Paddleboarder Brendan Prince attempts non-stop 500 km water safety challenge
Brendan Prince is trying to paddleboard 500 kilometres non-stop without touching land to raise awareness and funds for water safety charity Above Water.
The Full Story
A plain summary built from the channels that reported this story.
Brendan Prince is attempting a 500 kilometre non-stop stand-up paddleboard challenge, called SUP 500, to raise awareness about water safety. He is expected to make the attempt this week. The aim is to break the record for paddling in one go, without getting off the board or touching land.
Speaking before the attempt, Prince said the duration would depend on the weather. He expects to cover about 125 kilometres a day, putting the challenge at roughly four nights and five days. From the moment he starts to the moment he finishes, he plans to stay on the board with all his kit. He will not get off.
His board will carry dry bags strapped to the top, with enough food for seven days. Sleep will be limited to about 20 minutes every four hours. He said he cannot lie on his side because the surface is too hard, and lying on his back gives the greatest stability. He must stay in his kit so he can spring up at any moment.
Training has involved blue boards, which he described as floats to help a novice. For the challenge he will use a bigger, better paddleboard that allows him to spread the load.
The attempt is also a fundraiser for the water safety charity Above Water. Prince said doing something many people think is a little crazy can get people thinking about water safety. He added that stand-up paddleboarding is a great way to get on the water, but there have been a huge number of rescues this year, and users need to upskill before going out in blue space.
Conditions for paddleboarding were described as beautiful during the broadcast, with cloud cover and altocumulus shown in the weather segment.
On screen
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Key Claims
Claims reported during this story's coverage, mapped by channel. Ordered by how many channels carried each claim.
| Claim | BBC One |
|---|---|
| Brendan Prince is attempting a 500 kilometre non-stop paddleboard journey without touching land. | |
| Prince expects to cover about 125 kilometres per day and complete the journey in roughly four nights and five days, depending on the weather. | |
| Prince is raising funds for the water safety charity Above Water. |
Channel Perspectives
What each channel focused on, with key quotes.
The segment gives a light, explanatory profile of Brendan Prince's SUP 500 attempt, focusing on the physical logistics: distance, sleep, food, equipment and his novice training. It frames the challenge as a way to raise money and awareness for water safety charity Above Water, with added weather chat about good paddleboarding conditions.
- “So SUP 500 is trying to break the record for paddling in one go, non-stop, without getting off 500k.”
- “So every four hours, I'll have about 20 minutes sleep.”
- “And it's not just a challenge. Brendan is raising funds for the water safety charity Above Water.”
Who was on air
People and organisations each channel put on air while covering this story. Channels' own presenters and reporters are not listed. Names as transcribed, and the list can miss people.
- 13:53 BST
Brendan Prince, paddleboarder
“Brendan Prince will be following this week”
BBC News at One including... · Thu 24 Sept
Broadcast Timeline
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