Man conquers one of the toughest paddle races in the world

By Shannon Brinias

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    GREENWOOD, Louisiana (KTBS) — A Greenwood man recently completed a race so difficult that only a few dozen athletes are ever accepted to attempt it — and fewer than 20 teams managed to finish in 2025.

At an age when many are thinking about slowing down, Jeff Larsen is pushing forward into some of the world’s toughest ultramarathon paddle races.

Larsen has already competed in the Texas Water Safari, a 260-mile, four-day race. But last month, he and his racing partner, German Mirko Pruefer, took on an even greater challenge: the Yukon 1000. The nine-day, 1,000-mile river journey through Alaska and Canada’s wilderness pushes competitors to their physical and mental limits.

Out of thousands who applied this year, fewer than two dozen teams made it to the starting line — and just 18 crossed the finish. Larsen’s team finished 13th in seven days, 14 hours and 37 minutes.

Recently, Larsen showed off the paddling skills that carried him through those endurance races during a demonstration for KTBS 3 on the Big Cypress Bayou in Jefferson, Texas.

“When he had the opportunity to do the Yukon, I was like, ‘You’ve got to do it. You may not have this chance again,’” said Larsen’s wife, Jodi.

Conditions on the course shift quickly, Larsen said.

“Up there, it could be warm and sunny. Even when we passed into the Arctic Circle, it wasn’t this hot, but it was warm and sunny. Then within an hour, it could be cold and rainy. You had to be real quick at using layers,” he added.

The Yukon 1000 is not just about endurance. Racers are required to carry satellite phones, pass mental fitness screenings, and prepare for encounters with bears. They must pack their own dehydrated meals and filter river water to drink. Unlike the Texas race, which sometimes allows competitors to sleep for only an hour or less per night, the Yukon requires teams to take a six-hour rest break every day and have no support or communication with the outside world.

Battling fatigue required constant effort.

“It was super hard to stay awake, but we found that if we engaged each other in conversation, it changed the atmosphere drastically,” Larsen said.

“We learned a lot about each other,” he continued, describing 18-hour paddling days.

Top finishers are awarded cash prizes dependent on entry fees. Those who endure the full 1,000 miles receive a simple medallion — a physical token of one of the world’s most extreme endurance challenges.

Despite the grueling demands, Larsen said he relishes the solitude and challenge of the sport.

“Great exercise. Nobody out here bothering you. Kind of got a whole playground to myself,” he said.

For Larsen, it’s not about crossing the finish line, but the journey — testing the limits of what’s possible, one paddle stroke at a time.

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