Team Spotlight: The Arctic Challenge 2025
Did you know? More people have been to the moon than have rowed the Arctic Ocean. Team JL Ambassadors, Hannah and John Huppi, along with their two teammates, Jimmy Graham and Andrew Tropp, will be taking on the challenge of rowing the Arctic Ocean in 2025. The team has their eyes set on being the first mixed-gender team of 4 to row the Arctic Ocean, the fastest 4-person team to row the Arctic Ocean, and the first All-American team to row a polar ocean. Along with these performance goals, the team is on a mission to inspire young minds, and challenge the next generation to defy their limiting beliefs and chart their own course toward extraordinary achievements. The Arctic Challenge is also proud to support two non-profit organizations dedicated to supporting New Orleans youth: Covenant House New Orleans and Laureus Sport for Good New Orleans. We sat down with the Arctic Challenge Team to learn more about the challenge, their goals, and what is motivating them.
JL Racing: Can you tell us a little bit about The Arctic Challenge and your team?
The Arctic Challenge Team: The Arctic Challenge is an unassisted attempt to row across the Arctic Ocean, covering 600 miles from Tromsø, Norway, to Longyearbyen, Svalbard. We’re a mixed-gender team of four athletes with diverse backgrounds: Andrew Tropp, a Navy SEAL veteran; Jimmy Graham, a former NFL tight end; and Hannah and John Huppi, both former US National Team coastal rowers. The row is expected to take between 10-20 days, with the current world record set at 15 days. Together, we’re taking on this challenge with a goal to not only set records but also to inspire young people and support two important charities within our community.
JL Racing: What kind of boat do you use to row across the Arctic?
The Arctic Challenge Team: We will be rowing an RX45 Ocean Rowing Boat, designed by Rannoch Adventure. Unlike traditional rowing shells, the RX45 is very robust and includes 2 small cabins (each about the size of a trunk of a car). Each cabin is shared by two rowers, who alternate usage between the 2 hour rowing shifts. The stern cabin contains all of the communication and navigation equipment, including the rudder, which can be controlled electronically with an autohelm or through hand or foot steering should the autohelm fail. The bow cabin will contain equipment like our medical kit, tools, spare parts etc.
On deck, there are three rowing positions, although most of the time we will row 2 people on while 2 people rest. Even though there are only 3 rowing seats, we will carry 4-sets of oars, as breaking oars is a common occurrence in ocean rowing. Storage hatches on deck house many critical items, including the batteries (powered by solar panels on the bow and stern cabins), a desalinator system that turns seawater into drinking water, food, tools, a liferaft, survival suits, and an emergency grab bag.
We’ve found that when rowers see the boat, they say “wow, it’s huge!” and when non-rowers see the boat, they say “wow, it’s tiny!”
JL Racing: How do your diverse backgrounds contribute to the team’s dynamic and overall strategy?
The Arctic Challenge Team: Our team is made up of 4 athletes with different skill sets, which has been very beneficial as we prepare for and execute this expedition. Andrew, as a Navy SEAL veteran, has spent significant time in the Arctic during his career. As the team captain, he will draw upon his experience working in tough, high-stress situations to lead our team throughout the challenge. Jimmy’s experience as a pilot and sailor gives him great insight into navigation and weather. John and Hannah bring the rowing expertise, with a background of elite coastal rowing as well as coaching.
While each of us have areas to work on, we are coming into this challenge as a very balanced team. We’re constantly learning from each other, and excited about diversifying our current knowledge as we prepare for our journey. Plus, we share a passion for teamwork, high performance, and giving back - all of which help drive us to work together to complete our mission.
JL Racing: How do you train for a challenge like this? What specific training routines have you incorporated?
The Arctic Challenge Team: Contrary to popular belief, training to row an ocean requires a lot more than just rowing. For our physical training, we’re focused on endurance, strength, and injury prevention. Our endurance work includes rowing (ocean, coastal, flatwater, indoor), as well as cross training (cycling, running, swimming, hiking). Strength training and injury prevention are tailored to each team member, focusing on fortifying areas of weakness so our bodies are able to execute the demand of rowing for 12+ hours a day in the Arctic environment.
In addition to our individualized training plans, our preparation includes ocean rowing camps, as a team, where we can gain confidence and competence on our RX45. We’re working with an ocean rowing coach to perfect our ocean rowing skills so that we are ready to take on any challenge the Arctic throws at us. These camps play heavily with our mental preparation, as we will practice teamwork, develop mental endurance, and learn to cope with the challenges of living on an ocean rowing boat.
JL Racing: How do you plan to adapt your physical and mental strategies to cope with the harsh environment?
The Arctic Challenge Team: The Arctic environment is harsh. We’ll be facing freezing temperatures, high seas, gale-force winds, Arctic wildlife, and potential seasickness. Our plan is to focus on building physical and mental endurance ahead of time, so we’re prepared to row 12+ hours a day. That means practicing 2-hour shifts—2 hours on, 2 hours off—so we’re used to the rhythm of working in these conditions, in a sleep-deprived state.
Mentally, it’s about keeping perspective and leaning on each other when things get tough. A lot of it comes down to trusting the team and knowing we’ve prepared the best we can.
JL Racing: What role does nutrition play in your preparation, and how are you training your body to handle the large amount of calories you’ll need each day?
The Arctic Challenge Team: Nutrition is a huge factor in our ability to perform during the challenge. When you’re expending so much energy, it’s hard to consume enough calories to meet the physical demands. Each of us is aiming to intake between 5,000-8,000 calories per day, depending on body weight. To make this challenge even more difficult, the food should be as lightweight as possible so as to not weigh down the boat - which is rather limiting. Most of our meals will be dehydrated, prepped using a JetBoil and water that we produce with our on-board desalinator. Throughout our training we will spend time testing meals and meticulously planning our nutrition strategies for the expedition.
JL Racing: What are some of the biggest obstacles you’ve faced in your training and preparations so far, and how have you overcome them?
The Arctic Challenge Team: Planning and executing an ocean rowing campaign is like the ultimate group project. It’s easy to underestimate the preparation phase of the challenge. One of the biggest challenges has been balancing our “real lives” with the logistics of planning the campaign. Getting to the starting line of the expedition is one of the biggest milestones in itself. In some ways, the row is the reward after the extensive period of planning, training, and preparation.
During the preparation phase, there are a lot of things to consider. Not only do we have to execute the physical training necessary to row the Arctic, we also have to hone skills in navigation, undergo extreme medical training, and learn sea survival techniques. Simultaneously, we’re focused on fundraising, working with our charity partners, procuring and testing equipment, and handling all the permits and logistical admin. It’s a lot to manage, but keeping the end goal and mission behind the challenge top of mind helps power us through the more tedious parts of preparation.
JL Racing: Can you tell us about some of the challenges you will face during the row?
The Arctic Challenge Team: The row itself is going to be tough - but we’re confident in our ability to prepare for all conditions. While at sea, we will be dealing with sleep deprivation, sea sickness, and the cold, while also rowing 12+ hours a day. The weather is unpredictable, and we’ll need to be ready to adjust our plans on the fly in case of equipment failure, injury, or changes in forecast.
The fact that we’re unsupported also adds a layer of complexity—we have to rely on ourselves to fix any problems that come up. That’s why having a strong support team on land is key, even though they won’t physically be with us. This critical support team includes a weather router, safety officer, team doctor, and logistics manager.
JL Racing: What are you looking forward to most, either during training or the actual row?
The Arctic Challenge Team: We are all inspired by the adventure of doing something so few people have ever done. Less than 20 people have completed this row—more people have been to the moon! There’s something special about stepping into the unknown and taking on a challenge where you really don’t know what’s coming. We’re looking forward to seeing how far we can push ourselves, both as individuals and as a team.
JL Racing: What are your personal and team goals for The Arctic Challenge?
The Arctic Challenge Team: We have a few goals. Of course, we’d love to set some records—becoming the first all-American team to row the Arctic and the first 4-person mixed-gender team to do so are on the top of our list. There’s also a speed record we’d like to challenge, set by Ocean Revival in 2023 (15 days, 5 hours, 32 minutes). But more than that, our main goal is to finish the row safely and to inspire young people. Raising funds and awareness for our charity partners is a huge motivator for us, and we love that we can use this incredible challenge to give back to important causes in our community.
We’re incredibly thankful to our sponsors who are supporting The Arctic Challenge and helping us accomplish our goals. We aim to raise $1,000,000 for our charity partners through this exciting challenge, and we could not do it without the incredible support of our partners.
Special thank you to JL Racing, Flightline First, Metabolic Elite, Coastal Rowing USA, and everyone who has joined our Million Meters Club for your support! Learn more about our sponsors and sponsorship opportunities at: www.thearcticchallenge2025.com/sponsors
JL Racing: Who are your charity partners that you will support through your row?
The Arctic Challenge Team: We have two charity partners for The Arctic Challenge: Covenant House New Orleans and Laureus Sport for Good New Orleans. Both organizations serve young people in New Orleans, and their missions align with our team values.
The Covenant House New Orleans is a youth homeless shelter, housing young people under the age of 22 years old. Committed to their promise to never turn someone away, the Covenant House New Orleans supports nearly 1000 youth annually – providing them with food, shelter, and crisis support. Beyond ensuring their basic needs are met, Covenant House provides residents with health care, counseling, education, and job placement and training. Learn more about the amazing work that the Covenant House is doing at: www.covenanthousenola.org.
Laureus Sport for Good New Orleans is a grant-making non-profit with a mission to improve the lives of young people and unite communities through the power of sport. Over the last 10 years, Laureus Sport for Good New Orleans has increased the quality and capacity of youth sports programs in New Orleans by directly supporting partner organizations, driving collaboration across stakeholders, and advocating for sport as a tool for youth development. Since they were founded in 2014, Laureus Sport for Good New Orleans has served over 20,000 New Orleans youth and supported youth sports organizations with nearly 3 million in grant funding. Learn more about the impact of Laureus in New Orleans and beyond at: www.laureususa.com.
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(Above Photo credit to the New Orleans Saints)
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JL Racing: How can the rowing community follow along or support your journey?
The Arctic Challenge Team: We’ll be posting regular updates on our progress, and you can follow along via YB tracking during the row. Whether it’s through donations, spreading the word, or simply cheering us on, we’d love the support in the following ways:
- To keep up to date, subscribe to our newsletter for updates: www.thearcticchallenge2025.com/subscribe
- Follow the team on Instagram at @thearcticchallenge2025 or follow the athletes at @thejimmygraham @Hannah_Huppi @Johnhuppi
- If you would like to rep The Arctic Challenge gear, head to the JL Racing pre-order store and place an order by October 24th. 10% of net sales from this pre-order store will be donated to The Arctic Challenge and our charity partners.
- If you’re interested in joining our Million Meters Club to help support our incredible charitable mission, visit: www.thearcticchallenge2025.com/donate
- If your business is interested in a corporate sponsorship, check out our sponsorship opportunities: www.thearcticchallenge2025.com/sponsors
- For media inquiries, please contact Team@thearcticchallenge2025.com
