Famed North Fork Championship kayaking competition to return in June of 2026
BANKS, Idaho The North Fork Championship recently revealed that it will return to the renowned section of the North Fork of the Payette River in 2026, following what appeared to be a permanent cancellation in 2023.
On Friday, the North Fork Championship shared the positive news on social media.
Driscoll Larrow and Aaron Pruzan of Rendezvous River Sports and Jackson Hole Kayak School are recognized for initiating the discussion to reclassify the competition as a non-profit.
The event was originally hosted by the Voorhees family.
Due to insurance concerns, the renowned kayak competition—which features some of the top kayakers in the world competing against one another in a race down Jacob’s Ladder—was previously canceled.
An estimated 10,000 people gathered along the banks of the North Fork of the Payette to watch the race in 2022.
Legendary kayaker Rob Lesser described the event as a meeting of the world’s top kayakers in an earlier interview with Steve Dent of Idaho News 6. “This is the creme de la creme, there is no question the people racing in the North Fork today are the best in the world,” stated Lesser.
The dates of the North Fork Championship are set for June 9–11, 2026.
