With “The World’s Toughest Canoe Race” canceled in 2020, Mollie Binion and Holly Orr sought out “The World’s Longest” instead.
Both are longtime paddlers and veterans of the Texas Water Safari — an annual boating competition that spans 260 miles from San Marcos to Seadrift. Binion, a local real estate agent, has logged seven Safari finishes. Orr, the owner of canoe and kayak tour agency Paddle With Style, has completed 13.
In 2014, Orr set a new record in the Women's United States Canoe Association (USCA) C1 category with a time of 57 hours and 49 minutes. The event’s website described the USCA C1 class as “without a doubt, the hardest type of craft in which to finish a Safari” as the race is run solo with a single blade paddle in a small, rudderless boat.
