Race to Alaska underway

The 2026 Race to Alaska started on June 14 under suspiciously cooperative skies. Warm. Calm. A formal sendoff from a plane overhead. The vessels slipping out of Port Townsend into water so flat it was almost an insult. This is the Proving Grounds. Victoria, BC in 36 hours or go home. The inside passage doesn’t care how nice it looks right now. – Full report

Event information – Entry list – Facebook

The 9th edition of the Race to Alaska (R2AK) in 2026 once again takes the ill-advised 750 mile course from Port Townsend, WA to Ketchikan, AK. No handicap… race what you bring. First place gets $10,000, cash. Second place gets a set of steak knives. Everyone else gets to find out what they’re made of.

Stage 1: The Proving Ground – June 14 start
Port Townsend, WA to Victoria, BC (40 miles)

R2AK starts with an initial jaunt across open water, two sets of shipping lanes, and an international border. While not a race in itself, the Proving Ground is designed as a qualifier for the full race and as a stand-alone 40 mile sprint for people who just want to put their toe in.

Stage 2: To the Bitter End – June 17 start
Victoria, BC to Ketchikan, AK (710 miles)

Racers start in Victoria at high noon and continue until they reach Ketchikan—or are tapped out by the sweep boat. Unlike the 2022 and 2023 races, the western side of Vancouver Island is no longer an option as the course has returned to the original format with two waypoints at Seymour Narrows and Bella Bella.

Source: R2AK