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KANSAS CITY, Kan. — Chico resident Peter Bjorklund first began standup paddle boarding because of his fascination with rivers and the mystery of how to get from point A to point B.

What started with paddling five miles away from his Maui hotel to the island of Molokini in 2010, continued locally paddling from Irvine Finch River Access in Chico down to Sacramento in 2013, then extended to being named the champion of the California River Quest for two years in 2015 and 2020. Bjorklund’s latest achievement in what he calls the “Super Bowl of river racing” was his first place finish at the Missouri River 340 — the longest non-stop river race in the western hemisphere.

Bjorklund, 39, finished the race in first place in 49 hours and 19 minutes, 20 minutes ahead of second place Mitch Anderson. It was Bjorklund’s third try at the race after placing second in the race in 2020 and 2021. Bjorklund’s time was third fastest ever for a standup paddle boarder.

Chico resident Peter Bjorklund celebrates after taking first place in the Missouri River 340 race on Thursday, July 14, 2022 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Cindy Hiles/Contributed)

Peter Bjorklund makes his way downstream during the 340 mile MR340 race on Wednesday, July 13, 2022 in Kansas City, Missouri. Bjorklund finished in first place in the men's solo stand up paddle board division in 49 hours and 19 minutes and 18th overall in all divisions. Bjorklund carries with him enough food and water to cover ten hour segments without stopping. By night he uses the light of the moon and a board-mounted satelite map to navigate the river. (Michael Carson/Contributed)

Standup paddle boarder competitor Peter Bjorklund stands at the shore with his first place trophy following the 340 mile MR340 race on Thursday, July 14, 2022 in Kansas City, Missouri. Bjorklund finished in first place in the men's solo stand up paddle board division in 49 hours and 19 minutes and 18th overall in all divisions. (Aaron Kagschelland/Contributed)

Peter Bjorklund stops to meet with his ground support crew Kevin Caffrey where Bjorklund stops to resupply water, food, cell phone batteries and medical supplies during the MR340 race on Wednesday, July 13, 2022 in Kansas City, Missouri. down to 3-5 minutes, minimizing stoppage time. On board are all the necessities for the next 8 to 10 hours of racing. ()Kevin Caffrey/Contributed)

Peter Bjorklund rows up stream on his standup paddle board at the Irvine Finch River Access at the Sacramento River Sunday.

32 hours into the 49 hour MR340, standup paddle boarder Peter Bjorklund paddles through Jefferson City, Missouri on Thursday, July 14, 2022. Bjorklund has 115 miles left to go. (Kevin Caffrey/Contributed)

Racers are allotted 85 hours to complete the race, and 1/3 of racers drop out mid race because they’re unable to complete it. Bjorklund finished 18th out of 400 teams across 13 divisions which include men’s/women’s paddle boards, individual kayaks, dual kayaks and other vessels.

“First place was absolutely the priority because that’s universal. If you’re first place in anything whether hurdles or fantasy football,”  Bjorklund said. “The inner circles of this race know how difficult it is to break 50 hours so that’s pretty cool to have that badge of honor, but that was secondary to winning. I beat the second place guy by 2 miles, so about 15-20 minutes of difference.”

Bjorklund said his ground crew member who was by his side the entire trip from shore, Kevin Caffrey, told him he had about three hours left, and Bjorklund assured himself he could outsprint Anderson to the finish. Bjorklund, traveling at roughly 7.3-7.5 miles per hour, finished two miles ahead of Anderson.

“Within the last 100 miles you could tell it was going to be one of us. Within the last 22 miles I said how about you go your very fastest and I’m going to go my very fastest and I’m faster,” Bjorklund said. “I started cranking and putting distance between us knowing that I’ve got 3 hours left of energy. I can do this at full sprint.”

The Missouri River is 700 feet wide in most places and racers can choose to sleep whenever they choose, or in the case for Bjorklund in the 2022 race choose not to sleep at all. Bjorklund believes he finished in second place in the 2021 race to Anderson because he and his crew believed Anderson would take one final rest and Bjorklund could pass him, but Anderson never slept.

Bjorklund made that his goal this year that he could not sleep and must paddle through the waters day and night in order to win the race.  His only stopping points would come to refill his cooler filled with 3 1/2 gallons water on board his kayak, replenish his nutrient-rich food and get new batteries for devices such as an Android that shows where the fastest current on the river is so he could follow it. Bjorklund snacked on food such as sandwiches, apples, almonds, chicken, and by the end of the race he was forcing his body to eat because it was simply exhausted and wanted to rest.

Bjorklund competed on a 19-food board made out of carbon fiber, with a 92-inch carbon fiber paddle weighing roughly a pound. Bjorklund kept Anderson in sight the entire race, knowing Anderson had competed in the race 13 times and won it six.

“I kept my pace and strategy knowing it’s a long race. I figured (Anderson) knows what he’s doing. He’s the best and it’s his 13th year of doing it,” Bjorklund said. “He’s not going to be a sprinter like those young guys who were like racehorses of the gate.”

As for how he trains for the MR340, Bjorklund trains on a 15-foot rubber inflatable kayak in the Sacramento River, where he enters the water at Irvine Finch and paddles upstream to Capay each morning, then paddles downstream to Irvine Finch before work.

This begins in April as he prepares for the California River Quest in late May. He does not train in the cold winter, stating his favorite thing is to go in the water in board shorts and wave to commuters heading to work in the morning. When it is warm enough to get in the water without a shirt on and in shorts, he begins training.

When asked about the biggest hardships along the 340-mile race, Bjorklund spoke about three particular things during the race, and detailed one struggle racers endure post-race.

Bjorklund talked about the struggle all racers endure with the heat and humidity, particularly on the second day of the competition. Bjorland said he would splash water from the river to try to cool himself, but with water temperatures at the surface reaching near 80 degrees and the outside temperature in the 90s, Bjorklund compared it to taking a warm shower while sweating.

The second thing is how terrifying it is to see something come out of the water submerged in the middle of the river, such as a buoy. During the day time racers can see the steel buoy come from below the water, but at night racers must listen for them to come to surface. The buoy are large enough to break boards in half, dislodge people from their boats and can come out of nowhere day or night.

Bjorklund said that the fighting against the physical demands and repetitive motions become exhausting and that is the largest challenge. One’s body is telling you that you do not need to keep pushing it, and stopping for a 30-minute rest may be best, and the mind begins to have doubts. While staying awake for 49 hours hallucinations begin in the brain especially on the second night, Bjorklund said. Pushing through these physical and mental doubts is the largest struggle, Bjorklund said.

Lastly is the nerve damage racers have post-0race, which can take anywhere from two to six months to recover from. Bjorklund said it is not really a hardship during the race due to an adrenaline rush, but post race it can be difficult and taxing. Dead fingernails, getting the full feeling back in one’s hands, numb feet and nerve damage are all things that racers must recover from following the race.

With the MR340 title his, Bjorklund now owns two titles for stand up paddle boarding races. The other race he owns is one in his backyard that he trains regularly for, the California River Quest. The California River Quest is a 100-mile race on Memorial Day that runs from Sundial Bridge in Redding to Scotty’s Landing in Chico, which Bjorklund has done three times. The race was not held in 2021 because there was not enough water in the river, so Bjorklund now holds two titles under his belt.

With a win under his belt in the MR340 in his third attempt, Bjorklund said that he will not be returning to the race. He has competed in other races such as across Lake Tahoe and others, and there are other races that are longer than the MR340, but they have mandatory stops where competitors are required to sleep. To Bjorklund, the MR340 is a the ultimate test of one’s strength and will.

Through paddle boarding he has gained a new appreciation for the rivers all around, but also the grind it takes to do a 50+ hour race without sleep.

“This has encouraged me to spend a lot of great hours on the river and I really enjoy that, but they’re also some hard hours. Every day before work and on the weekends there are other things I like to do also, but I know the type of training that it requires to be a top place finisher and that becomes more than I want in a lifestyle,” Bjorklund said. “All those people that honk at me over the 32 bridge on their commute, which I love, I see you too. They won’t be seeing me out there before work. It’s lonely being out there. It’s fun to go with people. Now my recreational paddleboard will be with other people. I have six paddle boards so come and join me.”

The California River Quest is one race Bjorklund says he will continue to do since it is so close to home and not near as much of a grind as the MR340.

“Our Sacramento River is gorgeous with wildlife and beautiful water and its dynamic. The top of the river has rapids and I train on it every day already,” Bjorklund said. “I’ll continue doing that one and try and maintain my title there, but I know there are tough competitors.”

While there are other ways Bjorklund could participate in the MR340, such as on a two-person kayak while taking more rests and time with a friend, he doesn’t believe he would be able to do so due to his competitive spirit and desire to win or at least strive for first place. In the meantime, he plans to enjoy paddle boarding on the Sacramento River while maintaining his title in the California River Quest.

“I enjoy paddle boarding so much, it’s the perspective I have on the water. I love the standing feeling like I’m walking on water. It took me two years of training before I did the race the first time,” Bjorklund said. “Nothing is a better feeling than winning first place. It took me several years to do this. I came, I saw and I conquered.”

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