The Triple Crown of Canoe Racing recognizes the top performances by marathon canoe racers who compete at North America’s three most prestigious marathon canoe races:
- The General Clinton Canoe Regatta – staged Memorial Day on New York’s Susquehanna River – a one-day, non-stop 70 mile race from Cooperstown, home of the Baseball Hall of Fame, to Bainbridge, New York.
- The Consumers Energy AuSable River Canoe Marathon – North America’s toughest, richest non-stop canoe race, staged from Grayling to Oscoda on Northern Michigan’s famed AuSable River during the last full weekend of July.
- La Classique de Canots de la Mauricie – 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.
From its inception in 1992 the Triple Crown of Canoe Racing competition was dominated by Serge Corbin, from St. Boniface de-Shawinigan, Quebec. Corbin took the Triple Crown championship every year from 1992 to 2003, either individually or together with his partner, and has won 12 Triple Crown Championships. During his run of 12 consecutive Championships, Corbin and his partner – Saskatchewan’s Solomon Carriere – took three consecutive Triple Crown Championships (1993-1995). Corbin paired with Michigan’s Jeff Kolka to win four consecutive Triple Crown Championships (2000-2003).
Michigan’s Andy Triebold and Quebec’s Steve Lajoie broke Corbin’s amazing championship string and first took the Triple Crown Championship in 2004. Triebold and Lajoie have swept all of the Triple Crown races from 2008 through 2011. The Triebold & Lajoie duo now has 5 Triple Crown Championships; Triebold has 6 championships, either individually or together with his partner. Michigan’s Matthew Rimer has 3 Triple Crown championships to his credit (2005-07).
Marathon canoe racing on the grand scale of the Triple Crown of Canoe Racing events is an action-packed spectator favorite, with the competitors maintaining a torrid pace of 50 to 80 paddle strokes per minute and featuring pitched competition, frenzied running portages and spills, which all take their toll on the contestants. These world-class canoe racing events generate national and international media interest and exposure. Triple Crown news reports have been carried worldwide by cable and satellite TV sports and news services. National print media have recognized the unique interest and appeal of these canoe racing spectacles.
Triple Crown of Canoe Racing Social Media Links:
Triple Crown of Canoe Racing Stats
— North American Canoe Paddler Rankings (NACPR)
— Triple Crown of Canoe Racing Champions
— Most Accomplished Paddlers (Triple Crown Era Podium Finishes)
— Most Accomplished Paddlers (All-Time Podium Finishes)
— Winningest Paddlers (All-Time)
