255 miles of barely moving water

14 mandatory portages

Since 2016 the KR255 has earned the reputation of being one of the most grueling paddlesports races in the country. The route starts in Beattyville, KY where the main stem of the Kentucky River begins, then winds 255 miles from the Cumberland Plateau to the confluence with the Ohio River in Carrolton, Ky. This year the race is separated into stages, and while you do have to complete them all to qualify for the overall 255 pride, and prizes, there are also races within the race that allow you to compete for prizes and points while not participating in every stage. Think about the tour de France, every stage is its own race making up part of the larger race!

Paddle one stage a day, or choose the Saturday fun float.

This year the KR255 has expanded to offer 6 days of paddlesports events; having something for the hardcore adventurer to the paddlers seeking to just experience the scenic beauty of the Kentucky River. Racers can participate in the final stage as an open event. It functions as an independent race, or can just be a fun float. This is called the Carrollton Crush or Cruise. Also, if all 255 miles sounds a little much, we have options including points based scoring that allow racers to select only the ‘mandatory’ stages each day and still compete.