Yorkville man part of canoe team claiming record for paddling length of Mississippi River in under 17 days
Thank you for supporting our journalism. This article is available exclusively for our subscribers, who help fund our work at the Chicago Tribune.Mississippi Speed Record, a four-man team, Wally Werderich, Scott Miller, Judd Steinback, and Paul Cox, took their canoe out for a test run on Whitefish Lake while waiting for the ice to clear on May 7, 2023 at Mooses' Cabin in Crosslake, MN.
While the crew’s results have not been certified yet by Guinness World Records, public relations executive Kylie Galloway said the organization has received an application for the title and will confirm the team’s success or failure within 12 to 15 weeks. The record can be accomplished in any kind of paddled boat, according to Werderich.The previous record for paddling the Mississippi in a team was set by Team MMZero in 2021, Galloway said. They reached New Orleans in nearly 18 days.
“That was quite, quite difficult but at the same time, when you get out, and there’s nothing around, the starry skies were so beautiful, and the river was so calm,” Wederich said. “It’s just so serene, and it was like a different world.” The team didn’t make the trip alone. A ground crew consisting of about 20 people helped make the trip possible by keeping the team members safe and well fed. Among the members of the support team on this trip were Werderich’s parents, Anita and George. He said it was “quite a family adventure to share together.”“Right from the outset, there was such a positive vibe,” Werderich said of the paddlers and support group. “Everybody always stayed positive. It was really uplifting.
he bought a copy and said to his parents, “Wouldn’t it be neat if my name were in that book?” Along with his fascination with paddling the length of the Mississippi, Anita said her son’s accomplishment combined two of his biggest dreams. “The power of ‘We can do this.’ The power of ‘We got this guys. I’ll take care of you. You’ll take care of me,’ and the power of ‘We are brothers, no matter what happens,’” Anita said. “This has been a great experience, and they all said at the end that positive thinking was a huge part of this success that they have had.”
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