2025 LORD OF THE FORK
The 2025 Lord of the Fork Race ran under beautiful October skies on the Russell Fork River, threading through the Appalachian hills.
The put-in for Breaks Gorge sits in Virginia and the takeout across the state line in Kentucky, but most racers traveled from far beyond these mountains, following the seasonal migration of river rats drawn by the annual dam release and the promise of whitewater. More than one hundred paddlers competed this year on Saturday, October 25th, confirming Lord of the Fork as one of the most competitive and beloved races on the East Coast.
Twenty women lined up to start, continuing the race tradition of sending the ladies off first. Adriene Levknecht proved once again that she reigns as Queen of the Russell Fork, clocking a sizzling time of 7:04. Alex Horne followed with a steady second-place time of 7:42, and Ellie Bixler rounded out the podium with a sub-eight-minute run.
In the men’s long boat class, Peter Kabzan, a Slovakian expat, pulled off a surprise upset over Dane Jackson with a winning time of 6:36. Eighteen-year-old Rad Dobson took third with 6:39. Shawn Feagin finished fifth and also teamed up with Dobson in a Pyranha Fusion Duo to post a stunning tandem run that placed them sixth overall.
Beyond the competition, the Russell Fork Race continues to give back to its home community through a fundraiser. This year’s proceeds will go to the Elkhorn City Tourism Committee, with the goal of improving the paddler experience and strengthening relations between river users and the local community.
The 2026 Lord of the Fork Race is set for October 24 at 2 p.m.
Words: Geoff Calhoun
L’article 2025 LORD OF THE FORK est apparu en premier sur Kayak Session Magazine.