Dubbed ‘The Greatest Show in All of Sports,’ the annual Green River Narrows Race is always quite the spectacle. 2022 marked the 27th annual running of the race — and a historic one at that.
Of course, there were big crashes and equally smooth lines. But above all the roar from the cheering crowds in the gorge was this year’s theme, “Wishful Thinking.”
Green Race 27
At high noon on the first Saturday in November, 175 whitewater racers set off at one-minute intervals down a steep, technical ¾-mile stretch of the Green River narrows in North Carolina.
This video highlight reel shows you both smooth, and not-so-smooth, lines that the diverse group of racers were able to achieve. From long boats to short boats and hand paddles to canoe paddles, the racers attacked the course and put their mark in the storied history books of this iconic race.
Besides the racers, this year saw some 2,000 spectators hike into the Green River Narrows gorge on a beautiful fall day, while many more tuned into the live stream online.
Green Race 4-Minute Barrier Cracked
Wishful thinking worked this year, as Dane Jackson managed to not only improve on his overall course record but also crack the elusive 4-minute barrier, with a time of 3:58.68. This is a truly historic moment in the history of whitewater creek racing.
You can read all about Dane’s accomplishment, and watch footage of him doing it, here: Not Just ‘Wishful Thinking:’ Dane Jackson Goes Sub 4 Minutes in the Green Race.
More Green Race, Please
Be sure to check out the entire results list. There were some standout performances in all categories.
A huge shoutout has to go out to the all-volunteer crew that manages to put this community event together each year. And, we can’t forget the safety crew that ensures it can keep going year after year.
If you can’t make it down to see this race in person on year, be sure to tune in to the live feed each year, as it’s done to an extremely high, professional level.
Runtime: 15 minutes
