Polar Bear Chronicles #3: Christian Andersen reports on Montana miles & Hood River sessions

How about a slice of iconic Hood River? TotalSUP welcomes Christian Andersen – aka “Polar Bear” – back to The Polar Bear Chronicles. The two-time SUP World Champion, multiple-time European Champion, and NSP Team rider – gives us a glimpse into life between training, racing and the road.

After two months at altitude in the Canadian Rockies, Christian heads south to Hood River, Oregon – one of the world’s legendary destinations for SUP and wind sports, and a paddling playground like few others. Now it’s time to trade the mountains for the river and put those months of preparation to the test.

Introduction

The next part of the journey would take me back across the border into the United States. First to Montana for a week of racing, time with friends, and plenty of fun on the water, before continuing west to Hood River for a completely different kind of challenge.

This chapter ended up being one of my favorite parts of the North American adventure. This is Chapter Three: Montana & Hood River.

Montana: The Flathead River Rumble

After two months of living and training at 1,400 meters in the Canadian Rockies, I was excited to see what kind of shape I was actually in.
We drove south from Canada, crossed back into the United States, and made our way to Montana for the Flathead River Rumble Race.
Montana is one of those places that feels enormous.

There is so much open land, mountains in every direction, and some of the most unique nature I’ve experienced anywhere on this trip. Flathead Lake is beautiful during the summer. It’s a massive body of water surrounded by mountains, and it made the perfect backdrop for a week on the water.

The race was organized by my good friends Jess and Mike, who did an incredible job putting the whole event together.

When we weren’t preparing for the race, we made the most of our time on the water. Riding jet skis, e-foiling, and getting in some epic tow-in sessions on the foils. It was the perfect way to spend a few summer days in Montana.

Flathead Lake, Montana 2026

Race Weekend: Two Days, Two Wins

Saturday started with the sprint races.

After two months of altitude training, I was curious to see how my body would respond when it was time to race at full intensity again. It was some short and intense racing over the 100 meter course. I felt good and managed to take the win.

On Sunday, it was time for the long-distance race. The course was one of the most enjoyable flat water races I’ve done in a long time: 10 kilometers, taking us up and down the river before eventually opening out onto the huge Flathead Lake.

It had a little bit of everything and made for a really fun race. I was able to take the win again, making it two victories from two races that weekend.

More than the results, though, the weekend gave me a chance to see exactly where my fitness was after the training block in Canada. What was working, where I’d improved, and what still needed attention before returning to Europe to race on the international scene.

For me, racing has always been one of the best forms of training.

You can do all the intervals, gym sessions, and preparation you want, but nothing completely recreates the intensity and decision making of standing on a start line. Every race teaches me something. And with the biggest part of the season still ahead, Montana gave me a good idea of where I stood.

Flathead Lake, Montana 2026

Hood River: Chasing Wind & Bumps

From Montana, we packed everything back into the truck and headed west toward Hood River, Oregon. The focus for the next week was completely different.

Foiling.

Hood River is one of the world’s great places for downwind sports. The wind funnels through the Columbia River Gorge and, during summer, there are good downwind conditions almost every day.

For someone who loves being on the water as much as possible, it’s a pretty special place. I spent the week downwind foiling whenever the conditions allowed, putting in hours on the water and getting more comfortable with every session.

I was also there to shoot photos with my new NSP Bluefin EVO, which gave us the perfect excuse to spend even more time chasing wind and swell.

There is something addictive about foiling. You’re constantly reading the water, connecting bumps, trying to stay on foil, and searching for the next piece of energy. When everything comes together, it feels like you’re flying down the river.

And Hood River gives you endless opportunities to practice.

Hood River, Oregon 2026

More Than Just the River

What surprised me about Hood River was how much I enjoyed the place away from the water too.

The landscape is completely different from Montana and the Canadian Rockies.

The area is filled with orchards and fruit trees, waterfalls hidden throughout the Columbia River Gorge, mountains, and green valleys. Then, right through the middle of it all, you have this huge river with consistent summer wind. It’s a place built around being outside. Wake up.

Check the wind. Grab the foil. Head to the river. Simple.

After months of racing and structured training, spending a week chasing wind and improving at something different was exactly what I needed.

The End of the North American Chapter

After Hood River, it was time to point the truck north one final time. I drove back up to Canada, packed my bags, and boarded a flight back to Europe.

Looking back, North America gave me exactly what I’d hoped for when I decided to change things up this season. I raced in new places, trained at altitude in the Canadian Rockies, crossed thousands of kilometers by road, paddled through some incredible landscapes, spent time with good friends, and found new ways to enjoy being on the water.

But the season is far from over. Europe is waiting, and I’m excited to get back on the start line and compete against some of the best paddlers in the world again.

Denmark. Greece. Spain. Italy. Portugal. Two European Championships. One World Championship. And plenty of adventures in between.

The Polar Bear is heading home. Next up: Chapter Four / Europe.

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 Bluefin EVO foil board, 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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