09/29/2026
2026 Fastest Known Paddle Update from Scott Miller
16 new Fastest Known Paddles were set in 2026. 10 of these were brand new, never before established routes/times, while six of them broke an existing record on a pre-established route.
The website now has a total of 55 FKPs on 45 routes in 27 states/provinces.
The 2026 Records:
1) Missouri River: Scott Duffus, Curt Leitz, Lada Zednik and I set the Missouri River overall FKP that had just been broken 9 days prior, after having stood for 46 years (see item #2!). This is the longest route on the site at 2,341 miles.
2) Missouri River: Incredibly, Peter Larson broke the solo FKP record but was so fast he actually held the overall record for 9 days as well!
3) Mississippi River: Ilia Smirnov set the 2,340 mile solo FKP
4 and 5) Manesboro and Amelia Islands: Brett Young set two FKP’s circumnavigating these coastal islands in North Carolina and Florida
6) Kansas River: Darin Brunin broke the 173-mile record by over 12 hours
7) Willamette River: Chelsea Magness & Daniel Staudigel set the first FKP in a state bordering the Pacific Ocean when they paddled this 150 mile route in Oregon
8) East Nishnibotna River: Trevor Boyer took advantage of high water for a bomb run down this 106 mile route in Iowa
9) Connecticut River: Sisters Shannon & Katie Nardi (pictured) set an FKP on this 367-mile route in NH/VT/MA/CT
10) LaMine River: Matt Britt flew down this 60-mile route in Missouri
11) St. Croix River: Jonathan Thompson and Jhett Marchel did this 30 mile route MN/WI
12 and 13) Spring Creek and the Little Platte River: Two teams set FKP’s on short river/creeks with unique challenges: dealing with shallow water and lots of deadfalls. Scott Allen and Kirk Dresen did the 13-mile Spring Creek route in Wisconsin, and Jacob DeLeon & Tyler Eseban went 16 miles on the Little Platte River in Missouri.
14) Nemadji River: Joe Gerard had a wild ride on the beautiful, remote 54-mile Nemadji River in MN/WI
15) Kickapoo River: Isaac Verde had an epic adventure on the 114-mile Kickapoo River in WI.
16) Pool One, Mississippi River: I bested the time laid down by my good friend Frank Bures on Pool One of the Mississippi River here in MN.
Numerous “failed” attempts. We had nearly a dozen people attempt FKP’s this year and fail to make it the whole way. But I put “failed” in quotes because they all made smart decisions to be safe, learned a whole bunch and had a great time. Setting an FKP is really just an excuse to get out on the water and have a great adventure–so in actuality all of these people succeeded beautifully.
For more details and pictures and trip reports, check out the website
