Chattajack 2026 — What a Weekend!
What a Chattajack weekend!
Congratulations to the 808 participants who joined us for Chattajack 2026! You traveled from near and far, brought your energy to Chattanooga, and made our 15th year another memorable one on the Tennessee River. Whether your goal was reaching the podium, crossing the finish line, or earning your five-year belt buckle, congratulations on everything it took to get there.
From the months of training to the planning and travel, we know your race began long before you reached the starting line. To our first-time participants and our returning paddlers, thank you for making Chattajack part of your year.
Congratulations on a clean three-heat start! Your draft trains looked beautiful winding through the gorge, and it was a joy to watch you coming through the finish arch. Three new course records were set this year:
• Men’s Prone 14′ — AJ DeFilippis, 5:33:35
• V-1 — Ben Beck, 4:18:30
• K-4 — Bruce Gipson, Craig Mentz, Flavio Costa, and Scott Cummins, 3:35:14
Congratulations to these racers and to everyone who reached a personal milestone out there.
This year brought a big change with our new takeout at River Gorge Ranch, and we’re grateful to everyone who helped make that transition a success. Thank you to the River Gorge Ranch and Riverdance teams for welcoming the Chattajack community and helping us bring this new chapter to life.
One of our favorite sights was what happened after the finish. Some of you took a minute to catch your breath, hunched over your boards or boats after giving everything you had. Then came the cooldown mile—paddlers gathering into groups, sharing stories, and enjoying a little time together on the way to the takeout. It was a lovely way to close out 31 miles of racing.
A special thank-you to the folks who engineered the finish arch. Seeing you pass beneath it was a highlight of the day.
To our volunteers: thank you. From check-in and setup to the aid stations, finish line, takeout, parking, shuttles, and cleanup, your work carried this event from beginning to end. So much happens outside the racers’ view, and we’re grateful for the time, care, and energy you gave.
Thank you to Chris Hipgrave and our on-water safety team, the U.S. Coast Guard, TWRA, the Hamilton and Marion County Sheriff’s Offices, and the Chattanooga Police Department for helping look after everyone on the river.
Thank you to Martin, Gabe, and the Race Day Events timing crew. Timing a race this size from a remote location and from a boat presents a different set of challenges, and we appreciate the work that went into capturing everyone’s finish. Thank you as well to Captain Thomas for providing the houseboat that supported the timing operation.
We’re grateful to the City of Chattanooga for the use of Ross’s Landing and Chattanooga Green, and to everyone who helped turn those spaces into our race-weekend home.
Together, you raised $13,904 for the Tennessee River Gorge Trust through this year’s raffle! Thank you to everyone who bought tickets and to the generous sponsors who donated prizes. The gorge is at the heart of Chattajack, and supporting the people who protect it makes this gathering even more meaningful.
Thank you to all our sponsors and partners for helping make the weekend possible. Your support touches everything from the racers’ experience to the raffle, awards, and work behind the scenes.
Gathering again for the awards ceremony was another highlight—seeing everyone together, swapping stories, celebrating one another, and enjoying the Kevin Scott Trio. Thank you to Kevin Scott, Rick Lollar, and Mark Raudabaugh for the music and for helping us bring the weekend to a close.
Thank you as well to the artists, photographers, and filmmakers who helped capture this year’s race. We’ll share the recap video when it’s ready. In the meantime, enjoy revisiting the day through the race galleries:
Thank you for the effort, kindness, and community you brought to Chattajack 2026. We’re grateful to share this stretch of river with you.
Next year’s Chattajack race date has been set for Saturday, October 23, 2027 so we hope to see you all back in the gorge for another amazing day.
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