Campus to Coast 2014

Campus to Coast is a paddle sport adventure race put on by the Michigan State University Outdoors Club. The race starts on MSU’s campus at the Rock, following the Red Cedar River into the Grand River and out through Grand Haven, finishing at Grand Haven State Park. The race is approximately 160 miles, with estimations of the fastest times being anywhere from 36-40 hours and 57 hours being the cut-off time.

 Ben Algera - makes it a family affair as Emily and the chitlands follow his progress; Ben is paddling a Kruger Sea Wind standard hull

 

Racers are organized into 3 major divisions with 6 different prices, the major division being as followed:

• Collegiate: Any team composed of members all of who are studying at a secondary education school, including but not limited to colleges, universities, trade schools, and technical institutes.
• Open Expedition Style: A team composed of members who will carry all their gear and food, and will obtain no outside assistance.
• Open River Runner Style: A team who is only required to carry the required gear, and will have a support team following along the river. However, the support team may in no way assist in the forward progress of the paddle team.

Risks are many with non-stop adventure races; emotional physical and environmental challenges test participants to take their journey far beyond initial expectations; encouragement from others push challengers to succeed.

 Mark and Lauren doing what they do; not exactly sure where these photos were taken, but they sure look comfy. Wisconsin weather is rivaled only by Michigan; we share a lot of the same weather; pictures indicate balmy weather early on and a turn for the wicked as the event progressed.

Team Kruger tears it up in the open expedition style; looks like many records fell as the bar has been raised to new heights.  I do not have the official times, but top finishers smashed the holly grille (yes holly grille, it's summer in Wisconsin) of 40 hours.

Sandy Kruger - open expedition passing the humble abode of Sir Woodruff; paddling a Kruger Sea Wind standard hull version.

Mike Smith - open expedition passing the humble abode of Sir Woodruff; paddling a Kruger Sea Wind standard hull version.

Photos and information was pirated from the web; I leave you with this; Drinking Rum and pilfering photos before 10am does not make you a drunken thief; it makes you a pirate!! arrrr...