Board postpones Texas Water Safari, cancels two other races

The Texas Water Safari Board released a statement on Wednesday announcing the postponement of the Texas Water Safari and the cancellation of both the River Marathon and Junior Texas Water Safari due to concerns surrounding the novel coronavirus (COVID-19).

The Texas Water Safari, dubbed “The World’s Toughest Canoe Race,” begins at the Meadows Center in San Marcos and spans 260 miles to Seadrift. The race was rescheduled from June 13-17 to Sept. 12-16, with the check-in date being moved to Sept. 11.

The River Marathon, also known as “The Prelim” race, covers the fastest 35 miles of the San Marcos river. The race has historically been used to determine starting positions for the Texas Water Safari and was scheduled to be held on May 2 but will no longer take place.

The Junior Texas Water Safari, which runs through the first 16 miles of the river, normally takes place in September but was also canceled due to the pandemic.

The board stated that full refunds would be issued for racers pre-registered for the River Marathon and that racers who pre-registered for the Texas Water Safari could request refunds by emailing texaswatersafari@yahoo.com if the new timeframe does not suit them. The registration fee of $175 will remain the same for those who still wish to register for the race.

“We know this will not work for all, but the TWS board felt this was the best solution for a fluid situation that changes daily.  This will hopefully allow for the pandemic to play out and allow for a great race this September,” the board said in the statement. “Details are still being ironed out on registration deadlines, how we will determine starting positions, etc.  Once these details are finalized, we will post them on our website and Facebook page.

“This was not an easy decision because we know how important the race is to all, but we felt this is the best solution to help ensure racer’s safety, allow more time to train and for the Coronavirus to run its course.”