Area brothers make history at Canoe Marathon

By Anthony Collins

LPR Editor                             

The 2025 Consumers Energy AuSable River Canoe Marathon, one of the most grueling paddling events in the world, launched into action on July 26 at 9 p.m., sending elite canoe teams from around the globe on a 120-mile, overnight, non-stop journey from Grayling to Oscoda.

     The race, first held in 1947, begins with the signature LeMans-style start, a chaotic foot sprint in which paddlers dash to their canoes before pushing off into the darkness. Competitors must battle swift currents, multiple portages, pitch-black night paddling, and the mental and physical strain of racing without rest.

Among this year’s field was the youngest team of the 2025 race: brothers William and Matthew Orr, high school students from near Kingsbury, Texas. William 16, a sophomore, and Matthew 15, a freshman, defied expectations with a powerful late-race push, overtaking nine boats in the final seven miles to secure an impressive finish.

     The Orr brothers placed second in the youth category (for paddlers under 20 years old) and second among all rookie teams, an especially notable achievement in a field stacked with veteran racers. They also became only the second youth team from Texas in the history of the AuSable Marathon, following the first in the early 1970s.

    Though new to the AuSable, the brothers are no strangers to extreme endurance paddling. Both have completed the 260-mile Texas Water Safari, dubbed the “World’s Toughest Canoe Race.” William placed ninth overall in 2022 and fourth in 2024, while Matthew finished 18th overall this past June. Their racing résumés also include the Texas River Marathon, MAC 1, MAC 2, and the Buffalo Bayou Regatta.

     For the Orrs, the AuSable wasn’t just another race, it was a chance to measure themselves against some of the world’s best paddlers on unfamiliar waters. And with their historic performance, they’ve made it clear they belong among them.