Photo by Kenneth Reese

Water Safari Winners
“Boat 124-LOG JAMMIN”

The 2024 Texas Water Safari first-place winners finished with a time of 42 hours and five minutes. Pictured are from left to right Kyle Mynar, Chris Issendorf, and Steve Lajoie. Missing is Norman Maingay who is the fourth member of their team who had to drop out due to the probability of dehydration and heat exhaustion. He was able to complete the first 200 miles of the race. The total distance of the race from start to finish is 260 miles.

Logan Mynar and Gaston Jones were the team captains. They were responsible for meeting them throughout the race at checkpoints, bridges, and other access points along the Guadalupe and San Marcos Rivers to give them food and water. What a job!

Kyle Mynar and Chris Issendorf were the two Texans of the winning team. Steve Lajoie and Norman Maingay were the two French Canadians. For the two Canadians it was their first Texas Water Safari race. They were champion racers in the Triple Crown of Canoe Racing. Kyle Mynar has been racing in the Texas Water Safari for thirty years. Chris Issendorf has been racing for ten years.

The Texas Water Safari is a yearly event that was first held in 1963. It is called the “World’s Toughest Boat Race.” It’s starting point is Aquarena Springs in San Marcos, Texas and the finish line this year was at the Bill Sanders Park on the San Antonio Bay across from Seadrift, Texas. It always begins on the second Saturday of June.
-Tanya DeForest

Samantha Binion’s family at the finish of the race.

Samantha Binion

You could travel the world over, but you might be hard-pressed to find a woman with the caliber of Samantha Binion! Loving her family, she revels in the fact that being part of the Texas Water Safari is a family affair. Since her children are older now Samantha is excited that they can take in more of the canoe competitions that she and her husband Wade participate in. When she finished solo this year with the Water Safari the most prized event for Samantha was that her children could be there at the finish line to fully take in the moment with their proud dad.

Being part of canoe racing and specifically the Water Safari is not new to Samantha. Samantha, a native Texan from Rockdale, Texas, met her future husband Wade in College Station while Samantha went to college at Sam Houston State. Wade’s family loved to compete in canoe racing. His dad, Pete, participated in the Water Safari for thirty years, and his sisters Mollie and Pauline and their children have all participated as well. Samatha not only fell in love with Wade, but she fell in love with canoe racing. For over fifteen years now Samantha has participated in the Water Safari. If she wasn’t racing, she would be serving as a team captain on the sidelines.

Samantha’s first-time race was in 2009 with her future sister-in-law Mollie Binion. They placed 30th in the Water Safari. This year Samantha finished solo and placed 56th. This is her seventh time to finish the race with the Water Safari.

In the picture above is one big happy family. Wade and Samantha are at the finish line with their four children: Brighton (11), Bridger (10), Bodie (8), and Berklee (6).
-Tanya DeForest