431 kilometers day and night on a SUP - four men want to keep paddling despite the wind, cold and lack of sleep.

Four men plan to paddle on a board more than five meters long down the Weser River from Hann. Münden in the Göttingen district to Bremerhaven. The team, called Weser4Lions, aims to cover the 431-kilometer distance in 100 hours, spending day and night on the water. With this effort, the four men and a substitute hope to raise funds for the Löwenherz children's hospice. Arrival on the large stand-up paddleboard (SUP) is planned for this Sunday.

"We set it up so that two people can sleep at night. They lie lengthways on the board, while two paddle on," participant Axel Bischof explained to the German Press Agency at the weir in Hameln. Last night, it was cold. "It was chilly, but it was still fun because we had a fantastic sunrise." Safety is important to the men. According to Bischof, all wear life jackets and strap themselves to the board while sleeping at night.

Sometimes the men have to leave the water. "There are seven locks along the way where we have to portage – like here in Hamelin." The team uses these short periods to grab a quick bite to eat. But that's also possible at other times, as the team is accompanied by two catering trucks. "They call them, and then we get everything delivered directly to the boat," Bischof explains. And they have water and muesli bars on board anyway.

It's important to find and support good projects, says participant Ulf Schwarz, referring to the adventure for a good cause. "We're paddling for the Löwenherz children's hospice in Syke because we believe hospice work is very, very important." All hospices in Germany do excellent work.

According to Schwarz, the biggest challenges of the paddling trip include the cold nights as well as the wind and weather conditions. "The headwind is fierce, and we also have to be aware that from Bremen onwards, we'll have the tide. We'll be pushed for six hours – we'll enjoy it – and for six hours the North Sea will hit us with full force."