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2001 AUSABLE RIVER 2001 AUSABLE RIVER
RACE SCHEDULE
Harry Curley Memorial
July 14-15, 2001
Oscoda, Michigan
Spike’s Challenge Race
July 21-22, 2001
Grayling, Michigan
Weyerhaeuser AuSable River Canoe Marathon
July 26-29, 2001
Grayling, Michigan
2001 AUSABLE RIVER CANOE RACE SCHEDULE 2001 AUSABLE RIVER CANOE RACE SCHEDULE
The beautiful AuSable River originates in the interior of Michigan’s northern Lower Peninsula near Grayling and flows east to Oscoda where it meets Lake Huron. The river is enjoyed recreationally by fishermen, campers, and canoeists from all over the world.
The AuSable River has been the scene of events over the years, and for the past several years, three canoe races have made their mark. The first two races are warm ups for one of the granddaddies of marathon canoe racing, the Weyerhaeuser AuSable River Canoe Marathon.
The Harry Curley Memorial race is run over the final two dams of the river, Cooke and Foote Dams. This encompasses the last two and one-half hours of the AuSable Marathon race course.
The Spike’s Challenge race begins with a LeMans style start just one week before the richest Canoe race in North America and covers the first three-to-four hours of the AuSable Marathon Course.
The Weyerhaeuser AuSable River Canoe Marathon starts at 9 PM and runs the River from Grayling to Oscoda. Winners will finish approximately fourteen hours later.
2001 HARRY CURLEY MEMORIAL CANOE RACE
The Harry Curley Memorial C-2 race takes place at 9:00 AM Saturday July 14, 2001 at Cooke Dam. Expert paddlers will be racing for a $2000 purse. The race begins on top of Cooke Dam and proceeds up the pond to a buoy, then the back to the dam. Teams portage Cooke and Foote Dams and then paddle to the finish at the AuSable Inn in Oscoda, Michigan. Registration begins at 8:00 AM Saturday July 14, 2001.
Amateur class starts at 8:45 AM and Expert class starts at 9:00 AM.
Entry fee for the 2.5-hour race is $30.00.
There will be a cookout at the AuSable Inn on Saturday July 14, 2001 at noon.
The C-1 race starts on Sunday July 15, 2001 at 9:30 AM at the AuSable Inn. The race is a looped course. Entry fee is $10.00 and a $750 purse. Registration is 9:00 AM on Sunday July 15, 2001 at the AuSable Inn in Oscoda.
There will be other community events, novice races, junior and fledgling races throughout the weekend. Please call Dan Gary for more information at
989-739-9231
2001 SPIKE’S CHALLENGE CANOE RACE
Sprints to determine starting position for the Spike’s Challenge Race take place on the Grayling City Park Pond on Saturday July 21, 2001. The Spike’s Challenge C-2 Race commences at 9:00 AM on Sunday July 22, 2001 for a $3600.00 purse that pays every finisher. Advance entry fee for the three to four hour race is $40.00
A C-1 race event is also included and starts between Borcher’s and Carlisle Canoe Liveries at 6:00 PM on Saturday July 21, 2001 for a purse of $540.00. Advance entry fee for the one-hour race is $10.00
The purse for the weekend is over $4100.00.
For more information call 989-348-0148 or www.ausablecanoemarathon.org/spikes01.html
2001 54TH WEYERHAEUSER AUSABLE RIVER CANOE MARATHON
The Weyerhaeuser AuSable River Canoe Marathon is the richest canoe race in North America. The $50,000 purse will be up for grabs by expert paddlers from around the world. The racecourse runs almost the entire AuSable River, 120 miles. The contest begins with sprints for starting position held at Penrod’s Canoe Livery Thursday July 26 and Friday July 27, 2001. Paddlers sprint a looped course on the AuSable River in Grayling in front of hundreds of spectators competing for a top seat for the LeMans style start on Saturday July 28, 2001 at 9:00 PM. Canoes are officially measured and marked for the competition. On Saturday, the paddlers assemble for a briefing and the canoes are sequestered until the start of the race. The racers then line their canoes on a Grayling city street about two blocks from the river. The cannon sounds and the race begins with over fifty teams running towards the narrow river at Ray’s Canoe Livery with thousands of shouting spectators on their feet.
The first leg of the river is narrow and shallow. There are many obstacles to circumvent in the black of the night. After 51/2 hours of paddling, the first canoe reaches the first of six dams. This is the first time the paddlers get out of their canoes and run down the slippery hill to get back into the river, and the journey has only begun. The race continues for another 9 hours. Winners will finish the race in approximately fourteen hours and teams must complete the race course within 19 hours to qualify as official finishers.
For entry information, please call 989-348-4425 or visit our web site at
