Divisions

• Keiki
  • Adaptive
  • Girls - 10 & Under
  • Boys - 10 & Under
  • Girls - 12 & Under
  • Boys - 12 & Under
  • Girls - 14 & Under
  • Boys - 14 & Under
  • Girls - 16 & Under
  • Boys - 16 & Under
• Novice/Short
  • Girls - 19 & Under
  • Boys - 19 & Under
  • Adaptive - Short Course
  • Novice A - Women Spec
  • Novice B - Women Spec
  • Novice A - Women UL
  • Novice B - Women UL
  • Novice A - Men Spec
  • Novice B - Men Spec
  • Novice A - Men UL
  • Novice B - Men UL
  • Novice A - Co-Ed
  • Novice B - Co-Ed
  • Novice A - Co-Ed UL
  • Novice B - Co-Ed UL
  • Women - Short Course - UL
  • Women - Short Course - 55+
  • Women - Short Course Elite
  • Men - Short Course - UL
  • Men - Short Course - 55+
  • Men - Short Course Elite
  • Co-Ed - Short Course - UL
  • Co-Ed - Juniors (Short)
• Women/Coed
  • Women - 19 & Under
  • Women - Spec
  • Women - Masters UL
  • Women - Senior Masters UL
  • Women - Golden Masters UL
  • Women - Unlimited
  • Co-Ed - Open UL
  • Co-Ed - Masters UL
  • Co-Ed - Sr Masters UL
  • Co-Ed - Golden Masters UL
  • Co-Ed - Juniors (Long)
• Men
  • Men - 19 & Under
  • Men - Spec
  • Men - Masters UL
  • Men - Senior Masters UL
  • Men - Golden Masters UL
  • Men - Unlimited

Directions

Race Site – Mariner’s Point

Paddler Parking

Please, Please, Please Follow These Rules

Public parking is available in areas designated as ‘P’ on map. Get there early for best parking. It’s a popular area in Summer.

Parking attendants will be available to assist trailers and authorized personnel. They have pre-approved lists. If you’re not on the list, don’t pass the parking lots.

NEW: Part of Mariners Way will be closed to the public this year. Paddlers will be allowed to park along the road if spots are available. Parking team will let you know.

NEW: There will be a few handicapped spots reserved up close. If driver has valid handicapped placard, show attendant to park up close or unload up close if no more spots available.

Paddlers, do NOT attempt to drive through to the end of Mariner’s Way to the gate for unloading. There is no room to turn around and you will cause a traffic jam.

I SAY AGAIN, Absolutely no unloading in the red zone at the gate.

Trailer Parking - 2026 Changes

For best results, email James Rojas at jamesbrojas@gmail.com with your club name, driver name, and estimated trailer arrival time/date.

Trailer Unloading

• No Overnight Parking at Mariners Point on Friday Trailers are no longer permitted to park overnight at Mariner’s Point on Friday.
• No Unloading at the Race Site on Saturday Morning Absolutely no unloading is allowed at Mariners Point race site on Saturday morning.

Best Option (Recommended)

• Arrive on Friday afternoon, June 26, and unload canoes from 2:00 pm to 7:00 pm.
• Kai Elua will provide people to help unload canoes from 2:00 pm to 5:30 pm if your unloading crew can’t be there.
• Overnight beach security will be provided at race site.
• Park trailer at Crown Point dirt lot, same spot as Crystal Pier race. MAP

Alternate Load/Unload Options

• Dana Landing Boat Launch (1600–1908 Dana Landing Rd, San Diego, CA 92109)
• Ski Beach Boat Launch (11600 Vacation Road, San Diego, CA 92109)

Saturday Loading

• Trailers may load canoes at Mariners Point race site after 5:30 pm on Saturday.
• Alternative is paddling canoes back to Crown Point parking area.

Trailer Parking

Reserved Trailer Parking
Parking is available in the Crown Point dirt lot, the same location used for the Crystal Pier Race.

Alternate trailer parking: (Use at Your Own Risk)

• These areas are not reserved but they are closer to race site:
  • Dana Landing Boat Launch (1600–1908 Dana Landing Rd, San Diego, CA 92109)
  • Ski Beach Boat Ramp(3099 Ingraham St, San Diego, CA 92109)

Important Trailer Rules

• Saturday, June 27: No trailer access to the Mariner’s Point lot in the morning.
• Friday arrivals before 2:00 pm or after 7:00 pm:
  • Do not go to the race site. Park in the Crown Point dirt lot.
• Do NOT attempt to enter the race site
  • After 7:00 pm on Friday
    • The gate will be locked, there is no room to turn trailers around, and you will be ticketed if you leave a trailer there. (Yes—this has happened.)
    • Anytime Saturday morning
• No Overnight Trailer Parking at race site

Trailer Map - NEW 2026

Race Schedule

Friday June 26, 2026
2:00 – 7:00 pm Unload and rig canoes
Vendor setup, as applicable
4:00 – 6:00 pm Raffle ticket/Merchandise pre-sale pick up

Saturday June 27, 2026 All times are approximate
7:00 am Blessing
Merchandise/raffle/vendor sales open.
Breakfast is served
7:15 am Keiki beach push off
7:30 am Keiki Start
8:15 am Novice, Junior and Short Course steersperson meeting
8:30 am Race – Novice, Junior and Short Course
9:00 am Open Steersperson meeting
10:00 am Open Women and Co-ed launch from beach
10:00 am Race – Open Women and Co-ed
11:00 am Food trucks open for lunch service
12:00 pm Race – Open Men
Green Cheek Beer Garden opens, DJ plays music
1:00 pm Start drawing raffle tickets
2:30ish pm Novice dance contest
Grand raffle prize winner announced
3:30 pm Awards ceremony (Some awards i.e. keiki, junior, novice may be announced earlier)
4:30 pm Food trucks stop service
Perpetual Trophy winner announced
5:00 pm Beer garden closes. CLEAN UP.

After-party…Aquarius Bar & Grill 1548 Quivera Way. NO COVER when you wear your Iron Champs beer garden wrist band, live band, food and drink for purchase – always a good time!

Keiki Mini Iron

Race Venue Info

• Race site is at Mariner’s Point Park, 1100 W Mission Bay Dr., San Diego, CA 92109
• Mariner’s Point Park – Google Maps
• After Party is at the Aquarius Bar & Grill 1548 Quivera Way. NO COVER when you wear your Iron Champs beer garden wrist band, live band, food and drink for purchase – always a good time!
• Breakfast, coffee, lunch and shave ice available from our food trucks, beer/seltzer served at 1200.
• Porta potties available, one public bathroom with showers available
• Water station available to fill your water bottles. Leave single use plastic bottles at home.
• Zero Waste! Sustainability is Sexy (SIS) educators will be out and about helping us all figure out which bin to put our garbage. Pack out what you pack in.
• City of San Diego rules for Mission Bay beaches:
  • No dogs between 9AM – 6PM
  • No glass
  • No smoking
  • No outside alcohol

SDPD will be patrolling as always, as will park rangers. Be respectful, be responsible. Our future permits with City of San Diego depend on it.

Visiting Crews

Waivers

All paddlers, visitors, guest of clubs or support staff must complete a 2026 SCORA Liability Waiver. No exceptions. Sign waiver here

How to Register/Guest Club Login

Registration Steps/Login

If anyone from your club has participated in a SCORA race in the past, please use your club’s account login and do not create another one and login here.

If new to racing with SCORA register here

Once in your account:

1. Enter a coach if not already in there. Must enter them as “New”
2. Select “New Race Registration” from the left menu
3. Choose the race and division
4. Under Canoe there are 3 options
   1. Request Canoe from SCORA (SCORA will assign)
   2. Bringing your own canoe
   3. Using SCORA canoe (already arranged)
5. IF requesting from SCORA
   1. Agree to terms
   2. Complete registration
      1. SCORA will be notified of your request
6. IF bringing your own canoes
   1. Check canoe type
   2. Enter canoe number
   3. Canoe color/name are optional
7. IF Using a SCORA canoe already arranged
   1. Choose the canoe from the dropdown menu
   2. If the canoe number isn’t there, use “canoe not listed” and type it in. We will contact you about specifics
8. Paddler input screen comes up: Select paddler, enter all of your paddlers under “Guest”. Or if using a SCORA paddler, please use the drop-down
9. Select a coach
10. Hit next, and you will be sent to the payment screen. Pay in person or online.

All Pau

Any issues please email caren@scora.org

Race Courses

NOTE: Bright ORANGE triangle buoys will mark turns and finish line. Courses are subject to change, depending on conditions.

Short Course – Approx 5 Miles

Begin at Mariner’s Point, travel west along north jetty, leave channel briefly, turn on bell buoy, re-enter Mission Bay, travel east along south jetty, three miles, turn on planted triangle buoy, return to finish lint at Mariner’s Point.

Long Course – Approx 10-12 miles

Start will be outside Mission Bay jetty. Follow starter’s instructions for alignment. Course will be triangular, to be aligned with swell direction for final leg to be down swell. Re-enter jetty along south wall. There will be a left-hand turn at the base of the channel prior to crossing traffic and entering Mariner’s cove for the finish.

Margot Darby Memorial Novice Dance Contest

In 2024, we unexpectedly lost one of San Diego’s coolest paddlers. Margot Darby was a cherished member of the Kai Elua Outrigger Canoe Club ohana, known for her love of dance, the ocean, and the outrigger community. In 2010, she helped start the Novice Dance Contest, a vibrant part of our annual Iron Champs Race that celebrates both athletic and artistic spirit. In her honor, we are renaming the dance contest the Margot Darby Memorial Novice Dance Contest (the Darby Dance Contest), ensuring her joyful legacy continues to inspire and uplift future novice paddlers.

Rules:

• One novice team per club can register.
• Dancers must be registered as novice paddlers in 2026 to participate. No coaches or choreographers are allowed to sneak onto the stage.
• Each dance must be less than three minutes.
• There are two categories that teams can enter:
  • Traditional island music/dance
  • Contemporary music/dance
• Music from the B-52s is highly encouraged to honor Margot Darby
• Costumes and props are encouraged.
• Teams must register by 6/15 and submit music by 6/22 to be included in the competition.
• Submit your music early. If a song is already claimed, you’ll need to choose another.

Register here: Registration Form

Beer Garden

The Green Cheek Beer Garden

No small fenced-in beer garden at this race! ID cards will be checked near the beer service area and those 21 yr and up will get hand stamp or wristband.
● What you can do with beer purchased at Roadies Beer Garden?– wander the race venue with your beer or seltzer, shop with your beer/seltzer, hang out and watch the dance contest with your beer/seltzer, visit your club area with your beer/seltzer, cheer at the finish line with your beer/seltzer. You can even re-use your cup! (Please re-use your cup)
● What can you NOT do?
o You cannot use the beer garden cup to fill with your own beer or alcoholic beverages.
o You cannot share or buy beer/seltzers for those without a handstamp or wristband
o You cannot walk out of the race venue with your drink. There will be a security guard posted at the exit.
● What to do with your beer garden wrist band? Keep it on and visible throughout the event so you don’t have to show your ID twice. Keep it on AFTER the event for FREE entry into the after party at The Aquarius Bar and Grill!
● Security guards and San Diego PD will be at the race site throughout the day. Don’t be that person.
● Recyclable/Reusable cups! Every beer drinker will receive a recyclable/reusable cup with their drink tickets, to be rinsed and used throughout the day. Bring them home.

***PLEASE REMEMBER THE RULES***
No dogs 9AM-6PM, no glass, no smoking, and no outside alcohol on the beach.
Follow the rules, our future permits with the City of San Diego depend on it.

Merchandise & Raffle

Iron Champs Swag Click to Shop

Online merchandise and raffle pre-sale opens on 6/8 and closes at Midnight 6/25. Pick up your pre-sale items on Friday 6/26 at 4-6pm at the race site or on race day.

YOU CAN WIN YOUR CHOICE OF AC\DC 404 OC-1 CANOE OR A V1 404 / VAA TEHURITAUA

Opportunity Draw – OC1 or V1

404 OC1/V1 Raffle: 1 ticket for $10, 6 tickets for $50, 13 for $100
General Raffle: 1 ticket for $1, 25 tickets for $20

Vendors & Information Booths

Aloha Designs
Big Beach Clothing Maui
Born to Rock Jewelry
Cali Paddler
Custodian of the Seas
Fancy Hats by Monique
Fly the Ama Clothing
Hippo Stick
Parekareka
Puakea Designs
Pukana Face
Quickblade Paddles
Police | City of San Diego Official Website
Sea Life Artwork
Shop Outrigger
Sun Mud
The Mobile Print Shop
Waterline Designs

Accommodations

• Crowne Plaza 2270 Hotel Circle N. San Diego, CA 92108 619-297-1101, ext. 3013
• The Dana on Mission Bay 1710 West Mission Bay Drive, San Diego, CA 92109 Reservations 1-800-445-3339 / The Dana on Mission Bay
• Paradise Point Resort and Spa 1404 Vacation Road, San Diego, CA 92109 Reservations (858) 581-5924 /Paradise Point Resort & Spa
• Lots of options in Hotel Circle, east of Mission Bay along I8, 10 minutes away

Zero Waste Initiatives

• This is nothing new, we’ve been trying for zero waste at all the races for several years now. Let’s keep it up.
• The Sustainability is Sexy (SIS) team will be managing all waste for the day. Team members will patrol and train us all on how to separate into the correct waste bin!
• There will be compost (GREEN) and recycling (BLUE) bins available, read the signs.
• Take home what you brought in, leave nothing behind.

1. REFUSE what you do not need.
2. REDUCE what you do need; reconsider just how much stuff you actually need.
3. REUSE by repurposing things, or by using reusable objects like metal straws.
4. RECYCLE what you cannot refuse, reduce or reuse.
5. ROT (compost) the rest