The Polar Bear Chronicles #2: Christian Andersen takes North America – Road tripping, racing & high-altitude training

We’re hitting the road again with The Polar Bear Chronicles. TotalSUP has welcomed two-time SUP World Champion, multiple-time European Champion and NSP Team rider Christian Andersen – aka “Polar Bear” – as a guest writer for The Polar Bear Chronicles.

Now we’re joining Christian for the next chapter of his journey. After racing and surfing in Mexico, he heads north to explore the people, places and paddling culture of North America, sharing the experiences and stories that define life on the road as a professional paddler.

This is Christian’s story…

“Last month marked the beginning of a new adventure. After more than a decade of spending every summer racing across Europe, I chose a different path. Instead of returning to familiar places, I’m traveling across North America, discovering new communities, new races, and the people who make this sport special.

Every month, I’ll be sharing another chapter from the road. This is Chapter Two: North America.”

Photos by Brooklyn Shaw | Canada 2026

5336 km Roadtrip: Mexico to Canada

After four incredible months in Mexico, it was finally time to head north. Together with my friend Dan Miller and his husky, Arrow, we loaded up the truck and started the long drive toward Canada. By the time we reached our destination, we’d covered 5,336 kilometers.
The first stretch took us through nearly every state on Mexico’s west coast before reaching the border in Nogales. Along the way, we passed through countless military and police checkpoints. More than once, we were pulled over, searched, and asked to empty the truck. It definitely wasn’t your average road trip.

Crossing into the United States felt like the start of another chapter.

Our first stop was San Diego. After days of sitting in the truck, it felt incredible to finally get back on the water. Dan and I borrowed a two-man outrigger canoe, got in a couple of solid paddling sessions, and stretched our bodies out again.

And yes… after four months in Mexico, we somehow still weren’t tired of Mexican food. So naturally, we celebrated with more burritos.
From there, we kept driving north.

We crossed deserts, forests, mountains, and endless highways before making one of my favorite stops of the trip in Montana. We spent a day with our good friends Jess and Mike Bouchee, catching up before continuing the final stretch into Canada.

It was the longest road trip I’ve ever done. By the end of it, I was more than ready to unpack the truck.

Photos by Christian Andersen | Mexico/USA 2026

The Canadian Rockies: Altitude Training

For the past two months, I’ve been living in a small mountain town called Canmore, tucked away in the Canadian Rockies at 1,400 meters above sea level.

It’s hard to imagine a bigger contrast to home.

Back in Klitmøller, Denmark, I’m used to training at sea level, surrounded by the North Sea, wind, and constant swell. Here, the mountains rise in every direction, the lakes are fed by glaciers, and most mornings the water is perfectly still. It’s a completely different way of training.

One morning, I was out training with my friend Cory Richardson on a narrow stretch of river. There was a path running along one side and a forest climbing up the mountain on the other. We had just started a set of one-kilometer intervals at around eight in the morning when a black bear came sprinting across the path, jumped straight into the river, swam across in front of us, and disappeared into the forest on the other side.

We both just stood there on our boards, completely frozen, watching it all happen about 50 meters away.

I’d been hoping to see a bear while I was in Canada. I just didn’t expect my first encounter to happen in the middle of an interval session.
Safe to say, that was the most memorable workout of the month.

The glacier lakes are freezing, but there’s something special about paddling across glassy water with snow-covered peaks all around you. Every session feels different from anything I’ve experienced before.

Training at altitude has been exactly the challenge I was hoping for. I can feel my fitness improving every week, and I’ve spent plenty of time in the gym building strength alongside the paddling. One of the best parts of the routine has been the sauna.

After spending four months in 30°C Mexico, arriving in Canada and training in near-freezing conditions took some getting used to (even for a Polar Bear). Finishing a cold morning session and warming up in the sauna has become one of my favorite parts of the day.
The mountains have a different rhythm from the ocean.

It’s quieter here.

And that’s been good for me.

Photo by Christian Andersen | Canada 2026

Race Day: Deep Cove, Vancouver

One of the highlights of the month was racing in Deep Cove, just outside Vancouver. It’s one of the most beautiful race venues I’ve ever been to.

On race morning, we watched a video from a group of kayakers who had been out earlier that day. A pod of orcas had surfaced right beside them. I was hoping we’d get lucky. Unfortunately, the whales had other plans.

This race was a little different for me. Normally, once the gun goes off, my only focus is crossing the finish line first. This time, I wanted to try something different.

Dan has raced in Deep Cove for years, but has never managed to win this race. It had become one of his goals, so before the start, I decided I’d dedicate my race to helping him however I could. It completely changed the way I approached the race.

Instead of only thinking about my own position, I found myself watching the group, controlling the pace, and thinking several moves ahead.

For 14 kilometers, the three of us, Dan, our good friend Elias Nebel, and I, stayed together at the front in a draft train. The race flew by.

As we entered the final sprint, Dan found another gear and crossed the line first by just a couple of seconds. Seeing him finally take that win was almost as satisfying as winning a race myself. Sometimes helping a friend accomplish a goal is even better.

Photos by Board The Fjord | Vancouver 2026

What’s Next? Heading back South

The road isn’t over yet. In the next few days, I’ll be heading back south to Montana for one of my favorite races of the entire season: the Flathead River Rumble. The race is organized by my good friends Jess and Mike, two of the most genuine people you’ll ever meet. Every year, they put together an incredible event, and I’m grateful to call them friends.

After Montana, it’s on to Hood River for a week of downwind paddling and foiling before the next chapter begins. There are still plenty of miles left to drive, new places to explore, and more races ahead.

Stay tuned.

Written by Christian Andersen

Gear set-up

Throughout his North American road trip for Board and Paddle, Christian Andersen relied on his NSP quiver and the setup included the NSP Puma 14′ × 22″ for distance and all-round performance, the NSP Ninja 14′ × 20″ when speed was the priority, and the NSP Vivace 84 RDM paddle throughout the journey. Dan Miller raced and trained on the NSP Ninja 14′ × 22″, showcasing the versatility and performance of the NSP race line-up across a wide range of conditions.

To find out more about NSP, visit nspsurfboards.com 

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Read Polar Bear Chronicles #1: Mexico