Great Britain is about to be supped around, mate.
On July 26, 36-year-old Jordan Wylie set out on a SUP world record attempt to stand-up paddleboard around Great Britain – The Great British Paddle. Leaving form Blackpool Lancashire, he’s planning to paddle 2,000 miles while circumnavigating the coast.
It’s been attempted before, but the hardship and relentless and challenging British weather have made the other attempts fail.
“We’re hoping this is the first successful attempt,” says Wylie, who served in the British Army for 10 years and ran through the three most dangerous countries in the world in 2018, which became the subject of his book “Running For My Life.” He’s also rowed across the perilous Bab El Mandeb Straits, at the mouth of the pirate-infested Gulf of Aden – considered the most dangerous stretch of water on the planet.
After completing this sup mission, he plans a polar running challenge in December in Antarctica.
Wylieis hoping his mission inspires young people from around the world to pursue the spirit of adventure. With the money he’s raising he hopes to contribute £100,000 pounds to the Horn of Africa for refugees that have been displaced by conflicts in Yemen and Somalia.
The team
Joining him is a world class team, including:
- World record-breaking sailor Alex Alley who will skipper the support boat and act as overall project manager.
- Adventure psychologist and polar explorer Paula Reid
- James May – a former military adventurer turned filmmaker who will document the attempt
The expedition is being sponsored by Andover-based business Angel Call Handling.
Follow the trip here