A Colorado-based team tried earlier this month to set a speed record for paddling through the Grand Canyon, but a punctured raft on Lava Falls Rapids was too much to overcome.
The eight-person U.S. Whitewater Rafting Team was aiming to break the record set a year ago by Ben Orkin, who completed the 277-mile journey solo in just more than 34 hours. The team was rowing in a 48-foot custom raft designed to tackle the Colorado River as quickly as possible, the Denver Post reported.
The crew started out at 11 p.m. January 13 and were rowing the following evening when the puncture occurred. An aluminum bar snapped and left a 4-inch hole in one of the boat's inflatable tubes. The team attempted a repair but couldn't get enough pressure in the tube to maintain a good speed.
In the end, the team slogged through the rest of the Canyon and finished in 39 hours, 24 minutes. The crew's Ian Anderson told GearJunkie that they might make another attempt at the record at some point, but obtaining a Canyon rafting permit will be a limiting factor.
You can read a full recap of the team's adventure at the links above. Both are worth a look.