10 Jul 2025

Kiwi adventurers take on gruelling Yukon 1000 paddle race through Canada, Alaska

9:09 pm on 10 July 2025
Canada, Yukon, Whitehorse, River and forest on cloudy and foggy day.

The 1600km journey will traverse Canada and Alaska, ending at the Alaska Pipeline Bridge. Photo: SARA MONIKA/AFP

Two Northlanders are about to undertake the world's longest and arguably most gruelling paddle race - the Yukon 1000.

The race is named for the 1000 miles (1600km) the teams journey through Canada into Alaska, traversing bear and wildfire country, and freezing glacier-fed waters.

Ryan Baxter and Calvin Ball must paddle about 18 hours a day to complete the journey inside the nine-day cutoff, totally self-sufficient and carrying everything they need on the kayak.

Ball told Checkpoint the pair had manically gone through all their gear in the lead-up to the race.

"[We've been] triple-checking it, repacking it, so haven't quite been able to feel really excited, but we're just starting that now."

The duo is in for a variety of terrain along the journey, as the landscapes change throughout the mammoth distance.

"The first half of it should be mountains, bluer water, just sort of that sort of classic Canadian scene, but then, once we get into Alaska, it goes really flat and the river braids into multiple channels," Ball said.

"It slows right down and then a lot of sediment comes into the water too, so it gets quite dark and and grey. We have to bear through that for a few days to the finish-line."

The journey also features a range of hazards, the biggest of which are often the least expected.

"People often think bears and and stuff like that, but to be honest, it's probably hypothermia, if we get stuck in the water. It's glacier fed and it's quite cold, if we can't get out within half an hour."

Baxter said another risk that the pair had been unable to prepare for was the possibility of wildfires on the course.

"We just had our race briefing today and the race director actually alerted us to quite a large one on about day three that we'll pass."

"I say it casually, probably because we haven't done it yet, so I might not be as brave afterwards."

The former flatmates have tirelessly trained together, aiming to be as prepared as possible for any scenario, but Baxter said it hadn't been easy.

"It's quite a unique race," he said. "It's pretty hard to train for in terms of the sleep deprivation and getting four hours sleep max, if you're lucky, constant day on day. The training's been pretty monotonous to be honest - it's been tough."

"We've enjoyed it, but a bit taxing, just the constant everyday kayaking, running, gym... all that sort of thing."

Ball said they'd treat themselves to some tunes to ward off the sleep deprivation.

"We've got it as a bit of a back-up," he said. "We've downloaded a few different playlists and podcasts, but ideally, we're taking in all the sights and sounds around us.

"Eighteen hours a day, the monotony, you've got to have something to basically switch your mind off."

As for the songs they will take down the river with them, Baxter said there was quite the range.

"Depending on the mood, we've got a bit of New Zealand, Shapeshifter, reggae, even some country and then a bit of heavier rock as well.

"We don't have enough battery to play it all day, so it'll just be more of a treat."

He said the best treat was something even better.

"We've got some anti chafe - that's probably the main luxury."

The race finishes at the Alaska Pipeline Bridge and follows the route of the Klondike goldrush.

While they are paddling, the pair will raise money, via Give a Little, to sponsor a Northland teenager to go on Outward Bound.

Last year, [ttps://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/532656/an-oar-inspiring-paddle-down-the-yukon-there-were-whole-trees-just-bursting-with-fire Kiwis Sophie Hart and Nathan Fa'avae won the race] in six days 23 minutes.

Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.

Get the RNZ app

for ad-free news and current affairs