The race is the biggest event of the year for Mount Isa’s North West Canoe Club taking place in the Gregory River, one of the few permanently flowing rivers in North West Queensland.

Organiser Alison Whitehead said the Gregory River Canoe Marathon was one of the few events that managed to coax people to travel hundreds of kilometres to participate in a sport that ordinarily, they would never consider trying.

While the majority of paddlers are novices who are entering the race purely for fun, the serious competitors are also catered for with the opportunity to win big dollars.

The overall race record stands at 2 hours 43 minutes and 23 seconds set by Matt Flower and Chad Meek in 2001.

Organisers are now offering $2000 to anyone who can beat this time. 

The first boat across the line, regardless of category, wins $500 and there are also male/female category prizes in K1, TK1, TK2, plastic long, and short race while the winner of the TC2 Challenge win walk away with $800.

This is the 41^st running of the event and up to 2000 people are expected to line the river cramming into every vantage point.

The North West Canoe Club was formed by a handful of enthusiasts on January 14, 1975.

In early 1976, four club members paddled the Gregory River from the Knobbies to the pub.

The trip was such a success that it was decided to organise it into a canoe race.

The inaugural Gregory River Canoe Race took place on June 6, 1976.

Eighteen paddlers started the race and Dave Ferguson was first across the line in a time of 4 hours and 9 minutes.

The race has since gone from strength to strength, and has grown to be one of the largest and most isolated canoe races in Australia, regularly attracting over 150 competitors.

The course can be tricky: the river has shallow and deep waterholes linked by small rapids.

Canoeists can encounter snags, logs and overhanging pandanus palms when paddling downstream.

 The race starts at 8am on Sunday.