After a number of disruptions in the past few years due to COVID and floods, the MMP is set to return to its November timeslot, with five gruelling days of paddling from November 20 to 24.
The race is also set to debut along it’s new route, which will see competitors make the 415km trek from the starting line in Yarrawonga to a new finish location in Koondrook.
While the event is competitive, there is a large emphasis on fundraising, with entrants free to choose whichever organisation they wish to donate to.
“Over the last six years we’ve raised just short of one million dollars of contributions from all the teams, many of those have been based on local causes which is pretty good,” race organiser Shannon O’Brien said.
“We’ve been excited about that, and it’s always really important for the teams to get involved and raise as much as they can.
“Many teams raise in excess of $20,000 to $40,000, using the event as their mechanism for fundraising. Lots and lots of paddlers, raise between $500 and $2000-3000, which is the norm.
“I think it’s a very successful fundraising initiative for different causes.”
With a large contingent of paddlers and support crew travelling in the region during the race, there is also a positive economic impact on towns such as Echuca-Moama, which Shannon said was an important consideration.
“The paddlers and the ground crew that support the event, everybody is staying at the towns, and normally there’s a couple of nights per area that we stay,” he said.
“The economic spend from the event is quite substantial, we might only be a five-day race, but generally that turns into about seven days of people travelling in the area.
“People from the race become fantastic ambassadors for paddling in the Murray region.
“Paddle tourism or kayak tourism is a big deal, and it will bring a lot more benefit financially to the restaurants, hotels, motels and campgrounds all the way along the river.”
For more information on the event or to enter, visit www.mmp415.racing
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