The specific Red River 100 rules outlined on this page apply to day one of the event. In addition, all Red River 100 participants are required to follow the Red River Paddle Challenge specific rules for day two of the event as there are some differences in logistics, cutoff times, etc.
Race Format and Ranking
The Red River 100 (RR100) is a two-day staged race where participants paddle from Ste Agathe to St Vital Park in Winnipeg on day one (~56km) and then on day two participants join in with the Red River Paddle Challenge participants and paddle to Lockport (~44km). The total distance is approximately 100km.
Participants are ranked within the Red River 100 (combined time from both days) and also the Red River Paddle Challenge, so essentially competing in two races over the weekend.
As a stage race, racers must start and complete each stage in the allotted time to move on to the next. Overall classification or ranking is done by adding times for each stage of the race. The participant(s) with the lowest cumulative time to complete both stages is declared the overall winner of their respective class/category.
The stage winner is the first paddler(s) to cross the finish line that day with the lowest time on the course. The overall winner of the stage race is the paddler(s) who takes the lowest aggregate time to complete both stages. Accordingly, a paddler(s) does not have to win both or any of the individual stages to win overall.
All paddlers who finish both stages will receive a RR100 finisher medal upon completion of the race. Top three finishers in each class/category with more than five participants/teams will receive prizes or recognition at the awards ceremony on day two of the event. All participants are eligible to win prizes from our event sponsors. In addition, Red River 100 participants are also eligible to win prizes/recognition if they finish within the top 3 in their class/category for the Red River Paddle Challenge.
Personal Safety
All paddlers must wear personal flotation devices (PFDs) while on the water for the entire duration of the event. See our mandatory gear list below for more information on PFD requirements.
All participants will be issued a safety card with contact information for event organizers. Participants must contact organizers if they depart the event, stop racing for more than 30 minutes or if they face situations that may impact all participant’s safety. Participants should call 911 in the case of a life or death situation; call or text organizers in any other situation.
Racing Categories
All participants choose to paddle the entire distance either solo or tandem using the human-powered boat type of their choice. Categories are ranked by boat type as well as men’s solo, women’s solo, and mixed tandem.
The original paddle craft must be paddled/rowed from start to finish. Participants cannot switch boats unless their boat is damaged and unable to be paddled. In the event this happens the participants will still be eligible to complete the event and be considered finishers but will not be eligible to win a divisional or overall award.
Registration
Pre-registration is required. Registration closes at the end of the day on September 12, 2025. You will not be able to register the week of the race. Registration is done online through Webscorer.
All participants must complete race waivers before being allowed to take part in the event. NO ONE races without a waiver. If a waiver has not been completed in advance, volunteers will facilitate this for all participants as they arrive.
Race Day Check-In
All participants are responsible to check-in on Saturday, September 20, at the Ste. Agathe Boat Launch.
Check-in begins at 7:00 a.m. and closes at 8:00 a.m.
All boats must be staged (see below) by 8:15 a.m. so please allow plenty of time.
When you arrive at the Ste Agathe boat launch area, please proceed to the registration tent. If there’s a lineup of cars when you arrive, please be courteous and allow vehicles that are towing motorboats access to the boat launch. Vehicles can also be parked on Pembina Trail if the boat launch loop is busy.
Our volunteers at the registration tent (see map) will need your name as well as your partners if applicable. Each participant will receive a swag bag containing their racer bib, safety card, RR100 t-shirt, as well as some other goodies from our event sponsors.
Boat Staging
Once you and partner have received your racer packages, carry your boat and your gear to the Boat Staging Area (see map above). Here you will stage your boat and all of your paddling gear that you will be bringing with you for the day. If you’re unsure where to go, ask a volunteer. They will direct you to the appropriate staging spot for your boat.
Once you have your boat and gear setup, a race official will check to confirm that you are in possession of the mandatory equipment (see list below). Please have these items organized and ready to show race officials. If you do not display these items, you will not be permitted to participate in the race.
Once your boat and gear have been approved, a specialized strip of tape will be placed on your boat to indicate that your boat has been inspected. You may now leave the boat staging area. This is a good time to move your vehicle from the boat launch area. If you‘re planning to leave a vehicle parked in Ste. Agathe for the day, parking is available along Pembina Trail (watch for no parking zones).
Note: For those dropping off a vehicle at the St Vital Park boat launch the morning of the race, be sure to plan your timing accordingly as the approximate travel time to the starting area in Ste. Agathe is 30-40 minutes. Shuttle service is available for both days for a fee. Read more about Day 1 shuttle details; Day 2 shuttle uses the same RRPC shuttle service.
Mandatory Pre-Race Meeting
All participants are required to attend a pre-race meeting on Saturday morning at 8:20 a.m. at the Ste. Agathe boat launch. Immediately following the pre-race meeting participants can launch their boats and wait on the water for the race to begin.
Day 1 Start
All participants will begin at the sound of the air horn at 9:00 a.m. SHARP. Participants who do not get under way by 9:30 a.m. are disqualified from the Red River 100. The start time for rowing boats will begin one hour later at 10:00 a.m.
Day 1 Finish
The St Vital Park boat launch is the official finish line for day 1 of the RR100. Participants will continue paddling past the boat launch for approximately 1.25km where they will then turn clockwise around a large buoy located near the Crescent Drive Dock. After completing the buoy turn, participants will continue paddling upstream back to the finish line at the St Vital Park boat launch.
The boat dock will serve as the marker for the finish line that racers will cross. Finishing times will be recorded by official event timers as participants cross the finish line. Racers will immediately exit the river via the boat launch.
Please refer to the official course maps to view the official course route.
Day 2 Start and Finish
The Red River 100 rules and procedures for day 2 are the exact same as the Red River Paddle Challenge. Racers are required to check in and register the morning on day 2 of the event. Please refer to the RRPC Rules page for complete day 2 details.
Stoppage en Route
All racers must text or call Red River 100 staff any time they take a break that is planned to last for 30 minutes or longer so that we can alert safety boats on the route. Racers who take a break that ends up going longer than 30 minutes should text organizers to let them know and provide them with your approximate location and what your next steps will be. Please keep in mind that this is a race with specific cutoff times that must be met at the checkpoints.
Mandatory Equipment
The following list of items are mandatory for all participants. All paddlers/teams must carry these items with them for the entire duration of the event. RRPC officials will be checking to ensure all paddlers have all the mandatory equipment during final boat staging the morning of the race.
- One Transport Canada approved Personal Flotation Device (PFD) per paddler*
- One whistle per boat
- One buoyant heaving line at least 15 m per boat (not required for stand up paddleboards (SUPs) or surfskis)
- One Bailer or manual bilge pump per boat (not required for SUPs)
- Board leashes for SUPs (must be worn at all times during the race)
- Cellular telephone in a waterproof container
- Cellular phone must have RaceOwlRacer app on it (or paddlers must use an inReach or Spot device connected to RaceOwlRacer); please see the RaceOwl section on our website for further details and instructions. Only one paddler per boat needs to be tracking with RaceOwlRacer.
- Copy of the safety card with organizers’ phone numbers (provided to you at check-in)
- Two liters of water per person
*ALL racers must wear their personal flotation device (PFD) while on the water for the entire duration of the event. No exceptions! Failure to do so will result in disqualification and a ban from future Red River Paddle Challenge events.
Recommended Equipment
- Two-way communication device and/or GPS device
- Spare paddle
- Extra clothing in a waterproof bag
- Rain jacket and pants
- Food, energy gels and other sustenance
- First-aid kit
Checkpoints
The Red River 100 has fewer checkpoints compared to the Red River Paddle Challenge (day 2) and they are spread further apart. It is intended that racers are more prepared and self-sufficient for day one of this event.
There are two checkpoints during day 1 of the RR100 (refer to race map for locations):
Due to the remoteness of these checkpoints, both locations do not have dock access. Care should be taken if exiting your boat as the shoreline is muddy, rocky, and steep.
Racers are required to check in at each checkpoint. As each racer approaches the checkpoint, they must shout out their bib number. Once the volunteer confirms the bib number and shouts it back to the racer, the racer(s) may continue on the route. It is the responsibility of the racer, not the volunteer, to ensure check in. Failure to check in at any checkpoint will result in penalty or disqualification.
Racers are welcome to stop at any checkpoint. Bottled water and snacks will be available for racers. Support teams can meet their teams as well, but they cannot assist racers in entering or exiting a checkpoint, i.e., they cannot pull the boat ashore or push it back into the water.
Day 2 of the RR100 uses the same checkpoints as the Red River Paddle Challenge.
Cutoff Times
Racers must reach each checkpoint in a reasonable amount of time. Any paddler who arrives after the cutoff time will not be allowed to proceed to the next checkpoint. Cutoff times are determined by the race clock and will be adjusted accordingly if the race start is delayed. Assuming a 9:00 a.m. race start, checkpoint cutoff times are as follows:
- Checkpoint 1 St. Adolphe Bridge – 12:30 p.m. (3.5 hours from start time ~17.75km)
- Checkpoint 2 Duff Roblin Provincial Park – 3:30 p.m. (6.5 hours from start time ~35km)
If you are concerned about not making a cutoff time at any checkpoint, please have your own transportation organized in advance. Shuttles will not be provided from any checkpoints.
Day 1 overall course cutoff – Each racer has until 7:00 p.m. (10 hours from the official race start time ~56km) to complete the course and arrive at the St Vital Park boat launch.
Our volunteers have full authority to revoke the option to continue paddling past the cutoff times for both checkpoints and the overall course, and insist that a racer exit the race if they deem the racer unfit to continue. This may be due to extreme fatigue, poor nutrition, injury, etc. If the racer does not appear coherent, appears confused, losing coordination/motor skills etc., our team has the authority to insist the racer stop paddling. Please accept this with grace. These cutoff times are for your safety.
Cutoff times for day 2 of the RR100 are the same as the Red River Paddle Challenge.
Hazards on the River
The Red River is often considered a flat water river. However, depending on the time of year and the amount of recent precipitation, the water levels and characteristics of the river can change. This can result in sections where the current increases and even small rapids appearing.
Red River Floodway Gates
The Red River Floodway control gates control the amount of water that’s allowed to enter the city of Winnipeg by diverting excess water into the Red River Floodway. In September when the RR100 takes place, the Red River levels are low enough that the gates are lowered and the Floodway is not in use. In fact, the Red River Floodway has been used once in the fall time since its completion in 1968. Now having said that, in the extremely rare event that fall flooding occurs resulting in the floodway gates being raised, the RR100 course may need to be altered, including the addition of a portage if deemed safe, or even cancelled.
To navigate the floodway gates, center your boat in either the left or right channel while keeping a good distance from the bridge piles and side walls. As you pass the bridge the current might pick up. If you are paddling with other teams, go through one at a time, allowing plenty of space between teams so everyone has room to maneuver.
Checkpoint 2 is located approximately 800m past the floodway gates on the left (west) side of the river.
Support Teams
Each participant is allowed unlimited race support at the checkpoints and other public-access sites on the river to exchange food, beverages and trash. Replacement paddlers or boats are forbidden. Racers may self-support using any checkpoint.
Support crews may not, in any way, assist with propulsion of the boat. They may only touch the boat when the boat is in contact with the shore and the racer has entered the checkpoint. Physical contact with support can only occur when the boat is grounded. No contact on the water is allowed. No support provided from a support boat is allowed. The organizers of the race will not provide any outside support during the race other than emergency medical assistance.
Transportation and Parking
Each participant must supply their own transportation to the start and pick up from the finish. We encourage connecting with other paddlers to work out carpools and shuttles. Shuttle service is available for day one of the Red River 100 and also for day two during the Red River Paddle Challenge for a fee when registering for the race. More details will be posted soon on shuttle procedures for Day 1 of the RR100. Day 2 shuttle uses the same RRPC shuttle service.
If you‘re planning to leave a vehicle parked in Ste. Agathe for the day, parking is available along Pembina Trail. If you are planning to leave a vehicle parked at St Vital Park for the day, parking is available throughout the park along the sides of roads (watch for no parking zones) and in the parking lots.
Overnight Accommodations
Overnight accommodations are the responsibility of the participants. Day one of the Red River 100 ends in the city of Winnipeg where there are plenty of nearby hotels. Camping is also available for participants at the Cheyenne Park Campground in Ste. Agathe.
Age Restrictions
Participants must be at least 16 years of age to participate in the Red River 100. Participants under 18 years of age must have their parent or legal guardian sign a waiver form.
Drafting
Drafting is defined as paddling in the wave of another participant, either behind or alongside the backwash of a paddler, closer than 2 boat/board lengths for longer than 10 seconds. You may only draft (follow closely) participants that are in your class. Here are some examples:
- Solo paddlers can only draft other solo paddlers. For example, a solo kayak can draft another solo kayak or even a solo SUP. A solo SUP can draft another solo SUP or kayak. Solo paddlers cannot draft tandem boats, such as canoes and kayaks, or larger boats such as dragon boats or voyageur canoes.
- Tandem teams can only draft other tandem teams. For example, a tandem canoe can draft another tandem canoe or tandem kayak. Tandem teams cannot draft solo boats, or larger boats such as dragon boats or voyageur canoes.
Drafting is allowed between women and men and vice-versa. Drafting a motor boat or any other vessel that is not part of the Red River 100 is prohibited for all paddlers. It is each paddler’s responsibility to ensure that they are drafting within their class. Time penalties for drafting out of class will be determined at the discretion of the race officials. Participants may be disqualified for an extended breach of the drafting rule as determined by the race officials.
Did Not Finish (DNF)
Racers may choose to stop at any point on the river and exit the event, but they are required to contact race officials when this occurs. Racers should text or call race officials if they are exiting. Paddlers who fail to notify race authorities after choosing to exit the race will be banned from future Red River Paddle Challenge events. Paddlers are required to arrange their own pickup/transport if stopping and exiting the event at any point along the course.
Paddlers in Distress
Any paddler witnessing another paddler in obvious distress is compelled to render all assistance possible until the situation is resolved, a safety boat arrives, or you are relieved by another team that can help. If you are unable to assist, phone or send a text message to the race officials, or phone 911. Failure to offer assistance in an emergency situation will result in a lifetime ban from future Red River Paddle Challenge events for all team members.
Sportsmanship
The Red River Paddle Challenge will not tolerate unsportsmanlike conduct on the course. Disqualification may be the result, to be determined by race officials.
Drugs and Alcohol Consumption
No participant is allowed to consume alcohol or drugs (including cannabis) during the race. Any participant suspected of consuming alcohol or drugs is subject to disqualification and being banned from any future Red River Paddle Challenge events.
Leave No Trace
Racers who discard anything into the river, or who fail to maintain gear accountability, are subject to time penalty or possible disqualification as determined by race officials. Please respect our waterways.
Aquatic Invasive Species
Aquatic invasive species (AIS), such as zebra mussels, are known to occur in the Red River and its tributaries. As such the Red River is designated as part of the Central AIS Control Zone. To prevent the spread of AIS, provincial legislation and regulations require water users (including RR100 participants) to follow the general cleaning provisions (clean, drain, dry) in addition to decontaminating, to ensure AIS are killed and removed before watercraft (e.g., canoes, kayaks, SUPs) and water-related equipment (e.g., paddles, PFDs, ropes ) are placed in a different water body or control zone. For more details, please refer to our Aquatic Invasive Species page.
Revisions to Rules
The organizers of this event reserve the right to revise any prior rules or regulations as a result of a conflict, hazard or unforeseen incident.