The Yukon 1000: The World's Toughest Paddle, SUP-Style
Friday 25 Jul 2025 | by Sarah Thornely - SUPJunkie
Photo Credits – most photos Craig Sawyer/Blue Juice
The Yukon 1000 – currently the longest paddle race on Earth – wrapped up just last week, and once again, it delivered endurance, resilience, and incredible adventure stats.
From thousands of global applicants, only 30 teams (60 paddlers) were accepted for 2025. Just 22 made it to the start line, and of those, 18 completed the race. This is not a challenge for the faint-hearted.
Interestingly, there were no stand-up paddleboarders (SUP) in 2024 or 2025. With registration for 2026 opening next month, we’re hoping to see a resurgence – particularly from the UK’s strong SUP community. British paddlers have made their mark in long-distance endurance events, and there’s no better proving ground than the Yukon.
A Look Back: UK SUP Legends on the Yukon
We wanted to shine a spotlight on this epic race, not just because it’s extraordinary, but because we have fond memories of cheering on two phenomenal UK SUP teams in 2023:
- The Renegade Moose Chasers: Martin Rendle & Kim Foster
- Team SHAC: Scott “Skip” Innes & Craig Sawyer
We know all four paddlers well and had no doubt they’d complete the challenge. Their performances were nothing short of heroic.
The Yukon 1000 is a fully unsupported 1000-mile race through raw and remote wilderness. Apart from your partner – who must stay within 30 metres of you at all times – you’re entirely alone. Racers paddle up to 18 hours per day, with a mandatory 6-hour rest period each 24 hours. The race must be completed in 10 days, and the current SUP record was set in 2022 by Pirates of the Yukon (Bradley Friesen and Scott Baste) in 7 days, 6 hours, and 34 minutes. You can watch their incredible journey here: Watch the Film.
Women Leading the Charge
The race also highlights how endurance racing levels the playing field between genders. In fact, the second fastest SUP time ever recorded belongs to the inspiring Dutch team, Yukon Women SUPVenture – Ella Oesterholt and Janneke Smits. Women are performing exceptionally well across all craft categories, too, including canoe and kayak.
The Challenge Behind the Paddle
Starting in Whitehorse, Yukon (Canada) and finishing at the Dalton Highway Bridge in Alaska (USA), this route carves through true wilderness. There are no phones, no navigation aids, apart from good old-fashioned (waterproof) paper maps, and very few people for hundreds of miles.
Competitors must carry everything they need, from safety gear to food and shelter. Boards are fully loaded, front and back, and if your kit doesn’t meet strict race requirements during inspection, you simply don’t start.
Despite all the prep, paddlers say the biggest challenge isn’t wildlife like bears – though they’re there – it’s mental endurance. Sleep deprivation and hallucinations are real threats. Navigation becomes particularly difficult beyond Dawson, where the river shifts year to year due to seasonal thaw and flooding. Google Maps won’t save you here – you must be your own compass.
A Race Steeped in History
The Yukon 1000 retraces routes made famous by the Klondike Gold Rush in the late 1800s, when tens of thousands of prospectors tried their luck on these very waters. Then, it was hardship for a dream of gold. Now, it’s hardship for the pride of finishing one of the toughest races on Earth.
To put it in perspective: more people have climbed Everest than have paddled beyond Dawson City.
Since 2009, the race has celebrated completions across canoe, kayak, and, since 2018, SUP. When the first two SUP teams entered, they surprised the race director by being more prepared and lower risk than some kayak and canoe teams.
A Four-Year Journey: Team SHAC
For Scott and Craig (Team SHAC), it was a four-year journey, complicated by COVID-19 delays. Their full story was beautifully captured in Stand Up Paddle Mag UK:
Craig also produced a stunning film of their experience, Push Past Impossible, which we think every paddler should watch. It captures the raw emotion, camaraderie, and grit of the race like nothing else.
We were fortunate enough to speak with both paddlers upon their return. Hearing the same story from two perspectives added even more depth to this epic tale. Check out our chats with both Scott and Craig on our YouTube channel.
What’s Next?
With SUP entries open again in August for 2026, we encourage UK paddlers to consider stepping up. Yes, it’s brutal. Yes, it’s remote. But if you’re ready to test your limits, the Yukon 1000 will push you past them – in the best possible way.
Words – Sarah Thornely – SUPJunkie
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