The Yukon River Quest’s distance of 715 km or 444 miles makes it the longest paddle race in the world without a doubt. For the first time this year open to stand up paddlers alongside the canoe and kayak competitors who have enjoyed (or endured) it for years, 11 brave sup paddlers registered to participate.
Amongst them, Bart de Zwart, Starboard Dream Team member, world class explorer and long distance race specialist took the win in this inaugural sup edition on his 14’ Allstar in 54 hours and 41 minutes (and that even includes the mandatory 7 hour break in the middle to take some sleep), only 8 hours behind the winners in the canoe division (46 hours+). Quite a performance for the first ultra resistance race of Bart’s 2016 season.
Make sure to follow Bart’s adventures on his blog: sup-crossing.blogspot.com
For a complete update on this race, check this article on SUP racer.
For a breakdown of Bart’s next plans in his 2016 season, check this other SUP Racer article.
Congratulations Bart and the best of luck for the rest of your season !