GREENWOOD, La. — A Greenwood man recently completed a race so difficult that only a few dozen athletes are ever accepted to attempt it — and fewer than 20 teams managed to finish in 2025.
At an age when many are thinking about slowing down, Jeff Larsen is pushing forward into some of the world’s toughest ultramarathon paddle races.
Larsen has already competed in the Texas Water Safari, a 260-mile, four-day race. But last month, he and his racing partner, German Mirko Pruefer, took on an even greater challenge: the Yukon 1000. The nine-day, 1,000-mile river journey through Alaska and Canada’s wilderness pushes competitors to their physical and mental limits.
Out of thousands who applied this year, fewer than two dozen teams made it to the starting line — and just 18 crossed the finish. Larsen’s team finished 13th in seven days, 14 hours and 37 minutes.
Recently, Larsen showed off the paddling skills that carried him through those endurance races during a demonstration for KTBS 3 on the Big Cypress Bayou in Jefferson, Texas…