Race to Alaska Podcast

The Race to Alaska will hold its 8th edition in 2024, continuing with its 750-mile course from Port Townsend, WA to Ketchikan, AK. And now there is a podcast series prior to the June 9 start. In this episode, Jake Beattie joins the Race Boss to help pry into the lives of racers. Meet Greg of Team Kuaka, the first OC-1 to attempt the full race, and Kayleen and Sylvia who seem to make more reasonable choices by racing as Team Orca.

Team Kuaka
Greg from Kuaka is about to make his second trip from Hong Kong to participate in R2AK. In 2023, he only capsized once on the Proving Ground. Who’s making bets on how many times he swims when paddling the full race? Race Boss Jesse and Greg chatted wakas amas and the un-slack-ness of the slack tide at Seymour Narrows.

Team Orca
The last Santana 20 in R2AK peeled open like the lid of a tuna fish can (they made it to Ketchikan anyway). Can Sylvia and Kayleen make it to the land of salmon, too? Race Lead Instigator Jake Beattie tried to find out and learned about seeing R2AK paddlers in Grenville Channel while working on the Prince Rupert ferry, being a grizzly bear guide, and flipping the wrong valves mid-pacific.