Team Let’s Wing It

Team members: Martin Rother
Hometown: North Vancouver, BC, Canada
Race vessel: Rockpool Taran18 Kayak
LOA: 18′
Human propulsion: Paddle
Connect: instagram

Martin got COVID last time. Along with a non-zero portion of the R2AK Media Team. And so for him (and us), we’re recommending a two-week quarantine pre-race to both prevent infection, but also to focus up: 750 miles in a kayak for R2AK means at least 35 miles a day, EVERY day, and that’s just to keep barely out of scythe-reach of the Grim Sweeper.

Of the handful of kayaks to have finished R2AK in the past, it was improbable that he’s the one who aimed at it twice and missed twice. He’s been building toward this for decades, starting on German rivers in the ‘80s before moving to Canada, where kayaking became his life—guiding, teaching, racing, and now stretching into long-distance suffering. He won the Yukon River Quest in 2015, which is the sort of credential that sounds cool, but Martin knows this is something else. The Yukon is hard. This is … harder.

A last-minute family emergency canceled his 2023 attempt. 2024 was the year that he didn’t have the right antibodies to fend off that one disease we’ve all heard of.  This year, he’s eyeing a loose partnership on the water – shared campsites, shared effort, maybe even a little drafting in the flats. And if nothing else, maybe this time someone brings ivermectin.

---

First thing first, why Race to Alaska?
It’s a dream of mine since 2015 after I finished the YRQ. R2AK has just the right ingredients for a perfect paddling adventure/ endurance race. I love being out in the wild in one of my favourite places in the world and push my limits while taking in beautiful moments mother nature provides us.
But also spending time with other crazy people is a big part of it.

What’s going to break first—and what’s your plan when it does?
Keeping the fingers, wrists and shoulders in good shape will be a challenge.
Infections and tendinitis can be a big problem. But hopefully with good preparation , vet tape, gloves and proper medications/ anti inflammatories I will be able to keep it under control.

Confidence Level
50%

Luck/Skill Ratio
50:50