iStockphoto / gguy44/Julius Kliucinskas
The 2025 Texas Water Safari aka the ‘World’s Toughest Canoe Race’ took place this weekend. It is a 260-mile paddle race from San Marcos, Texas in the heart of the Lone Star State all the way down to Seadrift on the Gulf Coast of Texas.
One aspect of the Texas Water Safari that I really love is how only bragging rights go to the winner. There’s no grand crash prize, no key to the city, there is simply the bragging rights that come along with being the fastest crew to paddle 260-miles down rivers from the middle of Texas to the Gulf Coast down the San Marcos River across rapids, past alligators, and more.
Google Maps / Texas Water Safari
This year was a little different with the competition being cut off slightly short due to biblical thunderstorms. Instead of paddling all the way to the Seadrift checkpoint, the race finished at the Swinging Bridge checkpoint #9. So the 62nd Annual Texas Water Safari was unique in that respect.
For those unfamiliar with the world’s toughest canoe race, the start is utter mayhem. Exiting Spring Lake, canoes/teams are crashing into each other left and right while navigating the narrows:
You can clearly see that this isn’t a leisurely paddle either. These teams are booking it to the finish line. The bragging rights just mean more in the great state of Texas:
@ironcamtraining Moments from Day 1 of the #texaswatersafari #canoerace #boatrace #aluminum #riverrace #river #canoe #aluminumcanoe #tws2025 #paddling
The overall winning team this year was Boat #13 with paddlers Shannon Issendorf, William Russell, Chris Issendorf, Kaitlyn Mynar, Kyle Mynar, and Dodd Yeager and TCs Kate Tart and Nate Tart. They crossed this year’s finish line at just past 11:22 PM on Saturday night.
Boat #13 had a ton of experience coming into the 2025 Texas Water Safari. It was Kyle Mynar’s 15th year participating, the 12th for William Russell, and 7th for Chris Issendorf and Kaitlyn Mynar.
Experience is key in the world’s toughest canoe race. It requires a combination of navigational skills, survival skills, being able to adapt and think on the fly, as well as the obvious necessity of possessing incredible endurance and physical strength. Congratulations to this year’s winners and all of the competitors!