Hundreds turned out for the 55th Annual Des Plaines River Canoe Marathon on May 20. A video produced by Morrall River Films shows lots of happy paddlers, and an appearance by the annual tradition’s founder, Ralph C. Frese, owner of Chicagoland Canoe Base in Chicago.
Frese, also known as “Mr. Canoe,” has been featured on WTTW’s Chicago Tonight several times, including this update from 2009, when Frese announced he was retiring and the business was for sale. In the video, Frese talks about his love for nature and the rivers.
Earlier:
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The marathon route for the 18.5-mile route begins in Libertyville and ends in Prospect Heights. The Des Plaines River Canoe Marathon, founded in 1958, is the second oldest continual canoe race in the U.S. Frese wrote about the history of the Des Plaines River Canoe Marathon on his website.
Frese was honored with a lifetime achievement award from the National Rivers Hall of Fame in 2010, and a north branch of the Chicago River has been named for him.
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Frese has not found a buyer for his canoe business yet, Jay Shefsky wrote on his blog in 2011. Chicagoland Canoe Base’s website states, “Business for sale. Owner retiring.”
Here’s a link to the unofficial results of this year’s canoe marathon.
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