I Just Race to Feed my Soul - the Story of Joaquin Candel in the Arctic Yukon

Joaquin Candel Conquers the Yukon Arctic Ultra—Again!

The Yukon Arctic Ultra is known as one of the most grueling endurance races on the planet. Athletes brave 600 km (373 miles) of frozen wilderness, battling extreme cold, fatigue, and isolation in one of the harshest environments imaginable. The race is self-sufficiant. Participants choose when and where to rest, but the clock keeps running from start to finish. Checkpoints provide basic support, but racers must carry their own food, gear, and survival equipment while managing sleep, fatigue, and extreme cold. For Joaquin Candel, this year’s race was not just another finish—it was history in the making.

The Triple Crown Achievement

Born in Spain and now residing in the U.S., Joaquin is no stranger to extreme endurance challenges. In February 2025, he completed the Yukon Arctic Ultra 600 km on a bike, finishing 3rd in the bike division and 5th overall. The bike with all his gear, food, stove, fuel, sleeping bag, bivy sack, insulated sleep pad, lighting, clothes, and more weighed 75 lbs. He finished in a time of 9 days 11 hours 37 minutes.

In this race, athletes can choose where and when to sleep. Since it’s a nonstop, self-sufficient race, the clock keeps running, and racers must manage their own rest.

They can sleep on the trail, using their mandatory survival gear (such as a bivy sack and sleeping bag rated for extreme cold), or at established checkpoints, which provide minimal shelter and basic support. Many competitors opt for trail sleeping when necessary, especially if they can’t make it to a checkpoint before exhaustion sets in.

But what made Joaquin's feat extraordinary was that he had already finished the race on foot (2019) and on skis (2023), both times pulling a sled with his survival gear.

With this latest finish, Joaquin became just the third person ever to complete the Yukon Arctic Ultra in all three disciplines—earning the coveted Triple Crown.

Racing for the Soul

Joaquin wrote us in his email:

“I just race to feed my soul. I don’t compete against anyone, just myself and the trail. I don’t really care if anyone is upfront or behind—just if I’m going to make it by the time they turn the lights off.”

This year, 47 racers started, but only 6 crossed the finish line—3 on foot and 3 on bikes. The extreme cold claimed many competitors, with three needing helicopter evacuations due to frostbite.

“Most of the race was between -15°F and -30°F, with a couple of nights hitting -40°F.”

Powered by De Soto’s 400-Mile™ Shorts

Through it all, Joaquin relied on a surprising piece of gear—his De Soto 400-Mile™ Shorts.

“I am a big fan of your 400-Mile™ Shorts, so I took them for a 400-mile ride. I wore them under all my winter gear for 9-1/2 days and nights."

Having also used them in 500-mile road races, Joaquin once again proved that De Soto’s gear isn’t just built for comfort—it’s built for endurance in any condition.

Below are photos of Joaquin (photography by Mark Kelly) along with photos Joaquin himself took during the race.

Mark Kelly Photo