With spring just a few months away, organisers of the Hawkesbury Canoe Classic are encouraging paddlers of all abilities to begin training and seeking sponsors for one of Australia's most iconic endurance events.
Now celebrating its 50th year, the Hawkesbury Canoe Classic combines an extraordinary physical challenge with an equally important mission, raising funds for lifesaving medical research.
This year's call for paddlers comes as organisers celebrate remarkable news that money raised through the Hawkesbury Canoe Classic has helped support research contributing to a major global medical breakthrough.
Researchers from the Murdoch Children's Research Institute, led by Professors Elizabeth Ng, Ed Stanley and Andrew Elefanty, recently announced they had successfully replicated the process of blood stem cell development in the laboratory after more than two decades of research.
The breakthrough brings scientists closer to a future where blood stem cells can be created in a laboratory, potentially transforming stem cell transplantation for patients who cannot find a suitable donor and opening the door to new treatments for inherited blood disorders.
Importantly for the Hawkesbury community, two researchers who helped make the breakthrough possible, Dr Ritika Saxena and Dr Katerina Terrolli were both Hawkesbury Canoe Classic PhD Scholars whose research was supported through funds raised by paddlers and donated to the Arrow Bone Marrow Transplant Foundation.
Organisers say every paddler, volunteer and sponsor can take pride in knowing they have played a small part in supporting research that could one day save countless lives.
Each October, hundreds of paddlers launch from Governor Phillip Park, Windsor, embarking on the gruelling 111-kilometre overnight journey down the Hawkesbury River to Mooney Mooney. Along the way they battle fatigue, darkness, changing tides and their own determination, all while raising money to support research into blood cancers and stem cell transplantation.
Since the event began in 1977, participants have raised more than $4.5 million for medical research, making the Classic one of Australia's longest-running community fundraising events.
A Story of Courage
Among last year's most inspirational competitors was Courtney Hughes, whose journey reminded everyone why the Hawkesbury Canoe Classic is about much more than finishing a race.
Courtney has undergone not one, but two stem cell transplants. She entered the event to raise money for Arrow and to honour a friend she met in hospital who sadly did not survive her own stem cell transplant.
To prepare, Courtney completed the 27-kilometre Myall Classic months before tackling the Hawkesbury's demanding overnight challenge. Despite her preparation, she admitted she was overwhelmed with nerves as she lined up at Windsor.
Supported by her family and partner Jimmy, Courtney attached photographs of her loved ones and her late friend to her canoe to inspire her through the darkest moments of the paddle.
She later described the experience as an opportunity to "paddle and heal."
As exhaustion set in through the night, Courtney battled fatigue and delirium but refused to give up. In the early hours of the morning she crossed the finish line at Brooklyn to the cheers of supporters and volunteers.
Although she described the event as a "wild ride", she has already committed to returning.
"It tested me, but let's be real, I'm a sucker for punishment!" she said.
Courtney's determination extended beyond the river. She was also the event's highest fundraiser, raising more than $6,500 to support medical research—an extraordinary achievement that will help future patients facing blood cancers and other serious illnesses.
Time to Get Ready
The Hawkesbury Canoe Classic is open to experienced paddlers, newcomers, relay teams, schools, sporting clubs, businesses and community organisations. While the full 111-kilometre Classic remains the signature event, shorter courses make participation achievable for paddlers of varying experience.
With the 2026 Hawkesbury Canoe Classic scheduled for 24–25 October, organisers are encouraging local residents to start training now on the Hawkesbury River and begin approaching family, friends, workplaces and local businesses for sponsorship.
Every kilometre paddled and every dollar raised contributes directly to research that is changing lives around the world.
The recent stem cell breakthrough is a powerful reminder that what begins as an overnight paddle on the Hawkesbury River can ultimately lead to discoveries with global significance.
Whether your goal is to complete the full 111 kilometres, enter one of the shorter events or simply support a participant through sponsorship, the Hawkesbury Canoe Classic offers everyone the chance to be part of something far greater than a race.
For nearly five decades, the event has showcased the very best of the Hawkesbury community determination, generosity and a shared commitment to improving the lives of others. As preparations begin for this year's Classic, organisers hope another generation of paddlers will answer the challenge and help write the next chapter in one of Australia's greatest fundraising success stories.
