Serge Corbin is a Canadian professional marathon canoe racer and a native of St. Boniface, Quebec. [1]
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Serge Corbin is a Canadian professional marathon canoe racer and a native of St. Boniface, Quebec. [1]
Corbin began his canoe racing career at the age of 16. His first partner was his older brother and hero, Claude Corbin. The elder Corbin was already an accomplished paddler and the two went on to form one of the most successful partnerships in the history of canoeing. Subsequent to Claude's retirement, Serge has shared success with more than ten partners.
Corbin has essentially owned the sport of marathon canoe racing in North America by dominating its Triple Crown races from his rookie season, when he was 16, until well into his late 40s. The Triple Crown of Canoe Racing consists of North America's three most prestigious marathon canoe races: the General Clinton Canoe Regatta (70 miles over one day from Cooperstown, NY to Bainbridge, NY); The Au Sable River Canoe Marathon (120 miles non-stop overnight from Grayling, MI to Oscoda, MI); and, la Classique Internationale de Canots de la Mauricie, a three-day, three stage race from La-Tuque, QC to Trois-Rivieres, QC.
![Champions of the 2002 Triple Crown Canoe Racing, their third Triple Crown Championship in a row, [left] Jeff Kolka, 43, of Grayling, Michigan, and Serge Corbin, 45, of St-Boniface de Shawinigan, Quebec 2002 Triple Crown of Canoe Racing Champions.jpg](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/01/2002_Triple_Crown_of_Canoe_Racing_Champions.jpg/220px-2002_Triple_Crown_of_Canoe_Racing_Champions.jpg)
In the AuSable River Canoe Marathon, Serge Corbin holds the record for most individual victories, at 18. For 27 years he held the course record, at 13:58:08, set in 1994 with his partner Solomon Carriere, of Cumberland House, Saskatchewan. In 2021, Jorden Wakeley and Matt Meersman, set the new course record at 13:54:09.
Corbin has won La Classique on 25 different occasions with 10 different partners. In 2004 Serge was honored with a 4-hour tribute commemorating his 25 victories in Quebec's grueling marathon. [2]
He has been most dominant in the General Clinton, where he entered the 70 mile marathon 29 times and won the race 28 times. Corbin has only lost one 70 mile canoe race between the banks of upstate New York's often shallow Susquehanna River. [3]
Corbin has ventured outside of flatwater marathon canoe racing to participate in outrigger ocean canoe racing and swanboat racing. He was on winning teams in the prestigious Molokai Hoe race in 1985 and 1989. [4] He has also competed in international swanboat competitions. [5]
Corbin is listed as one of the "Paddlers of the Century" by Paddling Magazine. [6]
The Au Sable River in Michigan, United States runs approximately 138 miles (222 km) through the northern Lower Peninsula, through the towns of Grayling and Mio, and enters Lake Huron at the town of Oscoda. It is considered one of the best brown trout fisheries east of the Rockies and has been designated a blue ribbon trout stream by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources. A map from 1795 located in the United States Gazetteer calls it the Beauais River. In French, the river is called the Rivière au sable, literally "Sand River".
A canoe is a lightweight narrow water vessel, typically pointed at both ends and open on top, propelled by one or more seated or kneeling paddlers facing the direction of travel and using a single-bladed paddle.
Canoeing is an activity which involves paddling a canoe with a single-bladed paddle. Common meanings of the term are limited to when the canoeing is the central purpose of the activity. Broader meanings include when it is combined with other activities such as canoe camping, or where canoeing is merely a transportation method used to accomplish other activities. Most present-day canoeing is done as or as a part of a sport or recreational activity. In some parts of Europe canoeing refers to both canoeing and kayaking, with a canoe being called an open canoe.
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Canoe Kayak Canada is the governing body of competitive canoeing and kayaking disciplines in Canada. The three specific disciplines represented are flatwater, whitewater and marathon. Canoe Kayak Canada officially replaced the name "Canadian Canoe Association" in 2005, although the former title is still used by the organization. The name change came about from a desire to include the kayaking discipline in the organization's name.
The Au Sable River Canoe Marathon, presented by Consumers Energy, is an annual 120 mi (193 km) canoe race in Michigan from Grayling to Oscoda. Nicknamed and known simply as "The Marathon," it first ran in 1947, and is perhaps the oldest marathon canoe race in the United States, and is the longest, non-stop, canoe-only race in North America. The race has been billed as "The World's Toughest Spectator Race" as many of the spectators follow the racers overnight down the full 120 miles (190 km) to the finish.
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Canoe marathon is a paddling sport in which athletes paddle a kayak or canoe over a long distance to the finish line. The International Canoe Federation states the standard distances are at least 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) without an upper limit, while short distance races are between 3.4 kilometres (2.1 mi), and 10 kilometres (6.2 mi). 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.
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Andrea Moller is a Brazilian-American competitive canoeist and surfer. She competes in every outrigger race large event, from one-man (OC1) to six-man (OC6) canoes as well as SUP long distance races all year round. She is a professional Paramedic and mother, on Maui where she lives.
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