Originally published by Stuff, July 2025. By Tom Bartlett. Image credits: Tim MacFarlane and Kieran Hickman.
A pair of self-proclaimed “weekend warriors” from Marlborough are about to embark on one of the toughest endurance events in the world. Tim MacFarlane and Kieran Hickman fly to Canada this weekend for the famed Yukon 1000, where they will kayak for about 18 hours a day for more than a week to reach the finish line in Alaska. They spoke to Tom Bartlett.
It is known as a race that only the physically fittest, and mentally strongest, survive, let alone thrive.
A 1000 mile (1600km) kayaking odyssey along the Yukon River from northern Canada across subarctic and arctic wilderness to the end in a remote part of Alaska.
Tim Macfarlane has visited the area before and likens it to New Zealand’s South Island, on steroids.
“Massive country. The river itself is huge. It’s up to 5km wide in places. It’s just a big rolling river,” he said.
And MacFarlane and his team-mate, Kieran Hickman, are reading to embrace it all.
“It is a once in a lifetime opportunity,” Hickman said.
“Don’t die wondering,” Macfarlane added. “Got to get out there and give it a crack.”
Giving it “a crack” is appropriate when you consider their history.
Both have lined up in several Coast to Coast and Godzone events, although they accept this is wildly different, a race that will take them to their limit.
It begins in Whitehorse, Northern Canada’s largest city, passes through Dawson City, before the competitors cross the Alaskan border and head to the finish line at Dalton Highway Bridge.
1600km to cover, 18 hours a day in the boat. There is no support and crews are required to be fully self-sufficient.
Adding to the challenge, the battle is not just with the geography and the elements.
“We’ve got to put our food 100 metres away from camp up a tree so the bears don’t come looking and sniffing around our tents,” Hickman said. “We want to see the wildlife, the moose, the caribou, the bears, the wolves… it’s all about experiencing the wilderness, an epic adventure.”
It is an adventure thousands of people around the world crave but only a lucky few get to experience. Only 30 crews are selected to compete each year.
“It’s always been on my bucket list and Tim, he’s been up there, so it’s been on his bucket list as well,” Hickman explained.
“And it’s quite a renowned race in the kayaking world.”
It is renowned too for breaking the competitors.
With that in mind, perhaps it’s understandable that Hickman and Macfarlane are keeping their expectations limited.
“Completion, make sure we finish it,” Hickman said.
“Obviously we want to race hard and go as well as we can but at the same time we want to race our own race and not worry about the other competitors and just do everything right that we can under our control.”
The pair have spoken at length to Sophie Hart and Nathan Fa’avae, the New Zealand pair who won last year’s race.
“They’ve given us lots of frank and very good advice,” Macfarlane said.
It is advice they intend to heed as they look to not only finish the race but also raise money for the Nelson Marlborough Rescue Helicopter Trust.
“They do great work,” MacFarlane said. “And in our line of endeavors, adventure racing and sports where we’re out there, we’re pushing the envelope a wee bit, putting ourselves at a certain amount of calculated risk.
“But with that comes a little bit of responsibility and payback to these organizations that are out there supporting us all.”
It’s the same support the pair will need to give each other as they put their bodies and their friendship on the line.
“Fingers crossed, when we get in the hurt locker that we’ll come out the other side, still good mates,” Hickman laughed.
Finishing the race would certainly ensure that.
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