“War game everything”: Long distance paddling playbook with Yster SUP endurance champs – Göran Gustavsson & Craig Sawyer

In this second part of the Yster SUP long-distance paddling series, we’re diving into the essentials of endurance racing with exclusive insights from the Yster SUP champions.

This time, we go deeper with Göran “Gossa” Gustavsson and Craig Sawyer – two paddlers who’ve carved out their place in the endurance SUP world with a staggering number of paddle strokes and epic races under their belts, including the Yukon River Quest (Göran won the SUP division in 2023) , Yukon 1000 (Craig, as part of Team SHAC Yukon, took the SUP Division win in 2023) , SUP 11-City Tour (Göran and Craig battled the Non-Stop race and smashed it in 2023) and Last Paddler Standing.

Image source: SUP 11 City Tour

There’s a saying that you don’t have to run a marathon to run a marathon – do you agree with this, and does it apply to endurance SUP paddling as well? How do you prepare and build up to big races?

Craig Sawyer: I absolutely agree with this! I have a mantra – don’t do the race before the race! You want to train and prepare yourself so you have confidence in your preparation and training (but not be complacent!) – you don’t want to rock up to the start line or the beginning of an ultra endurance challenge exhausted and drained.

I prepare by making sure all my planning is in order, kit is tested (and tested again!), I’m injury free and rested. What does this look like? I could write pages on training plans, but in summary I mix up strength and conditioning, mobility etc. with paddling – taper off a few weeks before the challenge, I like to head in rested and mentally ready.

Image source: SUP 11 City Tour

Göran “Gossa” Gustavsson: The best way is to have consistent training pretty much every day or twice a day. And the most important thing is mind-setting that you’re going to paddle a long time – you have to be prepared in your head. So long walks and long paddles for at least an hour or two hours each time. Then you increase the paddle for about three to four hours, but you definitely don’t have to do a marathon paddle before the marathon race.

Can anyone get into long-distance paddling, or does it require a specific background or skill set?

Craig: With the usual caveats around checking with your doctor if you have any health conditions or concerns, absolutely anyone can get into long-distance paddling. The body is capable of doing far more than we give it, and ourselves credit for – you just have to train your mind to not allow you to stop!

What I love about long distance paddling is it combines lots of different skillsets that you can work on, such as physical fitness, mindset, first aid / medical, nutrition, hydration, mapping etc. The more you paddle, the more you learn, the better you get, the more distance you can do.

Göran: Everyone can get into marathon paddling, it all depends what you have in your mind. I was a sprinter when I was a swimmer in my youth. As you can see most of the time, long distance paddling is happening when you’re more mature. You’re a little bit more experienced and know what can go wrong and what can go right.

Image source: SUP 11 City Tour

What motivated you to choose endurance paddling over other SUP formats?

Craig: The longer the distance, the less it is all about your fitness levels – and more about a combination of factors, experience and skillsets. It’s the ultimate leveller (it’s no coincidence that the successful long distance trail runners are not 20-something fitness freaks!). And there’s so much that goes into ultra endurance paddling beyond the paddling – food, hydration, mindset, gear, planning – and this is what I love. You really learn a lot about yourself as you pound out the miles with nothing but your own thoughts for company. And the feeling you get at the end, when it all works out is like nothing else.

Göran: The biggest motivation for me is the social thing around long distance racing, everyone is ready to help with any questions you may have, with the gear stuff. Despite being a bit more tensed, everyone is in the same situation as it’s the long distance race, and they all prepare together and then it’s a shared joy. It’s not only the winner that gets the recognition, endurance races celebrate countless winners There are obviously the 1st, 2nd and 3rd position that people are heading for, but most of the people that do long distance SUP races they set a goal to finish them and to maybe beat the time they did before. Everyone has the same goal of finishing it.

How important is SUP gear when it comes to long-distance paddling, and what should paddlers prioritise in their setup?

Craig: Gear is important for a multitude of reasons – first and foremost, from a safety perspective – the very nature of long-distance paddling means you are likely to be in remote areas, or places where help might not get to you quick or the weather might turn and you might need to sit it out (so think PFD’s, leashes, first aid kits, InReach etc.) There’s extra things to consider such as additional gear to carry depending on the distance (dry clothes, shelter, water purification, food, spare fin, paddle etc. – things break). And then of course you need a board that is fit for purpose and has the features and design to bring it all together – a variety of mounting points, tie downs, carry handles, build quality etc.

Göran: It’s always helpful to have good gear but I think you have to have gear that first suits you. I’ve been paddling inflatable boards most of the time except from one SUP 11 City Tour race. You do have to have though good stuff – a good quality tent, stove if you’re going to camp. And a good quality, light paddle. It doesn’t have to be top notch all the time. I’ve been paddling one of the best brands in inflatable boards, Yster SUP,  but again, you have to have that suits you.

What are three pieces of advice you would give to aspiring long-distance paddlers?

Craig: Enjoy the suffering – when things are tough, know the good times are just around the corner – and when things are good be prepared for that to change – nothing is forever (both good and bad).

Sweat the small stuff – if it annoys you or niggles you in your training, it’s not going to be fun when you are out there pounding out the km’s on an ultra. War game everything, think of all the ‘what if’s’ and have a plan.

Food and hydration – little and often! And make sure it’s easy to access (if it’s not, you won’t eat or drink as much as you should and you will suffer / DNF). Set an alarm on you watch to vibrate every 15 – 20 mins to remind you to sip and snack. Never cut these corners!

From left: Göran “Gossa” Gustavsson and Craig Sawyer at the 2023 SUP 11 City Tour

Goran: Have fun, meet a lot of people and set the goal that you think you can achieve and just enjoy the time in long distance racing. You’ll meet so many people from all around the world!

Read the first part of Yster SUP Long Distance Paddling series feat. Lindsey Tilton & Per Vallbo

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Follow Göran “Gossa” Gustavsson on Instagram 

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