Date and Location
Saturday, May 11th, 2024 at 9am (wind and weather dependent—may start earlier or later: check your emails and/or https://www.facebook.com/acamarathonnationals for confirmation)
Brooks Lake, Sugar Land, TX
Cost
ICF Racer entry: $65
Age Classifications
· Juniors = ages 15-17
· U-23 = ages 18-22
· Seniors = ages 23-34. Note that older athletes are allowed to compete in this class, and often do.
· Masters = ages 35-49
· Masters 50+ = ages 50+
Distance per Class for the 2024 Marathon Trials / Championship
· Seniors 23-34 men k1 – 8 laps, 7 portages (24 km / 14-miles)
· Seniors 23-34 women k1 – 7 laps, 6 portages (21 km / 13-miles)
· Seniors canoe men – 7 laps, 6 portages (21 km / 13-miles)
· Under 23 men k1 – 7 laps, 6 portages (21 km / 13-miles)
· Under 23 women k1 – 6 laps, 5 portages (18 km / 11.2-miles)
· U-23 canoe men – 6-laps, 5 portages (18 km / 11.2-miles)
· Masters 35-49 men k1 – 6 laps, 5 portages (18 km / 11.2-miles)
· Masters 35-49 women k1 – 6-laps, 5 portages (18 km / 11.2-miles)
· Masters 50+ men k1 – 6 laps, 5 portages (18 km / 11.2-miles)
· Master 50+ women k1 - 5 laps, 4 portages (15 km / 9.3 miles)
· Juniors 15-17 men kayak – 6 laps, 5 portages (18 km / 11.2-miles)
· Juniors 15-17 kayak women – 5 laps, 4 portages (15 km / 9.3-miles)
Course Information
Brooks Lake is 1.5-miles in length. Its shape resembles a boomerang, meaning wind will impact racers from all directions on each lap.
From the start, the outbound lap contours the inside bend, while the return lap contours the wider outer bend. The return/outer bend portion of the lap is slightly longer.
The lake is 9-10 feet deep for the entirety of the course.
The lake’s width is 60-meters at the start, widening to 120 meters near the center, and about 60 meters again at the outbound buoy turn.
For the first 500-meters from the start to the pedestrian bridge, the large fountains in the center of the lake serve as the dividing line for outbound and return traffic. Large marker buoys will designate the turn near the last fountain.
After passing under the pedestrian bridge adjacent to the Hyatt, outbound paddlers will gradually turn right, contouring the shore but staying to the left of the marker buoys.
The portage is a beach style dismount and remount, located approximately 1000-meters from the start. The portage is approximately 120-meters in length.
Approximately 800-meters from the pedestrian bridge, racers will traverse under the Fluor Street Bridge. This bridge is low to the water, but there is sufficient clearance for a normal paddle stroke. Still, racers in wash-riding situations should anticipate a lowered paddle trajectory under the bridge to avoid collisions with other boats and/or paddles.
The outbound buoy turn is about 400-meters past the Fluor Bridge, just before the lake begins to narrow toward Oyster Creek.
On the return following the buoy turn, paddlers should remain between the yellow marker buoys and the shore, which are placed approximately 100-meters apart all the way from the turn back to the pedestrian bridge.
Once past the pedestrian bridge, racers may paddle under the fountains to cool off, but must stay on their side of the fountain, and must not obstruct fellow racers.
After the final buoy turn at the fountains, racers will continue back to the finish line, marked by two large red buoys near the portage.