What does it take to commit to 30+ hours of nearly non-stop paddling, much of it in complete darkness? There’s something captivating about paddlers who return year after year for the SUP 11-City Tour experience. How many times do they face self-doubt, and how often do they negotiate with themselves to keep going?
TotalSUP caught up with Fred Ducry, Swiss Waterman, ISA SUP Coach and Indiana Paddle & Surf Co. Team Rider, to uncover the motivation behind his return to the Netherlands for the Non-Stop race challenge.
Photo by Edwin Westra
Hi Anna, thanks for your congratulations. Although I was aiming for 30 hours, I’m really happy to have completed the SUP 11-City Tour in the Non-Stop format, even if it took a bit longer than expected. I still sometimes find it hard to believe that I paddled 200 km in one go.
In 2020, I participated and finished the 5-day version of the SUP 11-City Tour, my first experience and a journey full of discoveries. After some reflection, I decided to sign up again for the 2022 edition, again in the 5-day format. This second attempt was done with more confidence, and I completed the event once more, despite challenging conditions, especially with lots of wind. Just two days later, I was already eager to do it again.
However, looking back, I realized that while the 5-day version was rewarding, it was also mentally and physically exhausting in the long run. Getting up at 5 a.m. for five consecutive days to paddle intensely for hours demands an iron will. I understood that I needed a new challenge.
The Non-Stop version seemed more suitable to me, offering a certain simplicity: a single start, a single race, a single finish line. And this adventure lived up to all my expectations.
Absolutely. Alongside the race, I set up a sponsorship programme to benefit children and adolescents with mental and/or multiple disabilities. One goal was to raise funds to improve their care: to buy educational materials, organize outings, or simply provide them with joyful moments, like sharing an ice cream. 😊 In this regard, I met several times with teachers and children to present my project and give a pedagogical dimension to this adventure.
It was an additional challenge beyond the race, as I managed everything myself: I created flyers, communicated and mobilized my network as well as a broader audience, kept track of the donations from sponsors, and handled communication before and after the race. Today, I am finalizing the distribution of donations, which amount to 6,185 Swiss Franc (every cent goes directly to the children, with no intermediary fees or costs related to the race).
Another aim of this project is to raise awareness about the role and place of these children in our society. Every day, these children bravely face their disabilities without complaint, demonstrating remarkable generosity and expecting nothing in return.
Their love is unconditional, and that is what matters most to them. However, their autonomy and ability to meet their basic needs—such as physiological requirements, safety, belonging, esteem, and self-actualisation—often rely on our support. In these circumstances, their lives are far from easy, and achieving true freedom remains a challenging privilege.
If we unite to create a more inclusive, supportive, and compassionate world, everyone will find their place and contribute to the greater whole. We are fortunate to be healthy, to fully enjoy our mental capabilities, and to meet our basic needs. We are free and without limits.
Photo by Edwin Westra
As a regular athlete participating in 5 to 8 activities each week and having already completed two SUP 11-City Tour editions, I didn’t require extensive specific training. My prior experience with two coaches, combined with sports literature, allowed me to create my own three-month program. Naturally, there was no guarantee it would be effective!
In summary, I set up a weekly routine that included one dynamic strength training session, 3 to 4 SUP sessions with gradually increasing durations (from 1 hour to 3 hours), one basketball session, one yoga session, and a rest day. Most of my SUP training took place on Lake Geneva, but to avoid monotony, I also visited other bodies of water. Overall, I completed one 6-hour session and two 8-hour sessions, covering approximately 60 km each time.
With a family and a job, it’s essential to balance the training load with non-sporting responsibilities. My program may not have been designed to win the race, but it allowed me to finish and recover in just two days.
Photo by Edwin Westra
During my first tour, I obviously learned many things that are impossible to simulate in training. Paddling for 8 hours completely self-supported is like a long day at work, without too many surprises. However, in the non-stop event, everything beyond 8 hours was uncharted territory for me—physically, mentally, nutritionally, and in terms of working with the support team. Every paddle stroke after the 8-hour mark was a discovery, a personal record.
I would really like to repeat this experience. I now have the chance to refine my training program, build up my mental resilience, and strengthen my determination. Improving preparation with my support team is also crucial. Being surrounded by passionate, empathetic, and attentive people is essential, but it’s equally important to involve them actively in the success of this ultra-distance challenge. Finally, I need to adjust my nutrition plan.
Photo by Edwin Westra
Fortunately, the good moments far outweighed the tough ones. The start is a great memory—when you think to yourself, “Finally, I’m here!” The race begins, and the kilometers tick by. In my mind, I set small goals: reach the first aid station, then the first city stop in Sloten, paddle until sunset, enjoy the twilight, reach the 100 km mark, and so on. For the first 19 hours, I felt really positive.
Mentally, the first challenges hit around 3 am. A friend who was racing with me had to drop out due to vomiting, which took a toll on my morale. Without realizing it, I started mismanaging the race—I wasn’t hydrating and fuelling properly. I probably got chilled in the canal between Harlingen and Franeker, leading to some gastrointestinal issues. The organizers gave me a boost after my first attempt to quit at a refuelling stop. I looked forward to sunrise for some relief, but during a portage, a bad move caused me to lose my water supply in the canal, which really discouraged me. I tried to quit a second time but had the clarity to call Sarah, my wife, who found the right words to get me back on track.
Physically, the second day was especially gruelling. And, of course, the SUP 11-City Tour wouldn’t be complete without those infamous 30 km from Dokkum to Leeuwarden, paddling directly against the wind. On top of that, muscle pain was also setting in. Every boat wave, every bridge where I had to duck and stand back up felt like an ordeal. Even just turning around to check for weed caught in the fin was a challenge for my neck.
The last 10 kilometers were both the most beautiful and the hardest of my life. Between the emotional rollercoaster and the struggle to stay upright, my form was far from perfect, but crossing the finish line at sunset made it all worth it.
Photo by Jurij
During my training, I only paddled at night twice. That was enough to gauge what worked and what didn’t. I tested a situation I call “my own personal hell” on Lake Vouglan, a steeply banked mountain lake. I paddled for 8 hours, including 4 hours in a moonless night, with not a soul around—onshore or on the water. It was a bit creepy, and my 360° circular light turned out to be useless for orientation or reassurance. Another time, I tried two different lighting setups. In my opinion, a headlamp is the worst option, whereas an LED flashlight mounted on the front of the board proved much more effective.
Despite a few inconveniences mentioned earlier, I truly enjoyed paddling at night on the canals in the Netherlands. Night doesn’t last very long there, around 10 hours, with an extended dusk and dawn breaking up the darkness. Each section of the night time route was unique.
In Workum, for instance, you arrive in the middle of a sea of public and private lights. You can see people in their homes as if you were strolling through a town in the evening. Then there are stretches through the countryside, where a calming tranquility reigns. Occasionally, you pass by enormous wind turbines. By day, they might go unnoticed, but at night, they look majestic, giving you chills. There’s life in the industrial ports and farming areas at night, which made it unexpectedly lively.
Though the debate continues over whether a wider board is better for ultra distances, especially due to the impact on leg muscles, I didn’t hesitate for a second in choosing my Indiana Dugout Hollow Carbon 14′ x 21.5” race board. I wanted speed. It performs well both on the calm, flat waters of the canals and in the chop of the lakes, offering a distinct advantage with its lightweight (9.5 kg), making portages easier.
As for the fin, I deliberated between the Indiana 7″ Malfroid Race Fin and the Indiana 7.5″ Swiss Champ Race Fin. I ultimately went with the latter, which compensates for the board’s narrow width. However, the former would have been more effective at avoiding weeds, lily pads, and reeds.
I recommend thorough preparation, both in terms of training and in organizing the trip and on-site logistics. Your training plan should be tailored to your personal performance goals, and it’s important to stick with it as much as possible, even when it gets challenging, physically or mentally. Remember the saying, “train hard, race easy,” and keep in mind that the true reward is the race itself. Visualize your success and convince yourself that you’ve already achieved it.
*Images courtesy of Fred Ducry
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