John McFadzean is a master at embracing opportunities and going for it and it was a random glance out of his third floor apartment window which started him on his challenge to stand-up paddleboard every country in the world.

He has now paddled 45 out out of the 193 countries in his sights, and in this episode John tells Simon about his favourite spots, his bizarre experiences and the most enjoyable places he's paddled so far.

Like many of us his efforts have been temporarily curtailed by the pandemic, but he has used the opportunity to explore local spots which has triggered a brand new challenge.

Connect with John on Instagram , On Facebook or his website here

Lucy from SUP North gave John his first lesson and helped to create the 'monster' that is SUP the World. Check them out here

Mentioned in this episode:

Paddle UK

Paddle UK is the governing body for SUP in the UK and this year was awarded the ICF World Cup in 2026 in Torbay Come and join us in 2026 and also at the 2025 Super Festival event in Torbay to get ready for the 'big' one next year

Paddle UK 2026 World Cup