Crossing the Atlantic – athlete and climate advocate Michael Walther paddling from Europe to South America

Michael Walther is currently crossing the Atlantic Ocean on a stand-up paddleboard (SUP). The transatlantic paddleboard journey highlights marine conservation, with Gebrüder Weiss providing logistics and communications support.

This Saturday, extreme athlete and climate advocate Michael Walther from Kiel, Germany, set off from Lagos, Portugal, making an attempt to set a new world record and cross the Atlantic Ocean on a stand-up paddleboard (SUP).

His journey will span approximately 6,000 kilometers (3,700 miles), taking him past the Canary Islands and Cape Verde before reaching French Guiana.

Walther is undertaking this challenge solo and without a support vessel. His mission is to draw attention to the threats facing the oceans due to climate change and to collect valuable scientific data for marine research.

Before the journey could begin, logistics partner Gebrüder Weiss handled the transportation of the specially designed SUP board from Germany to Portugal.

The company has been supporting Walther for several months and is also assisting with communications efforts to raise awareness of his mission.

"With his transatlantic crossing, Michael Walther is sending an important signal for ocean conservation. We are proud to support him as a partner and wish him strength and perseverance on his journey," says Robert Stahlschmidt, Country Manager Air & Sea Germany at Gebrüder Weiss.

Once the crossing is complete, Gebrüder Weiss will return the paddleboard to Germany via climate-neutral sea freight.

The company uses a certified insetting approach, which reduces CO2 emissions directly within the transport chain by utilizing sustainable fuels rather than offsetting emissions through external projects.

More information about Gebrüder Weiss’s sustainability efforts can be found at:

👉https://www.gw-world.com/company/sustainability/future-of-mobility

and on the company's social media channels.

Since 2021, Gebrüder Weiss has been actively supporting innovation projects in sustainable transportation, collaborating with universities, research institutions, and startups.

Fact Box – Atlantic Crossing by SUP

• Route: From Portugal via the Canary Islands and Cape Verde to French Guiana

• Distance: Approx. 6,000 kilometers (3,728 miles), around 4 million paddle strokes

• SUP Board: Modeled after offshore rowing boats, includes a 2 m² sleeping cabin in the bow

• Equipment: 200 kg of (440 lbs) food, life raft, medical kit, tools

• Navigation: GPS, chart plotter, satellite phone, radio

• Research: Hydrophone for recording marine animal sounds

• Live Tracking: https://zeroemissions.eu/live

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Gebrüder Weiss

Michael Walther

SUP

stand up paddleboard

crossing the Atlantic