Race to Alaska is fully on

After a forced layover in Victoria, BC following ‘The Proving Ground’ stage from Port Townsend, WA, 65 teams are officially in the fight to Ketchikan, AK. The The 9th edition of the Race to Alaska (R2AK) is fully on.

The start on June 17 was a delightfully congested exit from Victoria Harbour. Bells ringing, spectators yelling, adorable miniature water taxis idling nearby. However, waiting outside the breakwater was a continued “not much.”

Wind existed, don’t get us wrong, but of a kind that requires squinting at barely-there ripples and convincing yourself it’s a puff. Most of the movement came from a fair flood current that dragged teams along the southern shore of Greater Victoria.

Our human-powered fleet took this as an opportunity to remind everyone that canvas is mostly decorative when there are three knots of wind, staying ahead of almost everybody for the first several hours while the sailing teams tried to remember their ASA 101 lessons. The opening day belonged largely to the paddlers.

That said, it took the Northbound Nutters, on their big yellow Farrier F-32SR three full hours to finally overtake the leading kayaks of Team Rainy and Team Let’s Wing It. The Nutters, who currently occupy the position of Team Everybody Thinks Is Going To Win, did it by choosing the wider, more open route up Haro Strait, and also by being in a way way bigger, much faster boat, with a lot more sails than your typical kayak.

Before anyone starts engraving trophies, polishing cash-nails, or finding an ATM in Ketchikan that will deliver $10k, we’ve done this enough times to know that the Nutters are clever enough to keep a few unexpected ways to lose spectacularly tucked up their sleeves. Don’t let them fool you.

Elsewhere, only a handful of teams took a similar dig to the east. South of Pender Island, Teams Casuals and Agile Racing were the only two we spotted threading through John’s Pass before turning north. Will it pay off? Better hit refresh a few more times this afternoon to find out.

For R2AK so far, the breeze had displayed all the aggression of a sleepy golden retriever. The Proving Ground was disappointingly polite while the second stage only somewhat more engaged.

Sometime on the first night, the Wind Switch Flipped as the next morning arrived with 12–20+ knots blowing directly into the fleet’s teeth. Not a gentle suggestion or a polite nudge, but a reminder that every mile north will cost ya. When we first opened the tracker this morning, it looked like somebody had dropped a plate of spaghetti across the Strait of Georgia.

While the Nutters had stretched their lead all the way to Lasqueti Island, at the other end of the fleet, Team Moana MoProblems found herself temporarily beached near Sidney Island dealing with the eponymous mo’problems that remain a mystery to us—though we’re guessing it feels considerably less mysterious to her.

The race had also begun collecting its first receipts. Triple Threat spent some quality time anchored on the west side of Waldron Island for reasons known only to them and the local bottom growth. Team Fly Girls spent much of the night wrestling with the strengthening wind before finally calling it around 5:00 AM and getting some rest.

If this morning’s tracker looked like spaghetti, some teams soon appeared really committed to the artistic possibilities of nonsensical route-taking. Team Agile Racing drew some lovely squiggles east of Saturna Island. She’s Just a ‘Lil Scurvy swung their way practically to Point Roberts before tucking into Active Pass in a kind of weird way.

Team Tips Up, meanwhile, produced what may be our favorite tracker artwork so far: After a trip through Active Pass that may have included some anchoring, and maybe story-time and a nap, they crossed nearly to Vancouver, tacked back through Porlier Pass into Trincomali Channel, then promptly headed back out through Gabriola Passage.

The end result was a giant sideways “M” before another run toward the mainland and, hopefully, around the active Whiskey Golf torpedo testing zone. We remain optimistic that when teams begin dropping from the race over the next day or two, torpedo strikes will not be among the listed reasons.

At least one whale encounter was logged within four feet of a race boat, which generated more than zero social media complaints that racers were too close to the whale. Based on the available evidence, the whale may have had different ideas about who was chasing whom.

As of this writing, all 65 teams remain in the game. If someone starts a Polymarket on the outcome of R2AK, we’d advise caution. While there is currently a clear leading team, this race has a long history of paying out heavily on “you’ve got to be kidding me.”

Event information – Tracker – 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