Crossing the Atlantic on a SUP: Michael Walther is on his way - live tracker shows position

"From now on, I will be paddling for around 15 hours every day in order to complete the 6,000 kilometres to my destination in South America within the planned time," said Michael Walther shortly before the start. "This will be a very special journey. Over the last few days, I've received lots of messages and voicemails from friends wishing me luck and a good journey. That has given me a real boost. I'm already a bit excited. But most of all I'm happy that it's finally happening. After so much preparation, training, working on the boat and planning with family and partners, it almost feels a bit strange that everything is now ready. The first day will certainly still feel surreal."

Offshore SUP with technology and storage space

Michael Walther had been preparing for his expedition for months, having completed a trial tour on the Baltic Sea in the summer. His SUP board is more reminiscent of a small ship, with cabins and storage space, it offers enough room for supplies and safety on the Atlantic. On board, it has solar power, a salt water treatment system, navigation electronics and satellite reception, which enables it to make contact. The journey is expected to take around three months, during which Michael Walther will paddle an estimated four million strokes.

• Shortly before the start of the Atlantic crossing by SUP - three questions for Michael Walther

He is the first stand-up paddler to attempt the crossing without any additional propulsion. His stand-up paddleboard has neither a motor nor does he have a kite or anything similar with him to give him propulsion. "Natural forces such as waves and, of course, my paddle are the only propulsion," adds Walther, "This makes the mental challenge particularly great. The wind and current can cause me to drift away from the finish line despite the hard physical effort. Those will certainly be the moments when I really struggle with the challenge."

Livetracker: Follow Michael Walther's Atlantic crossing by SUP

The Zero Emissions project

His extreme challenge is intended to symbolise the fact that major changes can only be achieved step by step - or in this case, paddle stroke by paddle stroke. "The distance across the Atlantic is long, just like the path to a truly sustainable future," says Walther. "But the crucial thing is: we have to start now, consistently and with perseverance. Any hesitation costs time - and we no longer have any."

The project is part of the Zero Emissions Initiative, which was founded in 2008 by Thomas Reinke and Michael Walther to inspire people for environmental and climate protection with extraordinary campaigns. It focuses on innovative approaches and positive messages to bring sustainable thinking and action into everyday life. In addition to pure extreme sports projects, such as a climate-neutral trip around Schleswig-Holstein (2020) or across Germany (2022), Michael Walther also uses his trips for lectures and film productions. For example, the internationally award-winning film "The Great Route" was produced during a trip with a stand-up paddleboard off Greenland and the documentary "Time to Act", which the team shot in Iceland in 2024, was released in German cinemas in May 2025.