26th Annual Millrace Massacre and Iceman Championship

Name: 26th Annual Millrace Massacre and Iceman Championship
Start: 2026-01-03T09:00:00-05:00
End: 2026-01-03T19:00:00-05:00
Location: Saluda Riverwalk

Schedule

Sat Jan 03 2026 at 09:00 am to 07:00 pm

UTC-05:00

Location

Saluda Riverwalk | Columbia, SC

A day full racing on the Saluda River.
Straight Shooter- Beginner/Intermediate
Millrace Massacre- Intermediate/Advanced
Iceman - Open
Here is a more detailed look into each race.
The first race of the day will be the beginner-friendly race through Millrace - the “Straight Shooter” line - to allow participation of paddlers of all skill levels. No set line. Just a predetermined starting and finishing point.
The second race of the day is the Millrace Massacre. This time trial race requires athletes to paddle kayaks/canoes that are 9’ and under. Racers are required to follow a set course through Millrace, catching eddies throughout the rapid. Straying from the course results in a time penalty. The race has both a Men’s, Women’s and JR’s class, each of which has a cash payout for first place.
The third race of the day is the Iceman Championships. This is a mass start, head-to-head endurance race that welcomes racers of all skill levels. Athletes are encouraged to race any type of man-powered craft they see fit. The race course goes as follows: mass start roughly 400 yards upstream of Millrace; racers navigate through Millrace and the Pop-up Hole, then start the long flatwater slog to the Zoo bridge and back upriver to the Sandy Beach; racers exit their boat and carry them back up to the top of Millrace, navigating it for a second time; racers must exit their boats above the Pop-up Hole and swim to the finish line at the Sandy Beach with their gear – including their boat - in tow. In total, the competitors cover roughly 1.5 miles of paddling, running, and swimming. This race is brutal and challenging on many different levels. In our eyes, every competitor that enters and finishes this race is a winner. In the end, the fastest Male and Female are crowned the Iceman Champions