Brad Sjostrom - Hello, Missouri River Speed Record followers! I am one of the support crew volunteers for this world record attempt and I was part of the 2023 Mississippi Speed Record team as well. My name is Brad Sjostrom. I am 69 years old and live in Missouri. I was born and raised in Bloomington Minnesota. Many of the paddlers and support crew have been involved with (and probably developed their sense of adventure and love of the outdoors) through scouting I am an Eagle scout myself and even had the opportunity to attend the 1971 World Jamboree in Nippon Japan. After graduating from the University of Minnesota I began my obligatory time in the working world. After stops in Arkansas, Georgia and Pennsylvania I settled in Missouri.

I developed my love of paddling by exploring the many clear, clean, Missouri Ozark Waterways with my children as they were growing up. At 52, after reading an article in the Missouri Conservation magazine, I bought a kayak and signed up for the MR340 (a 340-mile race from Kansas City to Saint Charles, Missouri). I “caught the fever” so to speak and signed up for the next 10 years, finishing the race 10 of 11 times.

I am excited to be a part of this adventure and help these incredibly talented paddlers break the world record!