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Grant Korgan sets world records with Tahoe paddle

Special to the Sun
High Fives Foundation athlete Grant Korgan finishes his 72-mile paddle around Lake Tahoe on Thursday morning. Korgan set three world records with his fundraising paddle.
Courtesy photo |

Korgan’s Guinness World Records

Fastest time for a spinal cord injured athlete to circumnavigate Lake Tahoe in a one-man outrigger canoe.

Fastest time to circumnavigate Lake Tahoe in a one-man outrigger canoe.

Fastest time to circumnavigate Lake Tahoe with human power. 

Donate to the FULL CIRCLE campaign by visiting support.highfivesfoundation.org/fullcircle.

World records were set when 38-year-old Grant Korgan paddled in a one-man outrigger canoe completely around the shoreline of Lake Tahoe through the night.

The 14-hour, 15-minute journey began at 5:40 p.m. on Wednesday. Korgan arrived back where he started at Waterman’s Landing in Carnelian Bay at 7:55 a.m. Thursday.

He was greeted by a crowd of supporters cheering as he made it to shore. Korgan was accompanied throughout the entire circumnavigation by stand-up paddler Adam Freeman. 



The goal of FULL CIRLCE, as the campaign is titled, was to raise money and awareness for the Truckee-based High Fives Foundation. High Fives provides support and inspiration to mountain action sports athletes who have suffered life-altering injuries.

So far FULL CIRCLE has raised over $21,000 and growing.



Korgan’s story

Korgan is in recovery from a spinal cord injury he sustained in a snowmobiling accident in 2010.

He has received numerous grants from the High Fives Foundation to empower his recovery goals. He was able to use this fundraising platform to raise funds for current and future athletes with life-altering injuries.

“The amount of goodness that High Fives has put into my life has been game changing,” Korgan said before he set off on the outrigger canoe. “There are athletes that are just starting their journey and athletes who have not yet started their recovery, and this today is about being able to empower the idea of supporting the next generation of people — of athletes — coming through life-altering injuries to recover to the point that they can bring their stories full circle.”

He went on to say that he dedicated his paddling mission to Jason Abraham, a local photographer, skier and friend of the High Fives Foundation who was severely injured at Squaw Valley in April. Abraham is back in Tahoe progressing in his recovery every day.

“Grant Korgan is a machine trapped inside of a human’s body,” said Roy Tuscany, executive director of the High Fives Foundation. “I cannot believe how incredible he is as an athlete, human and an inspiration to so many.”


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