76th
Consumers Energy AuSable River Canoe Marathon
Spectator Guide
The Races
Sponsored By Grayling Insurance • Published By The Crawford County Avalanche • July, 2024
By Ryan Matthews This July, North America’s best paddlers will face-off on the AuSable River for their share of $55,000 in cash and prizes! The 76th running of the Consumers Energy AuSable River Canoe Marathon is shaping up to be one of the greatest in its storied history, as over 200 paddlers from 20 U.S. States and four Canadian Provinces will take to the water at 9 p.m. on July 27th. Thirteen-time champion Steve Lajoie will not be returning this year, leaving the door open for at least one new winning paddler. Wesley Dean,
Within The Race the other half of last year’s winning team, is racing in canoe #02 with 2016 Champion Ryan Halstead. They are one of the favorites to win and could become only the second All-Michigan team to win the Marathon since 1986. Among the other challengers for the top spot will be Mike Davis of Michigan and 2022
Champion Guillaume Blais of Quebec in canoe #55. Davis and Guillaume finished third last year after making a record-breaking late surge between Five Channels Dam and Oscoda. (see page seven)
Table of Contents
A near-record number of Mixed teams will be competing in the 76th Annual Consumers Energy AuSable River Canoe Marathon. Defending champions Eve Chamberland of Quebec and Michael Schlimmer of New York, pictured last year at Cooke Pond, are back to try to become only the sixth Mixed team in the race’s history to win back-to-back titles. They are among the many teams competing in a “race within the race.” (Photo provided by Consumers Energy)
Paddling Team Profiles (Received Through July 10)....................................2-6 AuSable Marathon Scholarship Winners.............................................................8 Then and Now: The Evolution of the Marathon..............................................8-9 AuSable River Canoe Marathon Course Map/Road Closures...............10-11 Improvements to Modernize Our Dams.........................................................10-11 AuSable River Festival Schedule Of Events...................................................... 12 2024 AuSable River Canoe Marathon Radio Network..................................13 Marathon Hall of Fame 2024 Inductees..............................................................14 AuSable River Canoe Marathon Prizes...............................................................16 AuSable River Challenge (ARC) 120/Division Bonuses................................ 17 Thank You Marathon Sponsors.......................................................................18-19 Da$h For Ca$h/C-1 Express/Special Olympics..............................................20
‘Au Sable’ wins Emmy Consumers Energy received one of television’s highest honors when its docuseries “Au Sable” won the 2024 Emmy for Outstanding Sports Documentary at the Michigan chapter’s annual awards presentation June 15. The three-part series, which aired on YouTube and local public access stations, highlighted the history of the AuSable River Canoe Marathon and the meaning it holds for the community. Consumers Energy has long been a primary sponsor of the event, and the docuseries was filmed and edited by two Consumers Energy coworkers – Justin Garant and Darren Clevenger-Grimsley – and hosted by famed sportscaster George Blaha. The docuseries beat out pieces from Bally Sports and the Detroit Lions to take home the trophy. “There are few opportunities for us to support an event that touches as many aspects of the community as the AuSable River Canoe Marathon,” said Angela Thompkins, chief diversity officer and vice president of community affairs for Consumers Energy. “Not only does it provide us an opportunity CELEBRATING AN EMMY Justin Garant (left) and Darren ClevengerGrimsley pose with the 2024 Emmy for Outstanding Sports Documentary. The pair filmed and edited the docuseries and were part of the team that made it possible.
to showcase Michigan’s beauty on an international stage, but it consistently provides an incredible economic boost for the region and brings people from all backgrounds together. We are incredibly proud of the work Darren, Justin and the entire docuseries team from Consumers Energy and the AuSable River Canoe Marathon did to highlight how important this race is to Michigan, and grateful for the recognition of that work.” Members of the Consumers Energy and AuSable River Canoe Marathon who made the docuseries possible include Justin Garant, Darren Clevenger-Grimsley, Brian Preuss, Tom Lambert and Rich Castle of Consumers Energy and Phil Weiler, Steve Southard, Kate Reitz, Kathy Erickson and Ryan Matthews of the AuSable River Canoe Marathon. The AuSable River Canoe Marathon has been a staple of the northern Michigan community for 76 years. The 120-mile non-stop overnight canoe race hosted the last weekend in July starts Saturday night in Grayling, with two-person teams making a LeMans-style run to the river with their canoes, and ends 14 to 19 hours later in Oscoda on Sunday. The Marathon is the middle leg of marathon canoe racing’s prestigious Triple Crown, and brings thousands of fans and competitors to the state each year. “The positive feedback from our fans (see page eight)