(Alexandria, MN) Unless you’ve looked at google maps or some other detailed map of Douglas County, you may not know all of the connecting streams, rivers and channels that connect some of the lakes surrounding the Chain of Lakes. A few years ago Alexandria native Scott Larson and friend and owner of Faction Marine Jason Lybeck started talking about the possibility of paddling a full marathon (26.2 miles) somehow within Douglas County. Scott went to school in Montana for geology and was fascinated by the chain of lakes. Jason was involved in all kinds of water sports. The first event took paddlers from Lake Miltona through 13 lakes, all the way down to Lake Victoria. The inaugural event took place in 2015. Low water levels in 2021 caused them to re-think the path. Now all finishers end up at Arrowood Resort’s Marina. Together Jason and Scott continued to developed the event and have now expanded their scope from stand-up paddleboards to include anything with a paddle, basically. They have even renamed the event from the Big Ole SUP-a-thon to the new name, Big Ole Paddlefest. The event is really several events, of several lengths, over two days. The Big Ole PaddleFest is a charitable, adventure paddle on Alexandria’s Chain of Lakes and the Long Prairie River. On Fri., July 15th, stand up paddleboarders, kayakers & canoeists paddle scenic lake-to-lake courses of 5, 10 or 17 miles. On Sat., July 16th, the Long Prairie River Cruise is a gorgeous, family-friendly trip down a MN State Water Trail. The Big Ole PaddleFest (BOP) welcomes paddlers of all crafts, skill levels, and children 12+. The BOP donates all profits to our local United Way. Sponsors of the event include SunOpta and Explore Alexandria Tourism.
IF YOU WOULD STILL LIKE TO BE INVOLVED, register here.
The BOP kicks off at 8am on Friday, July 15th with their signature event – the 17 mi Big Ole! The 10 mi SVEN begins at 10am, and the 5 mi LENA starts at 12-NOON. Friday’s courses are well-supported by volunteers with snacks & water, and guide boats are used on larger lakes. Medals are awarded to the 3 fastest men’s and women’s paddleboarders and kayakers of each event, and all finishers of the Big Ole! The top fundraisers & volunteers are also recognized at the Post-Paddle Party at Arrowwood Marina. The Long Prairie River Cruise (LPRC) is on Saturday, July 16th. The 8 mile LPRC starts at 10am at the Hwy 29 LPR Access in Carlos and ends at the Belle River bridge.
Get much more detail on the event website, or on the event’s Facebook page.
