dam as a group. I was definitely slow out of the boat, my legs weren’t working well, and we put in as the last boat of the group and again were left with the game of catch up.
and had a good line through the weed cut at the head of Cooke Pond, popping out into the clear water early rather than taking the full through the weeds line (I’m not sure anyone did that this year, it was just too thick!). Coming out into the main pond we could see Tad and Buzzy in the distance and I was surprised at how quickly we caught them. They latched on to our wave and it appeared that Tad was struggling. Buzzy was talkative, but Tad was silent. I was feeling strong, and Lydia must have been too (the Water Safari is good endurance training) as we were moving well. We caught Nico and Andy about 2/3 of the way down the pond and left them behind quickly. We portaged Cooke in front of Tad and Buzzy but they again latched on to the wave and we couldn’t shake them. I had been worried about the last 2 portages as you have to run down the steep face of the dam and I was concerned that my knee wouldn’t like it. I wasn’t as fast as previous years but I made it down just fine, controlling the descent of the boat as it slid down the grass, and we put in close behind Tad and Buzzy.
Foote Pond always seems to go on forever. We quickly caught Tad and Buzzy and they again jumped onto our wave. We could see other boats off in the distance in front of us but we weren’t gaining on them. The wind had picked up and was quartering from the stern approaching the weedy cut that leads to the final straight to the dam, which made for some interesting waves, but we were rock solid stable. Tad and Buzzy, who had been riding us the whole way, sprinted ahead to get through the cut and pulled away a little and made it to the dam in front of us. Another relatively good portage and we were into the river for the final stretch to the finish.
I always like the section of river between Alcona and Loud - it has some interesting sections with fast water and the fact that it is light again means you can see some scenery, not that we really had time to look at it! We were on our own for a while after Alcona, and didn’t catch Tad and Buzzy until just before the cuts at Loud pond. We saw them head in, and they bounced off a tree in the water. I warned Lydia about it, in case she didn’t see it, but apparently she didn’t believe me when I said we needed to go left. I didn’t do enough to correct our line and we hit the same tree causing a bit of a wobble but we were not in any danger of flipping. We caught up with Cecili and Michelle again, after the shallow water section that follow the cuts, but they and Tad and Buzzy pulled away from us heading into the portage. The effort was telling on my energy levels a little at this point... My legs were not working well down the portage at Loud, and we put in significantly behind the boats immediately in front of us. The paddle across Five Channels pond is relatively short at less than 30 minutes and we didn’t gain anything on the boats in front. Another slow portage meant that putting in after Five Channels we couldn’t see any boats in front of us for the first time in a while.
We were alone through the section of river before Cooke Pond
We quickly caught Tad and Buzzy and they again jumped on the wave, but they didn’t stay there for long. I was feeling relatively good, and at the first shallow section we sprinted and dropped them back off the wave. The river to the finish is generally deep on the straight sections, with shallows at most corners if you try and cut the corner. The first time I raced, in 2019, Rod and I ran wide on pretty much every corner to stay in the deeper water, but this means more distance. Lydia and I cut pretty much every corner and we quickly put a big gap on the boat behind. Down this section we didn’t see any boats in front until we got to the railroad bridge which indicates the last 20 or so minute of the race, but they were a long ways in front. In both 2022 and 2023 I had caught sight of boats here, and we hadn’t managed to catch them, but you never know what is going on with the team in front so I went as hard as I could here to try and gain on them. It wasn’t to be, and we crossed the finish line in 24th place, 16 hours and 11 minutes, 3rd mixed team.
I was really happy with how our race went and glad to maintain my record of finishing in the top 25. Third place mixed was unexpected given the other teams in the race but we had no real issues during the race unlike some other teams. We moved well the whole race and Lydia did an amazing job in the stern.
Again, many thanks to our feed team of Christina, Todd and Holly. Also to John Cherven for providing us with accommodation in Grayling, the organizing committee and all the volunteers for putting on such a great race, and to our sponsors Noomoon, Two Rare and Weyerhauser. Most of all, thanks to Lydia for agreeing to race with me and turning out a great and fun race!
A New Era for the Classique driven by the passion of athletes
The year 2024 will be remembered as a historic turning point in the world of marathon canoe. Following the announcement of the cancellation of the 91st edition of the Classique internationale de canots de la Mauricie due to financial reasons, athletes refused to let the flame that has burned for nearly a century be extinguished. Two leading associations, the Association des coureurs en canot du Québec (ACCQ) and the Association des coureurs en Rabaska du Québec (ACRQ), joined forces to create, in record time, the Défi de canots de la Saint-Maurice (DCSM).
In just seven weeks, dozens of volunteers—all from within the canoe community—worked tirelessly to organize an event worthy of the tradition. With the support of the community, partners and the Triple Crown of Canoe Racing, the gamble paid off: DCSM 2024 was a resounding success, both among athletes and local communities, once again proving that passion and solidarity can move mountains.
In the spring of 2025, the former organizers of the Classique officially transferred full management of the event to the DCSM team. This symbolic gesture marks a new chapter in the history of marathon canoe: an event created by athletes, for athletes.
The new board of directors is committed to an ambitious mission: to restore the Classique’s image and breathe new life into
it. This new era aims to be transparent, inclusive, and true to its core values: passion, collaboration, and community.
Preparations for the 92nd edition of the Classique are already underway and it promises to be unforgettable.
Join us Labor Day weekend in Quebec or follow online for three days of outstanding marathon canoe racing: August 30-31 & September 1.
Board of Directors of The Classique www.classiquedecanots.com
Photo Courtesy of: Philippe Ayotte
Photo Courtesy of: Emmanuelle Gélinas
OFFICIAL LIST OF WINNERS
AU SABLE RIVER CANOE MARATHON
YEARWINNING TEAM
1947Allen Carr & Delbert Case
TIME MARGIN OF VICTORY SECOND PLACE TEAM
21:03:0024:00 Jack Davis & Jay Stephan, Sr.
1948Frank Bissonette & Hugh Bissonette19:58:0013:00 Ted Engel & Jay Stephan, Sr.
1949Frank Bissonette & Hugh Bissonette18:57:0028:00 Gerald DeFour & Claude Gobiel
1950Jay Stephan, Sr. & Ted Engel
1951Jay Stephan, Sr. & Ted Engel
1952Jay Stephan, Sr. & Ted Engel
1953Don Feldhauser & Bernie Fowler
1954Don Feldhauser & Bernie Fowler
1955Don Feldhauser & Bernie Fowler
18:32:0020:00 Frank Bissonette & Hugh Bissonette
17:36:5542:00 Robert Fullerton & Hugh Bissonette
17:48:006:00 Don Feldhauser & Bernie Fowler
17:33:0038:00 Ralph W. Sawyer & Eugene Roy
17:33:0039:00 Steve Kolonich & Larry Kindell
17:38:3015:00 Steve Kolonich & Larry Kindell
1956Ralph Sawyer & Tom Gildersleeve16:58:0012:00 Bernie Fowler & John Stephan
1957Ralph Sawyer & Jerry Wagner 17:19:4514:00 Irvin Peterson & Tom Estes
1958Steve Kolonich & Larry Kindell 16:41:0027:00 Ralph Sawyer & Tom Gildersleeve
1959Ralph Sawyer & Jerry Wagner 16:58:0010:30 Gary Kolonich & Ed Wojahn
20180:41:12Andrew Triebold (42) & Steve Lajoie (42)
20180:31:38Andrew Triebold (42) & Steve Lajoie (42)
19990:28:27Jeff Kolka (40) & Serge Corbin (42)
19990:55:44Jeff Kolka (40) & Serge Corbin (42)
20211:03:00Nick Walton (48) & Serge Pagé (44)
20191:03:58Andrew Triebold (43) & Steve Lajoie (43)
2021 Patrick Madden (41) & Steve Watson (49)
19990:24:04Jeff Kolka (40) & Serge Corbin (42)
20181:41:49Andrew Triebold (42) & Steve Lajoie (42)
19990:50:39Jeff Kolka (40) & Serge Corbin (42)
19990:36:23Jeff Kolka (40) & Serge Corbin (42)
20191:48:44Andrew Triebold (43) & Steve Lajoie (43)
19990:23:57Jeff Kolka (40) & Serge Corbin (42)
20180:58:59Andrew Triebold (42) & Steve Lajoie (42)
2023 Chris Issendorf (41) & Pete Mead (42)
20231:09:17Chris Issendorf (41) & Pete Mead (42)
20091:18:21Bruce Barton (52) & Connie Cannon (48)
Consumers Energy Building a Reliable Future for Michigan
BY: TOM LAMBERT
Nothing’s more important than safely delivering the energy Michigan counts on. And we’re proud of the efforts made over the last several years.
This is all made possible with technological advances, meticulous inspections and maintenance. But the true key to improving power reliability is our people. We’re proud to have a dedicated workforce that puts our families, friends and neighbors first.
“In 2024, we had a great year bringing our Electric Reliability Roadmap to life for customers who count on us to bring them reliable service every single day,” said Keith Kurdziel, Director of High Voltage Reliability and Support. “Now in 2025, our goal is to continue providing sustainable improvement that builds on the successes in 2024 by reducing outages and decreasing the length of outages.”
Here are some of the ways we are improving reliability around the state:
Clearing Trees and Limbs
We’re working to strengthen Michigan’s electric grid by clearing tree and limbs from more than 8,000 miles of power lines this year. That’s 1,000 more miles compared to 2024. This proactive effort is part of our plan for reliability upgrades, a stepped-up commitment to protect electrical equipment and reduce outages for homes and businesses across the state.
Substations:
The Unsung Heroes
The next stop on our tour to improve reliability, we visit the “unsung heroes” of the grid: our substations. These unassuming structures help power communities across the state.
In 2024, we performed more than 7,200 inspections at our nearly 1,100 substations around Michigan.
Our substation infrared inspection program, designed to identify and prevent problems before they occur, helped more than 54,000 customers avoid power outages in 2024.
A Birds Eye View
Now we take to the ground and air. That’s where we inspected over 7,100 miles of High Voltage Distribution (HVD) lines with our helicopter and ground inspection programs last year. That team’s work helped more than 187,000 customers avoid power outages.
“The infrared program for our substations and visual inspections via helicopter and ground patrols of our HVD lines helped us with our reliability efforts in 2024 and both will be pillars of how we ensure reliability in 2025,” Kurdziel said. “Our reliability team will never rest on past performance. We strive to give our customers the worldclass service that they expect.”
ATRs: The Traffic Lights
No tour would be complete without smart technology. Our automatic transfer reclosers (ATRs), a technology that
works to automatically restore power from another source on the grid without manual intervention, have paid dividends and will continue to do so in our quest for safe and reliable service for all of our family, friends and neighbors.
The ATRs work like traffic lights, helping limit the frequency and length of power outages.
In 2024, we installed 100 new ATRs to help limit the frequency and length of power outages.
Last year, ATRs prevented over 77,000 customers from losing power in 2024. And we expect another stellar performance this year.
Improving Response Times
We will also continue to use line sensors, which can provide snapshots of the failures of our electric power lines. They pinpoint problems ranging from broken regulators to burnt cross arms. They will be another key component in improving our reliability and speeding response times to outage locations. With their help, crews can work more efficiently by identi-
fying problems faster, leading to less frequent and shorter power outages.
Down Under
And our undergrounding work concludes our tour of our continuous reliability upgrades.. In 2024, we buried 10 miles of overhead lines to prevent outages due to severe weather and vegetation. We plan to bury upwards of 35 miles of lines in 2025.
Underground lines currently make up about 15 percent of our electric system. Most are in subdivisions and areas with high population density. Our goal is to bury over 800 miles of line in the next five years.
“There isn’t one thing that will improve our reliability overnight,” Kurdziel said. “It’s maintaining our strong inspection practices, adopting new technology, and improving on the successful technology at our disposal. It’s a daily mission that we take very seriously to keep the lights on for our customers across the Mitten.”
OFFICIAL LIST OF WINNERS
YEAR WINNING TEAM
1992Serge Corbin & Brett Stockton
Continued from Page 18
MARGIN
TIME OF VICTORY SECOND PLACE TEAM
14:51:46 1:24Bruce Barton & Tim Triebold
1993Serge Corbin & Solomon Carrière14:23:03 1:50 Jeff Kolka & Bill Torongo
1994Serge Corbin & Solomon Carrière13:58:08 9:52 Jeff Kolka & Bill Torongo
1995Patrick Lynch & Jim Harwood
14:20:40 4:02 Jeff Kolka & Bruce Barton
1996 Jeff Kolka & Serge Corbin 14:04:05 37:34Patrick Lynch & Jim Harwood
1997 Jeff Kolka & Serge Corbin
1998 Jeff Kolka & Serge Corbin
1999 Jeff Kolka & Serge Corbin
2000 Jeff Kolka & Serge Corbin
2001 Jeff Kolka & Serge Corbin
2002 Jeff Kolka & Serge Corbin
2003 Jeff Kolka & Serge Corbin
2004Andrew Triebold & Steve Lajoie
2005 Jeff Kolka & Serge Corbin
14:19:36 6:18Al Rudquist & Mike Vincent
14:15:47 35:27Patrick Lynch & Denis Marcouiller
14:08:18 18:00Ken Kolonich & Steve Kolonich
14:48:00 14:32John Sullivan & Louis Berthiaume
15:06:48 8:58Tony Short & Denis Berthiaume
15:04:56 5:26Mo Harwood, Jr. & Matthew Rimer
14:55:03 1:48Andrew Triebold & Steve Lajoie
14:59:46 0:13 Jeff Kolka & Serge Corbin
14:56:11 0:01Matthew Rimer & Andrew Triebold
2006Jim Harwood & Allen Limberg 14:33:50 14:35Rodney Halstead & Ryan Halstead
2007Andrew Triebold & Matthew Rimer14:48:55 0:38Matt Streib & Steve Corlew
2008Andrew Triebold & Steve Lajoie 14:09:06 23:25Matt Streib & Steve Kolonich
2009Andrew Triebold & Steve Lajoie
14:17:42 11:36Matt Streib & Steve Corlew
2010Andrew Triebold & Steve Lajoie 14:17:29 14:08Steve Corlew & Bill Torongo
2011Andrew Triebold & Steve Lajoie
14:41:00 17:32Rodney Halstead & Ryan Halstead
2012Andrew Triebold & Steve Lajoie 14:42:43 15:53Josh Sheldon & Ryan Halstead
** Two day race in 1962-63-64-67-68 (Day 1: Grayling to Mio. Day 2: Mio to Oscoda)
*** Race won as a result of a 10 minute penalty to Steve Landick & Solomon Carrière (14:37:28)
2025 AuSable River Festival & Canoe Marathon SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
FRIDAY JULY 18TH:
July 18 - July 26, 2025 in Grayling, Michigan
11am-6pm Official AuSable River Festival Marathon Merch store open at the AuSable Artisan Village Performing Arts Center
5:30pm 14th Annual Cruise Night–Cruise starts at Northstar Auto Wash and ends at Grayling Country Club
All Day Boots on the Ground Heroes Memorial Display at Camp Grayling
SATURDAY JULY 19TH:
9am-5pm Official AuSable River Festival Marathon Merch store open at the AuSable Artisan Village Performing Arts Center
10am-3pm 39th Annual Classic Car & Truck Show on Michigan Ave (Registration 7–10am, $20/vehicle, Trophies around 2:30pm) All are welcome!
SPIKES CHALLENGE SCHEDULE:
8am-2pm Registration for all Spike’s Challenge Events at the City Park Pavilion. These events include C-1 Race, C-2 Race, Junior and Fledgling Races, Mentor Races 9am Sprints for Starting Position of C-2 Race, Grayling City Park Pond 2pm Junior, Fledgling, Mentor Races on the Pond 5pm Registration continues for all races at Joe Wakeley’s House on Ingham St. for C-1 pre-race, Barton Cup Qualifier, Junior C-2 Race to Burton’s Landing. Please, no dogs in Joe’s Yard
5:30pm Start of Junior C-2 Race to Burton’s Landing, beginning on Ingham St 6pm Start of the C-1 race at Ingham St.
Prior to C-1 race: Blessing of the Paddlers worship service hosted by The Grayling E Free Church
All Day Boots on the Ground Heroes Memorial Display at Camp Grayling SUNDAY JULY 20TH
SPIKES CHALLENGE SCHEDULE
8:30am Line up of the C-2 Start of the Spike’s Challenge on Ingham Street
9am Start of the 2023 C-2 Spike’s Challenge 2pm Lunch and Awards Banquet at the City Park Pavilion –bring a lawn chair
All Day Boots on the Ground Heroes Memorial Display at Camp Grayling MONDAY JULY 21ST
Marathon Monday! Wear your Favorite Marathon Shirt #Marathon-
Monday, tag us with your hashtag & pictures @ausableriverfestival on Facebook!!
10am-6pm Official AuSable River Festival Marathon Merch store open at the AuSable Artisan Village Performing Arts Center
All Day Boots on the Ground Heroes Memorial Display at Camp Grayling TUESDAY JULY 22ND
10am-6pm Official AuSable River Festival Marathon Merch store open at the AuSable Artisan Village Performing Arts Center
10am-2pm Kid’s Day in the Grayling City Park
10am–2pm Kid’s Day in the Grayling City Park
5pm Da$h for Ca$h in Oscoda
All Day Boots on the Ground Heroes Memorial Display at Camp Grayling
WEDNESDAY JULY 23RD
10am-8pm Official AuSable River Festival Marathon Merch store open at the AuSable Artisan Village Performing Arts Center
4–6:30pm Time Trials - AuSable River Canoe Marathon at Penrod’s Canoe Livery
6pm HUP Race in the Grayling City Park
All Day Boots on the Ground Heroes Memorial Display at Camp Grayling THURSDAY JULY 24TH:
10am-8pm Official AuSable River Festival Marathon Merch store open at the AuSable Artisan Village Performing Arts Center
11am-8pm Food Vendors on the 100 block of Michigan Ave
1-5pm Registration for C-1 Express Race at C-1 tent at Penrod’s
3–7pm Time Trials for the AuSable River Canoe Marathon at Penrod’s Canoe Livery
4:20pm Business Relays at Penrod’s Canoe Livery, hosted by Hanson Hills
5pm-10:30pm Brew Ave. opens in the AuSable Main Stage area - Need not be 21 to enter, must be 21 with a valid ID present to receive a wristband to purchase beer tickets!
5pm The AuSable Dixieland Band performs on the AuSable Main Stage
6pm C-1 Express Race. Penrod’s to Burton’s Landing - cash prizes award
at Burtons at end of race.
7pm Miss AuSable River Festival Scholarship Program Titleholder Crowning
8pm-11pm Grayling Youth Booster Club concessions on Michigan Ave
9:30pm Timberline North performs on the AuSable Main Stage
All Day Boots on the Ground Heroes Memorial Display at Camp Grayling FRIDAY JULY 25TH
10am-8pm
Official AuSable River Festival
Marathon Merch store open at the AuSable Artisan Village Performing Arts Center
10am-8pm 46th Annual Arts & Crafts Show in Grayling City Park
11am-6pm Maze Stephan will be selling concessions in the Grayling City Park Pavilion, proceeds benefit 2026 Support the Fourth Fireworks 11am-8pm Food Vendors on the 100 block of Michigan Ave
11am-8pm Info booths open on Michigan Ave
12pm-12am Brew Ave. opens in the AuSable Main Stage Area, need not be 21 to enter, you must be 21 with a valid ID present to receive a wristband to purchase beer tickets!
2-4:30pm Time Trials for the AuSable River Canoe Marathon at Penrod’s Canoe Livery
2pm 2nd Hand performs on the AuSable Main Stage
2:45pm Special Olympics Canoe Races at Penrod’s Canoe Livery
4:30pm Zie performs on the AuSable Main Stage
Ends at 4pm Boots on the Ground Heroes Memorial Display at Camp Grayling
7:30-11:30pm Nameless performs on the AuSable Main Stage
8pm-11pm Grayling Youth Booster Club concessions on Michigan Ave
SATURDAY JULY 26TH:
8-11am Lumberjack Breakfast hosted by Grayling Restaurant
9am-3pm Official AuSable River Festival Marathon Merchandise store open at AuSable Artisan Village Performing Arts Center
9am-6pm 46th Annual Arts & Crafts Show at Grayling City Park
9am GRA’s 10K/5K (Road Running),
starts at Hanson Hills Recreation Area.
11am-8pm Food Vendors on the 100 block of Michigan Ave
11am-8pm Info booths open on Michigan Avenue
11am-7pm Maze Stephan will be selling concessions in the Grayling City Park Pavilion, proceeds benefit Support the Fourth Fireworks
12pm-12am Brew Ave. opens in the AuSable Main Stage Area, need not be 21 to enter, you must be 21 with a valid ID PRESENT to receive a wristband to purchase beer tickets!
12-9pm Grayling American Legion Beer Tent
2pm Aldrich & Co performs on the AuSable Main Stage
3pm Duck Derby Duck Dump at the City Park Bridge
4pm-8:30pm Official AuSable River Festival Marathon Merchandise store on Ingham St.
4pm AuSable River Festival Parade Downtown Grayling
5pm Yankee Station performs on the AuSable Main Stage
6pm Pre-Race Program Begins at Old AuSable Fly Shop
6:45pm Introduction of Paddlers at Old AuSable Fly Shop
7:30-9pm Jelly Roll Blues Band performs on the AuSable Main Stage
7:45pm Posting of the Colors at Old AuSable Fly Shop
9pm Start of the 77th Annual AuSable River Canoe Marathon at the Old AuSable Fly Shop (paddling from Grayling to Oscoda) listen to 98.5 UPS, the Official Station of the ARCM, and the Flagship station of the ARCM Radio Network, for start to finish race coverage and look for live coverage updates on the official AuSable River Canoe Marathon Facebook page sponsored by Halstead Game Processing.
Veterans Division Split Time Records
CheckpointsYearTimeTeam (Ages)
Burton’s Landing20220:50:43Dan Mecklenburg (60) & Jon Webb (62)
Stephan Bridge20221:28:26Dan Mecklenburg (60) & Jon Webb (62)
Wakeley Bridge20222:02:44Dan Mecklenburg (60) & Jon Webb (62)
McMasters Bridge20223:07:12Dan Mecklenburg (60) & Jon Webb (62)
Parmalee Bridge20214:14:56Fred Mills (67) & Tim McClure (63)
Camp Ten Bridge20215:23:15Fred Mills (67) & Tim McClure (63)
Mio Dam 20215:50:46Fred Mills (67) & Tim McClure (63)
McKinley 20217:42:37Fred Mills (67) & Tim McClure (63)
4001 Bridge20218:36:56Fred Mills (67) & Tim McClure (63)
Alcona Dam20219:19:35Fred Mills (67) & Tim McClure (63)
Loud Dam 202111:21:27Fred Mills (67) & Tim McClure (63)
Five Channels Dam202111:50:57Fred Mills (67) & Tim McClure (63)
Cooke Dam202112:59:29Fred Mills (67) & Tim McClure (63)
Foote Dam 202114:21:57Fred Mills (67) & Tim McClure (63)
Oscoda 202115:52:00Fred Mills (67) & Tim McClure (63)
2nd Half
20238:01:39Dan Mecklenburg (61) & Jon Webb (63)
VETERANS Division Point-to-Point Records
YearTimeTeam (Ages)
20220:50:43Dan Mecklenburg (60) & Jon Webb (62)
20220:37:43Dan Mecklenburg (60) & Jon Webb (62)
20230:33:58Dan Mecklenburg (61) & Jon Webb (63)
20211:02:04Fred Mills (67) & Tim McClure (63)
20211:07:13Fred Mills (67) & Tim McClure (63)
20211:08:19Fred Mills (67) & Tim McClure (63)
20110:26:35Michael Fairchild (60) & Peter Heed (61)
20211:51:51Fred Mills (67) & Tim McClure (63)
20210:54:19Fred Mills (67) & Tim McClure (63)
20220:39:53Dan Mecklenburg (60) & Jon Webb (62)
20062:00:08Robert Bradford (63) & Al Widing, Sr. (81)
20190:27:16Michael Garon (61) & Doug Gillin (60)
20221:05:03Dan Mecklenburg (60) & Jon Webb (62)
20231:17:53Dan Mecklenburg (61) & Jon Webb (63)
20061:29:15Robert Bradford (63) & Al Widing, Sr. (81)
Congratulations to the 2024 Inductees!
Ken is part of the Kolonich racing family. He completed his first three races with his father, and fellow Hall of Famer, Steven Kolonich. Fifteen of his 23 Marathons were completed with his son, Steve. Ken has the third-longest career in Marathon history, from 1962 to 2015. Ken completed his 10th Marathon in 1992, which earned him his Iron Paddler Award. In 2009, Kolonich earned his Steel Paddler Award by completing his 20th Marathon. In 2015, Ken became the oldest top 10 Marathon finisher at the age of 69.
Brett Stockton, of the Stockton racing family, has a paddling career that spans from 1978 to 2023. During that time, Brett completed 17 Marathons, including nine championships and 5 top-10 finishes. In 1992, after completing his 14th Marathon, Brett stepped back from racing. In 2021, he returned to the AuSable River Canoe Marathon, when he raced with 2016 Champion, Ryan Halstead. Some of his other accomplishments include his 1988 record time of 14:20:00 and 5 age records, two of which were earned in his teens. In 1987, Brett earned his Iron Paddler Award by completing his 10th Marathon. Stockton is tied for the youngest Marathon Champion at 19 years old with his 1982 victory with his uncle, Butch Stockton.
Ken Kolonich, with his son Steve in the stern, during the 2009 ARCM
Brett and Butch Stockton at Foote Dam 1982
Spend
the patio deck, BBQ or play in the large backyard. The
Au Sable Program 2025 Wildfire Mitigation
Watching Out for Wildfires
Consumers Energy is taking new steps to help Northern Michigan prevent forest blazes
At Consumers Energy, our top priority is protecting our customers, our co-workers and the communities we serve. In heavily wooded Northern Michigan, that means playing a key role to help prevent wildfires, warn residents and keep them safe when wildfires do occur.
The risk of wildfires in Michigan has grown as a result of longer than usual dry periods across the state.
In the last 12 years, there have been more than 2,500 wildfires in Michigan’s Lower Peninsula burning nearly 23,000 acres.
In Michigan, wildfires are most likely to occur March through August.
While the risk of wildfire remains low compared to the Western U.S., it’s important to be vigilant. We’ve created a plan of how we will mitigate wildfire risk that involves our electric system while keeping safety first.
We watch weather closely as well as any heightened wildfire risk warnings (including Red Flag Warnings) so we can respond quickly. We use data from wildfire weather forecasting, enhanced inspections and wildfire risk modeling to help us make informed decisions.
We’re speeding up the pace of line clearing in areas with high wildfire risk. This will help us to better manage growth and limit potential vegetation to conductor contact.
Here are some other ways we’re pitching in to help Northern Michigan stay aware of potential wildfire danger:
Field Operations: When fire risk is high, we change how we work in the field to reduce the risk of ignition from the electric system, while keeping our employees safe.
Public Safety Power Shutoff: We’re carefully designing plans to turn off power in specific areas when wildfire risk is high to prevent spark risk from the electric system. This procedure is a last resort and will only be used in extreme wildfire weather conditions.
• Emergency Preparedness: We have emergency action plans that allow Emergency Management to act fast during times of wildfire danger.
We’re also making operational changes to address the increased risk of wildfires in Michigan, including burying more power lines and installing new types of protective equipment.
• Placing More Lines Underground: We are looking for parts of the overhead lines that are most likely to cause a wildfire and are moving them underground.
• Installing Covered Conductors: We are installing covered conductors in high-risk areas. This helps to reduce the chance of spark or arcing which would cause a potential ignition due to contact with another conductor, animal, vegetation or any other material.
• Installing Protective Line Devices: We are also installing remotely controlled line reclosers to control and isolate lines in areas that have high wildfire risk.
To learn more about preparing for and staying safe in the event of a wildfire, visit ConsumersEnergy.com/outages-and-safety/ wildfire.
The largest retail art gallery in Northern Michigan has
July 12th & 13th July 12th & 13th
- C-2 race frpm Cooke Dam to the finish line of the AuSable River Canoe Marathon, at the AuSable Inn. Registration begins at 7:00am at Cooke Dam, with the race starting at 9:00am. The
There is an MCRA picnic following the C-2 race at the American Legion Pavillion. Donation proceeds go to benefit the MCRA Canoers Memorial on River Rd. Begins around 12:30pm with awards following.
- C-1 Race. Registration at Childrens Park in AuSable starts at 8:00am. The race starts at 10:00am at Childrens Park. The Race Course: Paddlers will race 2 laps from Childrens Park to round Winning time is about 1 hour.
Canoe Marathon Themed Paint Party Queen Bee Soiree QueenBeeSoiree@gmail.com
JULY 26
Witches on the Water ShannoneBondie@gmail.com
JULY 27
AuSable River Canoe Marathon Finish Line Festival
10 am - 2 pm | Open to the Public 989.739.7322
AUGUST 1-2
Pirates and Mermaids Festival PiratesAndMermaidsFestival.org
AUGUST 2
Pirates and Mermaids Paint Party Queen Bee Soiree QueenBeeSoiree@gmail.com
AUGUST 10
Battle for the Paddle Golf Tournament Red Hawk Gold Course events@oscodachamber.com | 989.739.7322
AUGUST 24
Remembrance Ceremony for the 13 Military Killed in Afghanistan 1 pm | Afghanistan Mural at the Pentagon Service Monument Oscoda Veteran’s Memorial Park
SEPTEMBER 6
ABWA Northeast Sunrise Charter Chapter Roper Romp Kd.demeter@gmail.com
SEPTEMBER 11
Remembering 9/11 Candlelight Service 8 pm | Circle of Flags Oscoda Veteran’s Memorial
SEPTEMBER 12 – 14
Paul Bunyan Days Festival Furtaw Field events@oscodachamber.com | 989.739.7322
SEPTEMBER 19
National POW/MIA Recognition Day 6 pm | Oscoda Veteran’s Memorial
SEPTEMBER 28
Gold Star Mother’s and Family Day
6 pm | Free and Open to the Public Oscoda Veteran’s Memorial
OCTOBER 9
ABWA Northeast Sunrise Charter Chapter Fashion Show AuSable Inn Riverview Restaurant and Bar
OCTOBER 11 Fall Harvest Festival Dwight Street events@oscodachamber.com | 989.739.7322
OCTOBER 24 – 25 Witches on the Water QueenBeeSoiree@gmail.com
The exclusive Flagship station of the ARCM Radio Network
Creator and developer of the ARCM Radio Network
Larry Roberts, the voice of the ARCM, broadcast exclusively on 98.5 UPS
Real time on the river coverage / updates during the race, with over eighteen (18) hours of race coverage
Official station of the Time Trials
We’re committed to the ARCM, Grayling, The AuSable River Valley, Osocda, and all the sponsors that support this great race, and event
Photo by Nicole Alyce
2023 CHAMPIONS - SPONSORED IN PART BY 98.5 UPS
2025 AUSABLE RIVER CANOE MARATHON RADIO NETWORK
Photo: Jeff Caverly Photography
pictured above: coney dog pizza
Young Guns: The Strong Presence of Youth in the AuSable
River Canoe Marathon
Photos Courtesy of Crystal Brabant
The AuSable River Canoe Marathon has long been a test of endurance, strategy, and sheer willpower. For decades, legendary paddlers have battled the 120-mile stretch of river, pushing themselves through the night to cross the finish line in Oscoda. Names like Issendorf, Triebold, and Trudgeon are etched into the race’s history, represent-
ing some of the best to ever take on this challenge. Now, their legacy continues as a new generation of paddlers—many of them the sons and daughters of these icons—emerge as the rising stars of the sport. These “young guns” are proving that the future of the Marathon is in good hands.
This year, Kyle Issendorf and Dane Trudgeon have set their sights on making history by breaking the long-standing youth record, which has remained untouched since 1976. That year, Terry Jackman (19) and Ken Brown (18) finished second overall with a remarkable time of 15:27:20. With increased training opportunities, advancements in equipment, and a deeper understanding of race strategy, today’s young paddlers are more prepared than ever to challenge this record.
For these young competitors, the commitment to the sport goes far
beyond race day. It requires a complete shift in lifestyle—something Kyle Issendorf understands firsthand. “The greatest lesson I’ve learned, I’d say, is how to change your lifestyle in order to accomplish your goals—such as what you eat, how much you sleep, and the people you surround yourself with,” Kyle shared. His dedication to paddling was so strong that he made the life-changing decision to move from Texas to Michigan this year to train more seriously. His story is a testament to the sacrifices and determination these young athletes embody in their pursuit of success.
The passion these young paddlers have for the sport runs deep, and their ambitions extend beyond simply competing— they dream of winning it all. Dane Trudgeon, one of the rising stars of the Marathon, expressed just how much victory would mean to him. “It would mean a lot to me if I were to win the AuSable River Canoe Marathon one day. I feel like it would be one of the
best days of my life!” His words reflect the drive and determination that fuel these young competitors as they push their limits year after year.
Another young paddler carrying on a family legacy is Nico Triebold, who raced her first AuSable River Canoe Marathon at just 15 years old—alongside her father, a multi-time Marathon winner. For Nico, racing with her dad was a lifelong dream. “Racing alongside my father has been my dream since I first ever saw the race watching him. Finally being able to race with him felt like a dream come true and really helped me find my love for the sport. Because of the amount of times he has won,
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Young Guns
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I was able to feel more confident and less nervous about our ability.”
Like many young paddlers, Nico has learned invaluable lessons from veteran racers. “The best piece of advice my dad has given me is probably how I should have an ‘always finish’ mentality. Even if things start to get hard, always make sure that you finish and get through it. It really helped me through the last few hours of the race.” When asked who she would choose as her dream paddling partner, Nico didn’t hesitate. “If I could race with any paddler, I would paddle with Steve Lajoie. He reminds me a lot of my dad, and I have always looked up to him ever since I was little because he has helped lead my dad to many victories. He also helped me get through the Marathon this year.”
Mason Hodnett is another young paddler making his mark on the Marathon. He will be returning for his second race this year after making his debut at just 15 years old. Last year, he raced alongside his father, Mike Hodnett, creating an unforgettable father-son experience. When asked about what
goes through his mind during the toughest stretches of the race, Mason shared, “Going through those hard stretches, I try to remember what I’m here to do, and that is to have fun and enjoy my time on the river with my dad.” His perspective highlights the unique bond that paddlers form with their partners and the deep appreciation for the river that keeps them coming back year after year.
The influx of youth talent in the Marathon is not just a passing trend—it’s a testament to the sport’s growing appeal among younger athletes. Many of these paddlers grew up watching their family members compete, absorbing the race’s intensity and developing an early passion for the sport. Others were drawn in through local paddling clubs and training programs designed to prepare them for the demands of marathon racing. Regardless of how they got here, one thing is certain: they are ready to compete at the highest level.
Despite their age, these young paddlers face the same grueling conditions as their seasoned counterparts. Racing through the night, navigating unpredictable river conditions, and
maintaining a relentless pace for over 14 hours requires a unique combination of physical strength and mental resilience. Yet, time and time again, these “young guns” have proven they belong among the best, often securing impressive finishes and making their presence known in the rankings.
As the Marathon continues to evolve, the next
generation of paddlers is ensuring that its legacy remains strong. With their passion, determination, and respect for the race’s history, they are not only competing— they are shaping the future of the AuSable River Canoe Marathon. The young guns are here, and they are ready to leave their mark.
Seniors Division
Split Time Records
CheckpointsYearTimeTeam (Ages)
Burton’s Landing20160:46:46Russ Reker (52) & Mike Bradford (51)
Stephan Bridge20161:21:55Russ Reker (52) & Mike Bradford (51)
Wakeley Bridge20161:52:46Russ Reker (52) & Mike Bradford (51)
McMasters Bridge20162:54:18Russ Reker (52) & Mike Bradford (51)
Parmalee Bridge20214:00:27Eric Batway (58) & Mike Bradford (56)
Camp Ten Bridge20215:07:28Eric Batway (58) & Mike Bradford (56)
Mio Dam 20215:33:58Eric Batway (58) & Mike Bradford (56)
McKinley 20217:22:19Eric Batway (58) & Mike Bradford (56)
4001 Bridge20218:16:11Eric Batway (58) & Mike Bradford (56)
Alcona Dam20218:55:41Eric Batway (58) & Mike Bradford (56)
Loud Dam202110:50:22Eric Batway (58) & Mike Bradford (56)
Five Channels Dam 202111:16:33Eric Batway (58) & Mike Bradford (56)
Cooke Dam202112:21:56Eric Batway (58) & Mike Bradford (56)
Foote Dam202113:38:28Eric Batway (58) & Mike Bradford (56)
Oscoda 202115:00:42Eric Batway (58) & Mike Bradford (56)
2nd Half 20217:38:23Eric Batway (58) & Mike Bradford (56)
Seniors Division
Point-to-Point Records
YearTimeTeam (Ages)
20160:46:46Russ Reker (52) & Mike Bradford (51)
20160:35:09Russ Reker (52) & Mike Bradford (51)
20160:30:51Russ Reker (52) & Mike Bradford (51)
20210:59:39Eric Batway (58) & Mike Bradford (56)
20211:04:31Eric Batway (58) & Mike Bradford (56)
20211:07:01Eric Batway (58) & Mike Bradford (56)
20240:25:45Ivan English (50) & Edith MacHattie (50)
20211:48:21Eric Batway (58) & Mike Bradford (56)
19990:53:08Robert Bradford (56) & Al Widing, Sr. (74)
20000:38:36Blaise St. Pierre (60) & Pierre LaPointe (58)
20211:54:41Eric Batway (58) & Mike Bradford (56)
20150:26:01Clark Kent (55) & Mike Bradford (50)
20131:03:50Tom Trudgeon (54) & Doug Gillin (54)
20091:14:33Michael Garon (51) & Doug Gillin (50)
20211:22:03Paul Olney (58) & Mike Fries (68)
CheckpointsYearTimeTeam (Ages)
Burton’s Landing20180:41:12Andrew Triebold (42) & Steve Lajoie (42)
Stephan Bridge20181:12:50Andrew Triebold (42) & Steve Lajoie (42)
Wakeley Bridge19931:41:29Jeff Kolka (34) & Bill Torongo (31)
McMasters Bridge20212:37:46Jorden Wakeley (31) & Matt Meersman (44)
Parmalee Bridge20213:39:30Jorden Wakeley (31) & Matt Meersman (44)
Camp Ten Bridge20214:41:15Jorden Wakeley (31) & Matt Meersman (44)
Mio Dam 20215:05:38Jorden Wakeley (31) & Matt Meersman (44)
McKinley Bridge20216:48:05Jorden Wakeley (31) & Matt Meersman (44)
4001 Bridge 20217:38:04Jorden Wakeley (31) & Matt Meersman (44)
Alcona Dam 20218:14:26Jorden Wakeley (31) & Matt Meersman (44)
Loud Dam 202110:01:54Jorden Wakeley (31) & Matt Meersman (44)
Five Channels Dam202110:26:58Jorden Wakeley (31) & Matt Meersman (44)
Cooke Dam 202111:27:41Jorden Wakeley (31) & Matt Meersman (44)
Foote Dam 202112:37:48Jorden Wakeley (31) & Matt Meersman (44)
Oscoda (Finish Line)202113:54:09Jorden Wakeley (31) & Matt Meersman (44)
2nd Half 19947:01:54Serge Corbin (37) & Solomon Carrière (37)
Health question? Ask a nurse! A Munson Healthcare Registered Nurse is available 24/7/365 for your health questions at 231-935-0951. Available to all Michigan residents and no insurance is required.
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GRAYLING
PROMOTIONAL ASSOCIATION
www.graylingpromotional.org
SPECIAL EVENTS
Junque in the Trunk
Grayling Tractor Supply Parking Lot
A Community Parking Lot Garage Sale
From the Trunks of Vehicles
Saturday, August 30, 2025
Fall Arts & Crafts Show
Grayling Elementary School
Handcrafted Arts & Crafts Vendors
Saturday, October 4, 2025
Festival of Trees
Grayling Mini-Mall
Christmas Trees & Baskets
Decorated by Area
Businesses are on Display and Raffled Off Friday, November 14, Thru Saturday, November 29, 2025
Most Total Marathon Wins
RankPaddlerState/ Prov Bow Wins Stern Wins Total Wins Avg. MOV First Win
1Serge Corbin QC711180:09:011977
2Steve Lajoie QC112130:10:382004
3Andrew Triebold MI120120:11:102004
4Brett Stockton MI0990:06:301982
5Jeff Kolka MI9090:14:141996
6Ralph Sawyer MI6280:12:501956
7Butch Stockton MI5050:11:261982
8Irvin “Buzz” PetersonMN4040:12:071963
9Jerry Kellogg MI4040:26:301972
10John Baker MI4040:16:261976
11Jay Stephan, Sr. MI0330:22:401950
12Ted Engel, Jr. MI3030:22:401950
13Bernie Fowler MI0330:30:401953
14Don Feldhauser MI3030:30:401953
15Ron Hohman MI0330:12:441962
16Claude Corbin QC3030:03:021970
17Luc Robillard QC0330:22:381970
18Solomon Carrière SK0330:09:181984
19Frank “Bud” BissonetteMI2020:20:301948
20Hugh Bissonette MI0220:20:301948
21Jerry Wagner MI0220:12:151957
22Larry Kindell MI1120:14:281958
23Stan Hall MI0220:07:211967
Mixed Division Split Time Records
CheckpointsYearTimeTeam (Ages)
Burton’s Landing20170:44:14Mary Schlimmer (26) & Andrew Triebold (41)
Stephan Bridge20171:17:29Mary Schlimmer (26) & Andrew Triebold (41)
Wakeley Bridge20171:46:50Mary Schlimmer (26) & Andrew Triebold (41)
McMasters Bridge20172:44:11Mary Schlimmer (26) & Andrew Triebold (41)
Parmalee Bridge20173:49:01Mary Schlimmer (26) & Andrew Triebold (41)
Camp Ten Bridge20174:53:36Mary Schlimmer (26) & Andrew Triebold (41)
Mio Dam
20175:18:38Mary Schlimmer (26) & Andrew Triebold (41)
McKinley Bridge20177:06:39Mary Schlimmer (26) & Andrew Triebold (41)
4001 Bridge 20177:59:41Mary Schlimmer (26) & Andrew Triebold (41)
Alcona Dam 20178:37:46Mary Schlimmer (26) & Andrew Triebold (41)
Loud Dam 201710:31:07Mary Schlimmer (26) & Andrew Triebold (41)
Five Channels Dam201710:57:26Mary Schlimmer (26) & Andrew Triebold (41)
Cooke Dam 201712:00:33Mary Schlimmer (26) & Andrew Triebold (41)
Foote Dam 201713:14:35Mary Schlimmer (26) & Andrew Triebold (41)
Oscoda (Finish Line)201714:37:45Mary Schlimmer (26) & Andrew Triebold (41)
2nd Half
20097:26:08Connie Cannon (48) & Bruce Barton (52)
Mixed Division Point-to-Point Records
YearTimeTeam (Ages)
20170:44:14Andrew Triebold (41) & Mary Schlimmer (26)
20170:33:15Andrew Triebold (41) & Mary Schlimmer (26)
20170:29:21Andrew Triebold (41) & Mary Schlimmer (26)
20170:57:21Andrew Triebold (41) & Mary Schlimmer (26)
20211:04:42Richard Lauth (48) & Mary Schlimmer (30)
20171:04:35Andrew Triebold (41) & Mary Schlimmer (26)
20170:25:02Andrew Triebold (41) & Mary Schlimmer (26)
20211:46:48Richard Lauth (48) & Mary Schlimmer (30)
20210:52:31Richard Lauth (48) & Mary Schlimmer (30)
20090:37:36Bruce Barton (52) & Connie Cannon (48)
19881:51:21Jim Myers (26) & Lynne Witte (34)
20150:25:17Mike Davis (24) & Rebecca Davis (25)
20091:00:33Holly Reynolds (29) & Jeff Rankinen (45)
20091:12:07Holly Reynolds (29) & Jeff Rankinen (45)
20091:18:21Bruce Barton (52) & Connie Cannon (48)
Good Luck Paddlers
STORE HOURS:
MONDAY-SATURDAY 8:00am - 5:30pm
SUNDAY 10:00am- 3:00pm
SHOP HOURS:
MONDAY-SATURDAY 8:00am - 5:00pm
More than 196 racers.
One challenge for a lifetime.
The AuSable River and its canoe marathon continues to put on a spectacular show for the tens of thousands visitors on race weekend. Count on us to support the things we all love, the marathon and Michigan.
more AuSable River Canoe Marathons in
Congratulations to the Champions of the 2024 Triple Crown of Canoe Racing:
Guillaume Blais, of St-Boniface, Quebec, and Mike Davis, of Homer, Michigan
Davis and Blais competed together as a team at all three Triple Crown races, kicking off the season with a third-place finish at New York’s General Clinton Canoe Regatta in May. They chalked their first win in July at Michigan’s iconic Consumers Energy AuSable River Canoe Marathon, during the last weekend of July, before also paddling to victory at Quebec’s St-Maurice Canoe Challenge | DCSM - Défi de canot de la Saint-Maurice, the final stage of the 2024 Triple Crown.
Eve Chamberland, of Shawinigan, Quebec, and Mike Schlimmer, of Cortland, New York, were the Mixed-Team Champs of #MarathonCanoeRacing’s Triple Crown and finished fourth in the overall Triple Crown standings. Eve Chamberland was also the top-finishing Women’s competitor in the 2024 Triple Crown field.
Christian Charette, of Saint-Boniface, Quebec, finished second in the overall Triple Crown standings with Patrick Madden, of Scotia, New York, completing the podium.
Congratulations and “Well Done!” to all 18 (eighteen) paddlers who completed all three of the 2024 Triple Crown of Canoe Racing events.
For thirty-two years the Triple Crown of Canoe Racing has recognized the performance of paddlers who compete at all three of North America’s three most prestigious marathon canoe races:
• General Clinton Canoe Regatta - New York - First held in 1963, the General Clinton Canoe Regatta (GCCR) is staged Memorial Day weekend on New York’s Susquehanna River – a one-day, non-stop 70-mile race from Cooperstown to Bainbridge, New York. www.canoeregatta.org
• Consumers Energy AuSable River Canoe Marathon - Michigan - First held in 1947, it is staged 120 miles non-stop overnight from Grayling to Oscoda on Northern Michigan’s famed AuSable River during the last full weekend of July. #HupAllNight #ARCM www.ausablecanoemarathon.org
• Classique internationale de canots de la Mauricie - QuebecFirst held in 1934, the Classique Internationale de Canots de la Mauricie – also known as the International Canoe Classic – is
the 2024 Mixed Team
Schlimmer (bow) and Eve Chamblerand, as they competed at the final stage of the Triple Crown, Quebec’s St-Maurice Canoe Challenge over the 2024 Labor Day weekend. Photo courtesy of
staged Labor Day weekend on central Quebec’s majestic St. Maurice River – a three-day, three-stage race from La Tuque to Trois Rivieres, Quebec. www.classiquedecanots.com
For 2024, the third stage of the Triple Crown - Quebec’s Classique de Canots - was canceled due to financial difficulties and was replaced for the season by the DCSM | St. Maurice River Challenge. Subsequently, the DCSM race organizational team has assumed responsibility for Quebec’s Classique de Canots moving forward; the 92-year history and tradition of that grand race will continue in 2025 and into the future.
Two paddlers from Quebec, Steve Lajoie and the legendary “King of the River” Serge Corbin, lead the all-time Triple Crown of Canoe Racing standings with 12 Triple Crown individual and team championships. Michigan’s Andrew Triebold is a 10-time Triple Crown champion. Steve Lajoie and Andrew Triebold teamed together for 7 of their Triple Crown championships, the most by any team.
For more information about the Triple Crown of Canoe Racing, including a list of all the champions, complete results, and statistics from throughout 32 years of competition, go to the Triple Crown webpage: www.TripleCrownOfCanoeRacing.com
And, follow the #TripleCrownOfCanoeRacing on Facebook and Instagram.
The Triple Crown of Canoe Racing was established in 1992 to recognize the performance of competitors who compete at all three of North America’s three most prestigious marathon canoe races.
Photo courtesy of Triple Crown of Canoe Racing
Featured in this photo are the overall 2024 Triple Crown of Canoe Racing Champions - Mike Davis (bow) and Guillaume Blais - AND
Champs - Mike
Raynald Morand
It’s a Family Thing
By Mikayla Erickson
courtesy of Rebecca Barton Davis
Just about every family has some kind of tradition. Something they have a common interest or love for. Some families share recipes, campsites, or annual vacations. Other families share a love of football and attend games or host watch parties every year. But there are many families out there who share a love of canoe racing. Whether it’s racing, feeding, volunteering, or spectating the sport.
One person who knows a thing or two about growing up in a paddling family, is none other than current women’s champion, Rebecca Davis. Rebecca’s family has a history with paddling that started long before she was born. Although they never competed in the AuSable River Canoe Marathon, her grandparents, Mike and Kathy Barton, were considered one of the best mixed teams in the USA during the 1960’s and 1970’s. Rebecca’s mom, Roxanne, has 3 Marathon starts and finishes. Her dad, Hall of Famer Bruce Barton, has crossed the Marathon Finish line 19 times in 22 starts. Bruce continues to mentor others to this day. Continuing on with the family legacy; Connie Cannon, Bruce’s sister, was a 2023 ARCM Hall of Fame Inductee. Connie has an impressive 14 Marathon finishes and is a former mixed and women’s champion. The love of competitive water sports reaches outside of canoeing. Rebecca’s uncle, Greg Barton, was a 3 time medalist in Kayak racing during the 1984, 1988, and 1992 Olympic Games.
Rebecca was in a boat with her family practically from birth, and loved spending time on the water. But since there weren’t many other kids around, she didn’t enjoy going to races until she was older. Rebecca did the occasional race in her early teens, but waited until she was finished with college before she started getting more serious.
Paddling has truly become a family affair for the Barton/ Davis families. In her 11 year ARCM career, Rebecca has paddled with her parents, Bruce and Roxanne Barton, as well as her husband, Mike Davis. Rebecca and Mike have two children, Jack and Wade, who have already spent some time on the water and can be seen at many racing events. Even if they choose not to pursue racing, Mike and Rebecca will introduce them to the sport, and hope they choose to be active and open to adventures.
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