Team Spirit of American takes on Yukon 1000

Boundary County’s own Josh Friedman and Julie Kirk are competing in the world’s longest paddle race, the Yukon 1000. Friedman and Kirk have dubbed their kayaking duo, Team Spirit of America.

The team has 10 days to travel 1,000 miles from White Horse, Canada, to the finish line at the Dalton Highway, just north of Fairbanks, Alaska. The route up the Yukon River takes kayaks into the Arctic Circle and into the most isolated grizzly and black bear territory in the world.

The competitors are offered no help unless there's an emergency. The competition started on July 3 and, as of Wednesday, July 6, Team Spirit of America is in 16th place.

This competition has been a longtime coming for the pair, who have been avid kayakers for years. In fact, you can almost always find a kayak strapped to the top of Julie’s car as she frequents the Kootenai River for training.

The duo has already completed the Yukon River Quest five times, but Yukon 1000 is a whole ’nother beast.

Yukon 1000 officials said on the group’s website that challengers must have the physical and mental fortitude to cope with the staggering feat of paddling 18 hours a day; just to complete the race. Completely self-sufficient, teams sleep rough where they stop, and in extreme cases must be able to survive in true wilderness.

For more information and to keep track of Team Spirit of America, visit www.yukon1000.org.