With a time of 28:40, the Lapier Tubie captured first place in the 2026 Tubie Race. As they headed for home, the skies opened up and torrential rain began to fall. Tinkess Photo
MORRISBURG – The weather gods smiled on Tubie Weekend 2026, at least that is until the eight vessels in the race got within sight of the finish.
There had been rain throughout the morning, but by the time the 1:00 p.m. race time rolled around, rain was very light and intermittent, and besides, when you’re riding an inflatable tube on the St. Lawrence River, you’re going to get a little wet anyway. If it is coming from above or below, really matters little.
Ten teams were entered in the race and eight actually started. Unlike 2025, when the sun was shining and the winds were blowing, this year’s conditions were fairly tame, if a little wet, which led to some very good times.
There were essentially three groupings at the beginning of the race and they stayed relatively constant until the races conclusion. A light rain fell steadily from the point where the top three vessels made the turn around the marker just east of Stata Bay, and it continued on and off for the remainder of the race, at least that is until the leader, the Lapier Tubie entered the finish area approximately 100 feet from the beach. At that point, a torrential rain began to fall. It didn’t seem to hamper them though, and they claimed first spot with an impressive time of 28:40.
In second place was the Broad Tubie with a time of 29:10, followed shortly thereafter by the St. Louis/Veinotte Tubie in third spot with a time of 29:32.
The remaining times are as follows:
- St. Louis/Veinotte (2) 32:43
- Millard’s. 33:32
- Barclay’s. 33:56
- Fetterly 34:55
- Cochrane 38:50
As the final Tubie crossed the finish line, some were already starting to pack up to head home, another Tubie Weekend complete, year 54 now in the books.
A straw poll was taken of some of the participants to see if they planned on returning next year, and the answer was almost unanimously “Yes.” If it’s August, and this is Morrisburg and if it’s Tubie Weekend, it would be wrong not to be here. It’s tradition.
Terry Tinkess is a professional photographer, educator and journalist. He has been making a living with a camera and keyboard since 1999 and has been featured in such publications as The Ottawa Citizen, Cornwall Standard Freeholder, The Globe and Mail, The Miami Herald, Ottawa Construction News, The Ontario Construction Report, Ontario Home Builder Magazine, Reed Construction Data, Canadian Potato Business and most recently, The Record and Eastern Ontario AgriNews. Terry lives in Ingleside, Ontario with his wife Brenda, Mia the anxious Pittie and cats Wally and Chubbers.
