Salivoli Backyard Challenge
An ULTRA adventure in my backyard
By Paolo Marconi
The Salivoli Backyard Challenge was born in 2021 with the aim of quenching my thirst for SUP and ultra endurance. COVID had stopped the world of races, and there was little to paddle around the globe. So, on a calm November day, I started this challenge in the water around Salivoli.
The format of the Salivoli Backyard Challenge is inspired by the eponymous running races called “Backyard Ultra”. In this type of race, runners run on a controlled course of variable distance, completing each lap within an hour, and the winner is the one who completes the most laps. For the Salivoli Backyard Challenge, I adapted the format to spend an entire day on the SUP, creating an 8-kilometer lap to be completed within one hour, every hour, for eight times. The time left at the end of each lap (often less than 10 minutes) is used for rest and nutrition. Completing the challenge means paddling 8 laps of 8 kilometers for a total of about 64 kilometers. The Salivoli Backyard Challenge is not a race, but a challenge against oneself, and personal victory comes with the completion of the eight laps.
The first Salivoli Backyard Challenge was completed on a late November day, with Filippo Alberti joining me for the first and last lap, Susak (pregnant with Kilian) playing a crucial role in managing nutrition and breaks on land, and my friend Eugenio Bucci capturing the day with beautiful shots and a video telling the story of the endeavor.
After two years of absence, the Salivoli Backyard Challenge returned this year. I needed an ultra-endurance workout in preparation for the Last Paddler Standing, and what better opportunity to test myself in my home waters?
So, on October 30th at 9 am, the second edition of this Salivoli challenge began. The course was the same as the first edition, starting and finishing at Salivoli Beach, with a turning point around the rock in front of Fosso alle Canne and back. This year, however, I expanded the challenge to anyone who wanted to participate, announcing it on social media. The Salivoli SUP community, both local and non-local, gathered. On the beach, enjoying the beautiful day, alongside Susak and Kilian, was my second family, the Bagnetti Salivoli, who supported me during the land breaks and made the whole day lighter. In the water, several athletes from Piombino alternated with me throughout the day. Local young athlete Filippo Alberti completed the first four laps, stepping into the ultra world. During the second lap, Susak also paddled with us. For the fifth and sixth laps, Federico Esposito joined me, with whom I had just finished the World ISA Championships in Denmark. For the last two laps, when fatigue started to set in, the young Giulio Brucciani joined, showing his passion for our sport by paddling until sunset. Alongside these athletes, other local and non-local paddlers joined us, completing at least one lap at their own pace.
The sea conditions were tough right from the start. The first four laps, though windless, had a strong current pushing us north, allowing for strong paddling on the way out but requiring effort on the return. From lunchtime onwards, things got more complicated. The heat triggered the classic thermal Maestrale wind, and with this condition, we had headwinds and favorable current going out, and tailwinds with opposing currents on the way back. All of this made the Salivoli Backyard Challenge very physically demanding, especially during the second half. I had to push at a steady pace each lap to ensure I had enough margin during the breaks on land to eat and rest. The rest time between laps was always between 7 and 9 minutes. The final laps, due to the wind and current, required extra mental effort to fight the fatigue and muscle soreness. The final lap, like the first edition, was the most emotional. The last kilometer filled me with a sense of satisfaction for completing a challenge that had kept me paddling all day in my favorite spot. For this challenge, and due to the variability of conditions throughout the day, I chose my trusty Sunova Allwater 14x22 paired with a Quickblade T2 85 paddle.
The day concluded just before sunset, with the entire Salivoli community gathered on the beach at the end of the last lap to celebrate not only the completion of the Salivoli Backyard Challenge but also a beautiful day spent on our favorite beach.
A special thanks to everyone with whom I shared this day, in the water and on land, who made this adventure unforgettable. Thanks also to Eugenio Bucci and Max Alberti, who captured this challenge with the photos you see on this page.
The hope is that this event will be repeated every year and become a way to bring the SUP community together in Salivoli and expand the culture of Ultra Endurance within our sport.
