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Athlete Profiles
AKIRA NAKAMURA
Lens desginer
Gender: Male
Age: 52
Province: TOKYO
City: KOKUBUNJI
Country: Japan
Height: 5.7
Weight: 148
Years Kayaking: 10 years
Association: JCF
Website: click here
Hobbies:
kayak

Music:
nujabes

Sponsors:
Your First Kayaking Experience:
sagami river

Your Most Memorable Kayaking Experience and Why:
Nepal



Adam Ramadam
Famous for my Afro and partying; I've been rocking the C1 scene for over 10 years. see you in the bar!
Gender: Male
Age: 37
Province: Nort West London
City: London
Country: United Kingdom
Height: 5'5"
Weight: 180
Years Kayaking: 10 years
Association: BCU
Website: click here
Hobbies:
Street Luge, Party games and socialising

Music:
Spice Girls; Little Kitten; Taylor Swift

Sponsors:
Your First Kayaking Experience:
A lake

Your Most Memorable Kayaking Experience and Why:
Seeing a beaver on a river in California



Adriene Levknecht
Adriene juggles a busy life by training and paddling as much as she can while working part time as a Paramedic for Greenville County EMS and working as Lead Staff for First Descents. First Descents is a non profit that teaches young adult cancer survivors how to out live their diagnosis through a free outdoor experience. Adriene placed 3rd in the 2013 World Championships and also has won the notorious Green Race six times.
Gender: Female
Age: 36
Province: SC
City: Greenville
Country: United States
Height: 5.2
Weight: 135
Years Kayaking: 10 years
Association: First Descents
Website: click here
Hobbies:
Mountain biking and lots and lots of hot power yoga.

Music:
I will listen to anything that will keep my attention long enough to listen to it.

Sponsors:
Video Moments:
Check out my webpage with loads of videos, www.biggoalsbigadventures.com

Your First Kayaking Experience:
My first whitewater kayaking experience involved a ducky and 52 degree water with my dad. I had a great time on the Nantahala until the last rapid, the big Nantahala Falls. I flipped in the top hole, swam the rest of the rapid, and cried at the bottom while still floating in the water. For some reason, I wanted to get right back into that water and never stopped.

Your Most Memorable Kayaking Experience and Why:
Every day is a memorable moment on the water.



Adrià Ovando Vila
When I started I was for 4 years in a team called AEP. In this four years I just learned the basic and three years ago I started to improve my skills.
In 2014 I was Spanish junior championship and this year too.
Last year in the European Championship in Slovakia I made semifinals and finally I had 8th place. I hope to do it good as I can.
Gender: Male
Age: 25
Province: Pallars Sobirà
City: Sort
Country: Spain
Height: 163cm
Weight: 63kg
Years Kayaking: 6 years
Association: Kayak Sort
Website: click here
Hobbies:
Sky
Listen to music

Music:
Raggateck, Rap, Reggae

Sponsors:

Video Moments:
Your First Kayaking Experience:
I started kayaking in 2009 as an activity at the PE class

Your Most Memorable Kayaking Experience and Why:
It was a trip that we did at the French Alps. It was really cool as it was my first touch with extreme kayaking



Aisling Griffin
I work contract in Geographical Information Systems. When I am not working you till find me at the local play spot and surf kayaking. I also organise and compete in surf kayaking competitions and events.I also instruct kayaking. I love to surf both river and ocean waves.
Gender: Female
Age: 42
Province: Munster
City: Cork
Country: Ireland
Height: 5.5
Years Kayaking: 10 years
Association: Canoeing Ireland
Website: click here
Hobbies:
All types of kayaking, hillwalking and reading.

Music:
Everything and anything.

Sponsors:

Your First Kayaking Experience:
A river in Mayo in the west of Ireland, lashing rain with a good gang of friends. Hooked on paddling ever since.

Your Most Memorable Kayaking Experience and Why:
Wow loads of memorable experiences. Love being out paddling with friends enjoying the beautiful environments that paddling takes us to. Enjoy instructing and watching people skills and confidence grow on the water.



Aisling Ffrench
This year is my first year on the Irish team and first time in Canada.
I'll be spending the next 2 years working in Canada.
Gender: Female
Age: 33
Province: Leinster
City: Dublin
Country: Ireland
Height: 5.5
Weight: 137
Years Kayaking: 5 years
Association: .
Website: click here
Hobbies:
kayaking, ballet

Music:
.

Sponsors:

Video Moments:
.

Your First Kayaking Experience:
NUI Galway kayak club

Your Most Memorable Kayaking Experience and Why:
Being here at worlds



Alan Ward
GB Kayaker, World Champion and 5th at the 2013 Worlds.
Gender: Female
Age: 37
Province: Buckinghamshire
City: High Wycombe
Country: United Kingdom
Height: 6
Weight: 176
Years Kayaking: over 20 years
Association: Canoe England
Website: click here
Hobbies:
Kayaking, snowboarding, climbing and anything outdoors.

Sponsors:
Video Moments:
Your First Kayaking Experience:
Cruising along the river in an open canoe with family and friends.

Your Most Memorable Kayaking Experience and Why:
Winning the 2005 World Championships.



Alan Murphy
Love kayaking.
Gender: Male
Age: 29
Province: Leinster
City: Dublin
Country: Ireland
Height: 5ft 11"
Weight: 90 kg
Years Kayaking: 9 years
Association: n/a
Website: click here
Hobbies:
Kayaking
Rock climbing
Hiking
Windsurfing

Music:
Anything

Sponsors:

Video Moments:
Your First Kayaking Experience:
On flatwater with my Dad when I was 12.

Your Most Memorable Kayaking Experience and Why:
My trip to Uganda last summer was filled with great memories.



Alec Voorhees
Stoked to be on the Team USA for my second time! Growing up in Idaho has made me the paddler I am, and I put a lot of effort into being a well rounded kayaker. Out of everywhere I have paddled, it's hard to beat IDAHOME! Looking forward to Worlds!
Gender: Male
Age: 27
Province: Idaho
City: Meridian
Country: United States
Height: 6'3"
Weight: 195
Years Kayaking: 10 years
Association: USA Freestyle Kayaking
Website: click here
Hobbies:
Kayaking
Basketball
Movies
Music
Reading
Anything outside

Music:
Pretty much everything

Sponsors:
Your First Kayaking Experience:
Paddling on the Payette River in Idaho in my own boat when I was 6, and always in an inflatable or tandem before that.

Your Most Memorable Kayaking Experience and Why:
Probably The North Fork Championship IV 2015. It is my favorite event of the year on my home river and I was able to take top 5 in all 3 events (Expert, BoaterX, and Elite). Making the USA Team for my second time was also pretty memorable, but the fact my little brother made the team as well makes it even better!



Alex Maggs
I am the Canadian Senior Women's Freestyle Champion and I've been kayaking for 15 years. I started paddling with the Guelph Kayak Club on the Grand River in the Elora Gorge while travelling to the Ottawa River for long weekends and summer vacation.
I started competing in freestyle in 2010 in the Junior Women's category. I also like to race and have done well in the Hell Or High Water races in Petawawa, placing 2nd in the creek boat division in 2014. I also raced in the Rouge River Challenge partner race in 2014 and got 1rst place for the women's team.
I'm currently a member of 3 whitewater clubs in Ontario. I've been a member of the winning club at the King of Clubs competition on the Ottawa river 4 out of 6 years. Three of those years I was with the Guelph Kayak Club and once with the Carleton University Kayak Club. I'm also a member of the Coureurs de Bois. I'm in my third year of studying Chemistry at the University of Ottawa and participating in Kayak Polo at school.
Gender: Female
Age: 30
Province: ON
City: Ottawa
Country: Canada
Height: 5'4"
Weight: 125
Years Kayaking: 10 years
Association: Guelph Kayak Club
Website: click here
Hobbies:
Kayaking!
Skiing & Snowboarding
Ultimate Frisbee
Mountain Biking
Zumba

Music:
Anything that can be danced to!

Sponsors:
Your First Kayaking Experience:
First trip down the Ottawa was at 3 months old in a car seat in the front of a canoe. My parents walked me around the tough stuff but it's still a cool story.

Your Most Memorable Kayaking Experience and Why:
Racing in the MACKfest Fish Hatchery race because it turned out to allegedly be a first descent for a woman!



Alex Edwards
Reigning European Champion for Mens Squirt boat.
Competing in my 8th World Championships across 5 different paddling disciplines.
Work full time as an Aerospace Structural Engineer.
Gender: Male
Age: 40
Province: UK
City: Bedford
Country: United Kingdom
Height: 6'2"
Weight: 76kg
Years Kayaking: 16 to 20 years
Association: British Canoeing
Website: click here
Hobbies:
Canoeing, kayaking, photography

Sponsors:
Video Moments:
Your First Kayaking Experience:
In a swimming pool

Your Most Memorable Kayaking Experience and Why:
Winning the 2014 European Championships in Men's squirt boat and Winning Gold at the 2014 ICF Freestyle World Cup in Millau, France.



Amina Tayona
Part of the Ugandan Kayak team, and the only female representative for Uganda!
Sponsors:
Video Moments:
Your First Kayaking Experience:
On the Nile!

Your Most Memorable Kayaking Experience and Why:
It will definitely be kayaking in Canada when I get the chance!



Ander De Miguel Aranaz
Facebook: Ander De Miguel
Gender: Male
Age: 29
Province: Navarra
City: Pamplona
Country: Spain
Height: 5' 8"
Weight: 156
Years Kayaking: 10 years
Association: Pamplona kayak team
Website: click here
Hobbies:
sky

Music:
Various

Sponsors:
Video Moments:
Your First Kayaking Experience:
6 years ago

Your Most Memorable Kayaking Experience and Why:
Any of them paddling with my friends



Andrea Kaspers
I am a member of the German Freestyle Team since 2008. It`s my 2nd world championship and my first championship on a wave.
Gender: Female
Age: 34
Province: Bavaria
City: Munich
Country: Germany
Height: 5,10
Weight: 143
Years Kayaking: 10 years
Association: DKV
Website: click here
Hobbies:
kayaking, climbing, skiing, motorbiking

Sponsors:
Video Moments:
Your First Kayaking Experience:
at school

Your Most Memorable Kayaking Experience and Why:
3rd place at the european championship 2008.



Andrew Oxley
Kayaking is my passion, I actually since longer than I can remember. Representing Canada in the sport is a dream and it's a great opportunity that I have.
Gender: Male
Age: 26
Province: Québec
City: Montréal
Country: Canada
Height: 5.8
Weight: 135
Years Kayaking: 8 years
Association: team Canada
Website: click here
Hobbies:
I love kayaking and sports in general. I like to cook and to just chill with friends and watch tv

Music:
that depends on the vibe I get at that particular moment.

Sponsors:

Your First Kayaking Experience:
My mom took me in a kayak when I was very little at our cottage on the Rouge river

Your Most Memorable Kayaking Experience and Why:
Everyday on the water.



Andrey Pesterev
Current Russian Champion. I spend every winter in Uganda.
Gender: Male
Age: 36
Province: Moscow
City: Korolev
Country: Russian Federation
Height: 6.2
Weight: 177
Years Kayaking: 10 years
Association: http://canoe-freestyle.ru
Website: click here
Hobbies:
Traveling, Kayaking, Biking, Snowboarding.. KAYAKING

Music:
live music please!

Sponsors:
Video Moments:
Your First Kayaking Experience:
About 13 years ago - Recreational trips to the northern Russia with school teacher and first small rapids.

Your Most Memorable Kayaking Experience and Why:
The most memorable experiences are not actually good - they are associated with pain and fear. But I love to surf big waves and the best of them are in Canada! It's memorable too.



Andy Hill
I started kayaking the perfectly smooth, glassy waves of Sturgeon Falls, Manitoba when I was 14 years old. Since those initial paddle strokes, kayaking and competing on the Canadian National Rafting Team has taken me in search of new rivers in New Zealand, Uganda, China, and the Ottawa River. After 10 summers of guiding rafts and teaching kayaking on the Ottawa, I've finally broke down and bought my first home in the Ottawa Valley, and plan to live and work here permanently. OC1 is new to me but with my freestyle and rafting background I hopefully will take to it like a duck to water.
Gender: Male
Age: 36
Province: Ontario
City: Cobden
Country: Canada
Height: 5'8''
Weight: 150
Years Kayaking: 10 years
Association: none
Website: click here
Hobbies:
Woodworking, building, hair-brained schemes, snowboarding, salvaging materials from the river,

Music:
Anything playing on Heritage Radio (98.7 FM) in the Ottawa Valley. It's a real good time. I'm impartial to most genres of music.

Sponsors:

Video Moments:
one day maybe

Your First Kayaking Experience:
My first kayaking experience was at what I believed to be the biggest rapid ever (it was really a ripple) at a place called Rainbow Falls on the Whiteshell River in Manitoba, Canada. A friend and I took R5's down the little chute at the bottom of a small four-foot waterfall, which we used to swim over along with every other kid in Manitoba.

Your Most Memorable Kayaking Experience and Why:
My most memorable kayaking experience was doing a self-supported overnight run of the Waipunga and Mohaka Rivers on the North Island of New Zealand. Our distinct lack of planning and experience led us to run out of food on the first night. Needless to say, the next day was very, very long and once we got to the car it was still a few hours until we found food...IDIOTS.



Anna Orlova
2014 European Champion in squirt, 2nd in 2014 world cup in squirt. Multiple Russian champion in surface boat
Gender: Female
Age: 49
Province: Saint Petersburg
City: St.Petersburg
Country: Russian Federation
Height: 5,18
Weight: 167,6
Years Kayaking: 10 years
Association: Russian Kayak Freestyle Federation
Website: click here
Hobbies:
Teaching my dog the new tricks

Music:
peer gynt suite no. 1

Sponsors:

Your First Kayaking Experience:
Was in the freezing spring water with ice fields floating around

Your Most Memorable Kayaking Experience and Why:
Paddling the Silverback rapid on White Nile, the rapid is currently being flooded by a dam. It was a perfect huge wave train, bouncy and safe. So sad that electric dam has destroyed it.



Anna Bruno
Anna Bruno has spent the last 5 years teaching and working with youth in whitewater around the world at New River Academy, World Class Academy, and Ottawa Kayak School's own Keener Program. A Jackson Kayak and Adventure Technology team paddler, she loves all varieties of whitewater and is excited to be competing for the first time in the Squirt Boat category.
Gender: Female
Age: 39
Province: Pennsylvania
City: Swarthmore
Country: United States
Height: 5'2
Weight: 115
Years Kayaking: 10 years
Association: USACK
Website: click here
Hobbies:
When not kayaking, Anna can usually be found hoola hooping, running, dancing, taking pictures, doing yoga, SUPing, or in a rare moment, relaxing in a hammock with a book

Sponsors:
  • Jackson Kayak
  • Adventure Technology
  • World Class Academy
  • Wilderness Tours

Your First Kayaking Experience:
Learned to roll in a swimming pool, and had a pretty disastrous first whitewater experience on the Nantahala river in North Carolina before falling in love with kayaking on the Ottawa river.

Your Most Memorable Kayaking Experience and Why:
Running Metlako Falls on Oregon's Eagle river with an all girls crew! One of the best days ever!

Also- filming my Squirt Boat Team Trial Entry video in a swimming pool in Vail, Colorado. One of the funniest experiences and most fun I have ever had in a kaya



Anni Mykkanen
Proudly representing team Finland!
Gender: Female
Age: 37
Province: Iitti
City: Kausala
Country: Finland
Height: 5,4
Weight: 130
Years Kayaking: 7 years
Association: Suomen melonta- ja soutuliitto
Website: click here
Hobbies:
X-country skiing, dancing, having fun in any kind of sports

Music:
...

Sponsors:
Video Moments:
Your First Kayaking Experience:
Learning eskimo turn in a pool.

Your Most Memorable Kayaking Experience and Why:
Surfing the biggest wave in spring time up North!



Bartosz Czauderna
Let's go kayaking!
Gender: Male
Age: 33
Province: Małopolska
City: Kraków
Country: Poland
Height: 5.9ft
Weight: 154lbs
Years Kayaking: 8 years
Association: Polish Canoe Federation
Website: click here
Hobbies:
kayaking and canoing, xtreme sports, outdoor, dancing, chilling

Music:
reggae shark, any other!

Sponsors:
Video Moments:
Your First Kayaking Experience:
touristic kayaks

Your Most Memorable Kayaking Experience and Why:
starting touristic kayaking, swimming itanda.



Ben White
After taking a few years out, I've been lured back by the Ottawa. Obviously my brain is addicted to the starvation of oxygen that only Smoothie can deliver :)
Gender: Male
Age: 47
Province: Nottinghamshire
City: Ruddington
Country: United Kingdom
Height: 5'8"
Weight: 132
Years Kayaking: 16 to 20 years
Association: BCU
Website: click here
Hobbies:
Kayaking - As long as it's got froth i'll be there (although now strangely tempted by SUPing)
Road biking
Mountain biking
Snow boarding
Essentially as long as it's outdoors i'll give it a go

Music:
Anything from Kaiser Chiefs to the Prodigy
Particularly enjoying the new Chemical Brothers album and current dirty pleasure is the new Mark Ronson Album!

Sponsors:
Your First Kayaking Experience:
Getting fibre glass rash from a home made boat and swimming down a class II rapid in the snow at the age of 12

Your Most Memorable Kayaking Experience and Why:
Hmmm, I'm not sure I can place one memorable moment above all others. The places kayaking has taken me, the life long friends I've made, the many experiences I've been lucky enough to be part of just keep me coming back to kayaking



Bobby Groenewoud
Karma is my life
Gender: Male
Age: 29
Province: Zuid-Holland
City: Scheveningen ( The Hague )
Country: Netherlands
Height: 6,1
Weight: 163
Years Kayaking: 6 years
Association: ZF Production
Website: click here
Hobbies:
Whitewater/Freestyle kayaking, Surfing, Longboarding and ofcourse Shredding.

Music:
Everything depending on the mood!

Sponsors:
Video Moments:
Your First Kayaking Experience:
The local park for over a year, since we have no whitewater in Holland

Your Most Memorable Kayaking Experience and Why:
Every Kayak Experience is memorable as you try hard enough!



Brad McMillan
Brad McMillan started kayaking at 12 years old and picked up the single blade at 14. He began competing in freestyle at the age of 19.
Gender: Male
Age: 37
Province: SC
City: Greenville
Country: United States
Height: 6-2
Weight: 200
Years Kayaking: 10 years
Association: USACK and Nantahala Racing Club
Website: click here
Hobbies:
Kayaking, disc golf, and crocheting

Music:
Anything and everything

Sponsors:
Video Moments:
Your First Kayaking Experience:
I really can't remember it was a long time ago!

Your Most Memorable Kayaking Experience and Why:
Probably would have to be the Open Canoe World Record waterfall run. 70' is a long way to fall!



Bren Orton
My name is Bren. I like kayaking.
Gender: Male
Age: 2024
Province: Cheshire
City: Warrington
Country: United Kingdom
Height: 5,8
Weight: 170
Years Kayaking: 10 years
Association: GBR
Website: click here
Hobbies:
Kayaking, Reading, picking up heavy things repeatedly

Music:
I listen to everything, asides from Justin Beiber and death metal. But mostly I like hip/ hop and reggae.

Sponsors:
  • Pyranha
  • Palm Equipment
  • Werner
  • Dewerstone
  • Demshitz
  • Shred ready

Your First Kayaking Experience:
My first experience kayaking was on a trip to the Lake District with school, I’d tried a couple of sports by this time but hadn’t really found anything that felt like it fit me – Kayaking fits me.

Your Most Memorable Kayaking Experience and Why:
Winning 2012 junior euro champs.



Bryan Kirk
I have been traveling the world competing in races and freestyle kayaking since 1997. Been kayaking since age 11 on the Potomac River near Washington.
Gender: Male
Age: 46
Province: Virginia
City: Arlington
Country: United States
Height: 5.75
Weight: 157
Years Kayaking: 16 to 20 years
Association: USA Team
Website: click here
Hobbies:
Mtn biking, chess, disc golf

Music:
Anything that isn't country, r&b, or most new pop on the radio.

Sponsors:
Video Moments:
Your First Kayaking Experience:
On the Potomac River with my dad and brother. My dad teaching us to roll when we were 8 and 11. Got addicted fully!

Your Most Memorable Kayaking Experience and Why:
Roping a friend to shore on the North Fork Payette. I may have saved him from flush drowning.



Charlie Brackpool
My name is Charlie Brackpool and I am a member of the 2015 GB Feestyle Kayaking team. I have been kayaking for 4 years, I am a 17 year old from Horsham that attended The Forest School where I studied 14 GCSE’s – 4 A*’s, 8 A’s and 2 B’s. Now I’m in my second year at The College of Richard Collyer. Here I study Maths, Further Maths, Physics and Art. Also I am an active member of the scouting movement, taking part in trips to places like the lake district and the French Pyrenees, where we do activities such as mountain climbing, rock scrambling and mountain biking. As a person I like to think of myself as someone that takes as many opportunities as possible and tries to get the most out of them, whether it be a trip to go mountain climbing or taking on board a tip I get for my Kayaking, without that skill I would not have made it as far as I have today.
Gender: Male
Age: 27
Province: West Sussex
City: Horsham
Country: United Kingdom
Height: 5'10"
Weight: 158
Years Kayaking: 4 years
Association: British Canoeing
Website: click here
Hobbies:
Kayaking obviously, Filmography, eating and breathing.

Music:
Arctic Monkeys, James Bay, Royal Blood, Hozier and Bring Me The Horizon are a few of my favourite artist.

Sponsors:
Your First Kayaking Experience:
Kayaking for a birthday party when I was 8, having so much fun running along the front of the boats, it would be another 5 years before i got back in a kayak.

Your Most Memorable Kayaking Experience and Why:
Getting my first airscrew on nile special because it was the first time I did a big scoring wave move and the feeling was just incredible.



Chris McDermott
Lifetime slalom and freestyle C-1 paddler

1986 C-1 Slalom National Champion
1991 C-2 Slalom National Champion
1997 C-1 World Freestyle Championships - 4th place

Extensive international paddling: US, Europe, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, Costa Rica, Honduras, Chile, Uganda, Nepal
Gender: Male
Age: 54
Province: Ontario
City: Beachburg
Country: Canada
Height: 5'10
Weight: 180
Years Kayaking: Not Given
Association: Beachburg/New York City
Website: click here
Hobbies:
Paddling, surfing, skiing, mountain biking, dating, developing renewable energy assets, environmental activism

Music:
Anything live that comes to New York City

Sponsors:

Your First Kayaking Experience:
7 years old - Humber and Credit Rivers

Your Most Memorable Kayaking Experience and Why:
The Ottawa River - best River in the world!!



Claire Parrott
I began kayaking on the Elora Gorge two years ago, taught by members of the Guelph Kayak Club. I am a member of the Guelph Kayak Club and continue to paddle with them. Competing at the Canadian team trials was my first time competing in a freestyle competition, although there will be more competition to come. I hope to continue to expand my paddling experiences with more years on the river.
Gender: Female
Age: 27
Province: Ontario
City: Waterloo
Country: Canada
Height: 5'7"
Weight: 150
Years Kayaking: 2 years
Association: Team Canada
Website: click here
Hobbies:
Kayaking, obviously!
Climbing
Rugby
Theatre
Camping and exploring the outdoors
Gener shenanigans

Music:
Anything and everything that catches my ear!

Sponsors:
  • Guelph Kayak Club

Your First Kayaking Experience:
My first experience was on the Elora gorge at the beginning of June. I remember being scared out of my mind but still having fun!

Your Most Memorable Kayaking Experience and Why:
Surfing for the first time on push button. Being on any wave is the most surreal feeling, and the first time is something you can never forget!



Claire O'Hara
Claire is a very successful athlete, ambassador, mentor and coach and has been kayaking for almost 25 years.

Claire paddles full time training, competing and coaching all around the world. Currently from the UK Claire now bases out of Sydney Australia and spends most of the year on the road.

With 7 World Championship titles already under her belt she is one of the most successful female freestyle kayakers of all time and will be looking to defend her World Championship titles here on the Ottawa river this summer.

World Champion Freestyle Kayaking 2011 - 2015
World Champion Squirt Boating Kayaking 2009 - 2015

Mystery World Champion 2012 & 2013

GB Freestyle Kayak Athlete since 2006
Gender: Female
Age: 43
Province: Yorkshire
City: Leeds
Country: United Kingdom
Height: 5ft 4
Weight: 150
Years Kayaking: 16 to 20 years
Association: British Canoeing
Website: click here
Hobbies:
Anything and everything active

Kayaking,
Mountain Biking,
Wake Boarding / Surfing
Snowboarding
Soccer

Music:
Anything with a good beat

Sponsors:
Video Moments:
Your First Kayaking Experience:
On a small lake with my Dad when I was 9 years old. We spent the day windsurfing and then jumped in a kayak for a break

Your Most Memorable Kayaking Experience and Why:
Everyday on the water.

It doesn't matter where so long as i'm out in a boat surrounded by other paddlers its going to be a memorable and exciting day.



Clay Wright
2x World Squirt Champion, 8x US Freestyle Team Member, Original Green Race winner, inventor of the Loop, 1st D's in 8 states and 5 countries.
Hobbies:
Squirt kayak, freestyle kayak, creek kayak, talking about paddling and gear, writing about paddling and gear, driving to rivers, flying to rivers, coaching paddlers, working on outfitting and fixing boats, talking next boat designs, and of course laying on a warm rock by a cool river with good friends after a great day.

Music:
Pretty Lights, Thievery Corp, XX, Sirius Electric Area and Chill

Sponsors:
  • Jackson Kayak
  • Adventure Technology Paddles
  • Kokatat
  • Smith Optics
  • Seals

Video Moments:
Most every VHS of the 90's, EJ's Instructional Series and Jackson Kayak Promos.

Your First Kayaking Experience:
Being cold wet and scared at 6 yrs old .. wearing wool sweater and a raincoat with a skirt I couldn't get off by myself. Kids like warm water better!

Your Most Memorable Kayaking Experience and Why:
In the 90's I moved to WV, joined Team Pyranha then Perception and spent the decade in an RV exploring new rivers and creeks, getting tons of 1'st D's and generally blowing past the old ideas of what was possible. The boats got shorter each year, the drops higher, and I started flying around to 'Freestyle World Championships' all over the world - meeting so many great people with different skills and ideas to share. That experience is available today for ALL the paddlers in this competition but back then is was so unexpected .. it was heaven on Earth.



Courtney Kerin
I grew up on a sheep farm just outside a small town in NZ. Played every sport i could growing up. When i was 15 i started kayaking and have been living the life since!
Gender: Female
Age: 31
Province: Otago
City: Oamaru
Country: New Zealand
Height: 5"2
Weight: 115
Years Kayaking: 7 years
Association: NZFKA
Website: click here
Hobbies:
Kayaking, SUPing, Mountain biking and anything outdoors

Music:
Elton John- the legend, Michael Jackson- He's the King!, Queen -their rock gods!
a bit of everything really

Sponsors:
Your First Kayaking Experience:
When I was 15 my science teacher took me out in the school pool for a couple hours, the next day he took me up the Ahuriri valley for my first and freezing class 2 river. I was instantly hooked!

Your Most Memorable Kayaking Experience and Why:
Everytime I hit the water is a memorable experience.
This year I did a first descent of a glacial run in the southern alps in NZ. It was a super rad adventure!



Dane Jackson
2x K1 World Champion
2014 World Cup Champion
2011 C1/Squirt World Champion
10 World Championships Medals
3x Grand Prix Champion
Gender: Male
Age: 31
Province: Tn
City: Walling
Country: United States
Height: 5'6"
Weight: 150
Years Kayaking: 10 years
Association: Competitor
Website: click here
Hobbies:
Disc Golf, SUPing, Surfboarding, Snowboarding, Golfing

Music:
Eminem
Krewella
Glitch Mob
ASAP Rocky
Anything that gets me fired up

Sponsors:

Video Moments:
CBS 60 Minutes Sports
GoPro Mexico Edits
First Descents- Michoacan

Your First Kayaking Experience:
2 yrs old Potomac river

Your Most Memorable Kayaking Experience and Why:
Every day on the water!



Daniel Riedmüller
After my first Worlds 2009 in Thun as a junior, this is my first Worlds I compete in senior class. I am fired up to ride Garb in my self-made kayak which I can transform from K1 to C1.
Gender: Male
Age: 33
Province: Bayern
City: München
Country: Germany
Height: 6,1
Weight: 167
Years Kayaking: 7 years
Association: DKV
Website: click here
Hobbies:
Kayaking, Climbing, Hiking, Skiing

Music:
Electronic Beats

Sponsors:

Video Moments:
Your First Kayaking Experience:
long time ago with my grandparents

Your Most Memorable Kayaking Experience and Why:
All my journeys I have done with my kayak. To Chile, Uganda, Norway and around the Alps



Darby McAdams
My name is Darby and I love doing outdoor activities, especially with my dad. The past few years I have found my true passion to be whitewater kayaking and I feel lucky to have the opportunities and experiences kayaking has given me.
Gender: Female
Age: 26
Province: MT
City: Missoula
Country: United States
Height: 5'1"
Weight: 125
Years Kayaking: 4 years
Association: Facebook
Website: click here
Hobbies:
Kayaking, skiing, hunting

Music:
The Dirty Heads and The Black Keys

Sponsors:

Your First Kayaking Experience:
Getting a bunch of water up my nose while my dad taught me to roll in a local pond.

Your Most Memorable Kayaking Experience and Why:
I'm not sucking up here, but my favorite moment was when I made the US team because it was just awesome and the look on my coach's face was priceless.



Dave Fusilli
I started a funny brand called Demshitz. Everyone loves demshitz mainly because it makes you laugh. I became addicted to kayaking around the age of 18. From then on I just wanted to figured out ways to see the best rivers in the world. So far so good!
Gender: Male
Age: 43
Province: Washington
City: Underwood
Country: United States
Height: 6 FT
Weight: 175 lbs
Years Kayaking: 10 years
Association: Demshitz
Website: click here
Hobbies:
I do a lot of stuff. If I'm not kayaking I could be Mt. Biking, Skiing, snowboarding, rock climbing, SUPin, or hangin out at the local water hole.

Music:
I like good music. It could be any genre. My dad has had music playing at the house from the day I was born until right this second. That has made me appreciate a huge variety of music.

Sponsors:
Video Moments:
Your First Kayaking Experience:
I was I think 8 years old and my Mom and Dad took me down this little creek behind the house called Mill Creek. I still like padding Mill creek when I'm home.

Your Most Memorable Kayaking Experience and Why:
I'm going to go with a good memory for this. I think it was probably the first time I ran the Middle Palguin. Its's a 70 foot waterfall in Chile that is no longer runnable. This was such a good memory for me because I had always wanted to kayak in Chile, I was with some of the best people in the world, and I was about to run a 70 foot waterfall. I stuck that drop and it felt like I had won the super bowl after I rolled up at the base of that stout. I never thought I would run a drop that big! There were many big drops after that day. Jah Bless



David Egesa
Part of the Ugandan Kayak Team and super excited to get to Canada to kayak!
Gender: Male
Age: 49
Province: Jinja
City: Jinja
Country: Uganda
Height: 5'9"
Weight: 170
Years Kayaking: 8 years
Association: Ugandan Canoe Federation
Website: click here
Sponsors:
Video Moments:
How to spend your Christmas bonus in the Jinja Market!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SmqT_dGMTC0

Your First Kayaking Experience:
On the Nile

Your Most Memorable Kayaking Experience and Why:
It will definitely be representing Uganda at the world championships in Canada!



Dee Paterson
This will be my 1st Freestyle World Championships (in fact 1st competition at International level).
I was a spectator/coach at the 2013 Worlds and decided that I wanted to give it a go myself. Got first squirt boat 18mths ago. The artwork was designed by my boyfriend, Alex Edwards GB team, and is based on Nemo.
Gender: Female
Age: 48
Province: England
City: Bedford
Country: United Kingdom
Height: 1.58m
Years Kayaking: 5 years
Association: British Canoeing
Website: click here
Hobbies:
Canoeing, kayaking, photography

Music:
x

Sponsors:
Video Moments:
x

Your First Kayaking Experience:
x

Your Most Memorable Kayaking Experience and Why:
Right here, right now ;-)



Devyn Scott
AIRBORN
Gender: Male
Age: 33
Province: ON
City: Pakenham
Country: Canada
Height: 6
Weight: 165
Years Kayaking: 9 years
Association: Airborn Athletics
Website: click here
Hobbies:
Kayaking, Hockey, Filming, any sports.

Music:
As long as its not Country Music I will listen

Sponsors:
Video Moments:
Your First Kayaking Experience:
First whitewater was at Wilderness Tours in the teen camp program.

Your Most Memorable Kayaking Experience and Why:
Everyday on the water.



Dita Pahl
I like nothing better than challenging myself and pitting myself against nature and the elements.
Hobbies:
Kayaking /keeping fit

Music:
General

Sponsors:
Video Moments:
Too many

Your First Kayaking Experience:
Penobscot , Maine

Your Most Memorable Kayaking Experience and Why:
First time I kayaked the Ottawa and the Kippewa also in Ontario, Just wild big and wonderful. Also slalom boat broke into bits and I survived !!



Doug Cooper
pro kayaker, trying to enjoy life more than anyone else. surf, freestyle and shredding the shit.
Gender: Male
Age: 40
Province: Berkshire
City: Hurley
Country: United Kingdom
Height: 5.2
Weight: 134
Years Kayaking: 10 years
Association: shreddog media house
Website: click here
Hobbies:
kayaking, shredding, girls, surfing, girls, kayaking , beer, photography, travel.

Music:
eclectic taste but i love steel panther.

Sponsors:
  • pyranha
  • Nookie
  • Mega
  • streamlyte
  • Dewerstone
  • Spy Optics

Your First Kayaking Experience:
in a swimming pool in a rotobat with my dad when i was eight. So scary.

Your Most Memorable Kayaking Experience and Why:
Every day i shred with my friends is a memorable experience but if i had to name one session it would be surfing the west coast of Africa with my little brother.



Dylan Vredenduin
Waves are better
Gender: Male
Age: 28
Province: Zuid-holland
City: Gorinchem
Country: Netherlands
Height: 6
Weight: 73
Years Kayaking: 10 years
Association: Watersport verbond
Website: click here
Hobbies:
Gymastics,

Music:
Regea, techno, deephouse ect.

Sponsors:
Video Moments:
Your First Kayaking Experience:
Pallaressa spain where in had course with my dad and my older 2 brothers.

Your Most Memorable Kayaking Experience and Why:
A trip to Uganda with my brother



Eden Sinclair
.
Gender: Male
Age: 42
Province: South Island West Coast
City: Westport
Country: New Zealand
Height: 5.77
Weight: 165
Years Kayaking: 10 years
Association: NZFKA
Website: click here
Hobbies:
.

Music:
.

Sponsors:

Video Moments:
.

Your First Kayaking Experience:
.

Your Most Memorable Kayaking Experience and Why:
.



Ekaterina Kulkova
Katya Kulkova from Siberia, Russia.
Gender: Female
Age: 41
Province: Siberia
City: Novosibirsk
Country: Russian Federation
Height: 5.5
Weight: 132
Years Kayaking: 10 years
Association: Russian Freestyle Federation
Website: click here
Hobbies:
Plant and grow all sorts of plants, arts&design, kayaking, socialising with animals.

Sponsors:
  • Palm Equipment
  • Gui-gui prod
  • VE paddles

Your First Kayaking Experience:
2003 early spring in Siberia - snow&ice everywhere, +1-2 C, I swam in first 5 sec. First impression - it is fantastic sport, I want to do it :) so I did.

Your Most Memorable Kayaking Experience and Why:
I forgot it.



Elaine Campbell
I'm living an amazing life with my husband Jeff and our dog and cat.
Gender: Female
Age: 44
Province: VT
City: Readsboro
Country: United States
Height: 5'5"
Weight: 135ish
Years Kayaking: 10 years
Association: USACK
Website: click here
Hobbies:
Eating
Drinking
Snowboarding
XC Skiing
Snow Shoeing
SUP
Snacking
Cooking
Grocery Shopping
Sleeping
Cleaning
Motor Boat Riding
Sailing

Music:
Still love my 90's grunge
First Aid Kid
Ryan Adams
Wilco
Justin Townes Earle
Death Cab for Cutie
Yeah Yeah Yeah
Wood Brothers
I love me some Justin Timberlake
90's Rap


Sponsors:
Video Moments:
Your First Kayaking Experience:
In 2002 my brother and I took kayak lessons together with the Boston AMC for my 22nd birthday gift. There was this super hot instructor which helped make swimming way easier!

Your Most Memorable Kayaking Experience and Why:
The best was meeting Jeff my husband (the hot instructor) during my kayak lesson with the Boston AMC on the Deerfield River. I fell in love with kayaking and Jeff all in the same weekend!

Also, the Brown Game!



Elena Denisova
I live in Moscow and work in an IT company Sputnik.ru. Instructor of the club ABV (Academy of white water).
Hobbies:
kayak freestyle, carving snowbord, pottery

Sponsors:

Video Moments:
Your First Kayaking Experience:
swimming like seal ) but 3 years later I won in AdrenalineRace (russian extream kayak competition)

Your Most Memorable Kayaking Experience and Why:
Itanda on Nile river in Uganda. the feeling of being a grain of sand in a huge stream.



Elisabeth Dirninger
i started kayaking very late in comparison to many other athletes, anyways i love my sport and live for it! That's all i want to do!
Gender: Female
Age: 31
Province: Styria
City: Graz
Country: Austria
Height: 5.66
Weight: 140
Years Kayaking: 4 years
Association: OKV
Website: click here
Hobbies:
Whitewater and freestyle kayaking ;)
Climbing, hiking, skiing, snowboarding

Music:
electro, house, indie folk, ...

Sponsors:
  • no sponsors yet ;)

Your First Kayaking Experience:
kayaking down the Salza river, popular for rafting and close to my home, with a friend after school!

Your Most Memorable Kayaking Experience and Why:
One month training on niles special in Uganda this year in spring! First flight with a kayak and first time only focusing on kayaking for the whole month



Emily Zwanenburg
I have been paddling ever since I can remember and started competing very early just for fun.
I competed at the 2010 team trials in Alberta and became part of the Junior team as an alternate.
I then secured a spot on the Junior team at the following team trials in Minden Ontario in 2012 and went on to compete at a demo competition for the cadet category at the 2012 World Cup in Bryson City North Carolina.
In 2013, I competed at the World Championships as a junior and placed 8th.


Gender: Female
Age: 26
Province: Ontario
City: Cornwall
Country: Canada
Height: 5'2"
Weight: 170
Years Kayaking: 12 years
Association: Team Canada
Website: click here
Hobbies:
kayaking, writing, photography, bass guitar, Kung Fu, Kickboxing

Music:
punk, metal

Sponsors:
  • Kiwi Dezignz
  • Salus Marine
  • H2O paddle

Your First Kayaking Experience:
Sitting in my dad's boat at about 1 year old.

Your Most Memorable Kayaking Experience and Why:
getting worked in Phil's and being thrilled about it



Emily Jackson
Emily Jackson
2x Freestye Kayak World Champion
9x Teva/ Go Pro Mountain Game Winner
1x Silver Medalist 2011 World Championship
US Slalom Team Member
Wife/Mother
Jackson Kayak Team Manager
Ted Talker

Gender: Female
Age: 34
Province: TN
City: Walling
Country: United States
Height: 5'3
Weight: 140
Years Kayaking: over 20 years
Association: USFKA
Website: click here
Hobbies:
Running
Biking
Reading
Working

Music:
Old School Madonna
Classic Rock
a lil bitty country
And anything I can shake my ass to

Sponsors:
Your First Kayaking Experience:
Can't remember! Was too young thanks to my Dad!

Your Most Memorable Kayaking Experience and Why:
Anytime I am on the water with my whole family- Happy Times!



Emily Ward
British expatriate living on the Nile in Uganda; together with my husband (and Team Uganda competitor), Sam Ward, we own a busy and growing kayaking company (Kayak the Nile) that offers all types of kayaking from flat water tours to freestyle coaching. We also run Love it Live it, a holiday company that provides white water trips around the globe.

7 times GB team member, starting from 2002, and this year will be my 4th consecutive appearance at the World Championships as a senior.
Gender: Female
Age: 38
Province: Uganda
City: Jinja
Country: United Kingdom
Height: 5ft6
Weight: 130
Years Kayaking: 10 years
Association: British Canoe Union
Website: click here
Hobbies:
Using my blender, drinking hemp milk lattes, wearing plaid shirts, sprouting beans, and playing the ukulele badly.

Sponsors:
Your First Kayaking Experience:
Taking an inflatable kayak trip down the Verdon Gorge (France) when I was 12 years old.

Your Most Memorable Kayaking Experience and Why:
There's been far too many, good and bad, to mention but a particular highlight was...

Winning the 2002 European Championships as a junior by doing half a flat spin. (Probably worth noting that this was the days of 'knock out' finals rather than the three ride format. Also, very glad to see that the junior women's category has stepped up a notch or three since then)



Emma Witherford
GB Freestyle Kayak Team
Gender: Female
Age: 27
Province: Worcestershire
City: Worcester
Country: United Kingdom
Height: 5ft 7"
Weight: 154
Years Kayaking: 10 years
Association: British Canoeing
Website: click here
Hobbies:
Kayaking (obviously)
Hockey, rounders and a bit of photography

Music:
Anything that sounds good!

Sponsors:
Video Moments:
Your First Kayaking Experience:
On the River Severn in a sprint kayak.

Your Most Memorable Kayaking Experience and Why:
A month kayaking in Uganda! :)



Emma Schuck
German Champion since 2013
3st European Championship
2st Euro Cup 2013
Gender: Female
Age: 26
Province: Saarland
City: Mandelbachtal
Country: Germany
Height: ?
Weight: ?
Years Kayaking: 10 years
Association: DKV
Website: click here
Hobbies:
Climbing,Volleyball

Sponsors:
  • My family
  • Saarbrücker Kanu Club
  • Saarländischer Kanu Verband
  • Lotto Saarland
  • Gemeinde Mandelbachtal

Your First Kayaking Experience:
...

Your Most Memorable Kayaking Experience and Why:
...



Eoin Keyes
I'm 23 years old, from Limerick, Ireland and taking a summer off to kayak as much as possible between finishing University and starting work.
Gender: Male
Age: 32
Province: Limerick
City: Limerick
Country: Ireland
Height: 5ft 10
Weight: 176
Years Kayaking: 10 years
Association: University of Limerick Kayak Club
Website: click here
Hobbies:
Surfing, windsurfing, mountain biking, fishing.

Music:
Things things like RCHP, Greenday, Foo Fighters and a bit of classic rock, but ska-punk playlists on youtube just got me through writing a final-year project in Uni!

Sponsors:

Video Moments:
Your First Kayaking Experience:
Playing in freestyle kayaks in the surf in Lahinch, Ireland with the 32nd Limerick scout group at the age of 12 or so.

Your Most Memorable Kayaking Experience and Why:
A trip to the Italian and Slovenian Alps last summer with the University of Limerick kayak club. Three weeks of great kayaking and awesome parties with some of the best people around!



FABIEN LANAO
SPORTIF,TRAVAILLEUR,GAGNEUR
Gender: Male
Age: 26
Province: MIDI PYRENEE
City: TARBES
Country: France
Height: 1.78m
Weight: 65kg
Years Kayaking: 6 years
Association: STADO
Website: click here
Hobbies:
SKI,ESCALADE,VTT,KAYAK EXTRÊME.

Sponsors:
  • JACKSON

Your First Kayaking Experience:
I have to begin the kayak with the slalom because my trainer told me that to be good at freestyle and at extreme kayak it is necessary in the first one to be good at slalom

Your Most Memorable Kayaking Experience and Why:
The first one discovery of the discipline has the swimming pool or my trainer my to explain how works this small kayak.



Fabian Lenz
Member German National Team 2014.
I am happy to compete in the world Championships and I am looking forward to meet freestylers from all around the globe.
Gender: Male
Age: 25
Province: Hessen
City: Limburg
Country: Germany
Height: 5,6
Weight: 143
Years Kayaking: 3 years
Association: DKV
Website: click here
Hobbies:
Kayaking, Aikido

Sponsors:
Your First Kayaking Experience:
With mum and dad in our Indian canoe - before i was able to walk on my own feet.

Your Most Memorable Kayaking Experience and Why:
All tours with my kayak.



Facundo Moreno
Kayaker since 2005, working in Argentina Rafting Expeditions , in 2010 he began to train hard in Freestyle . 1st Place Guide Day Fiesta - San Rafael 2010. 3rd Place SouthAmerican Freestyle - San Juan 2011. Participate in WC Nantahala 2013. 3rd Place Cup Argentina 2014 .
Gender: Male
Age: 37
Province: San Juan
City: San Juan
Country: Argentina
Height: 610
Weight: 190
Years Kayaking: 5 years
Association: Kayak Club San Juan
Website: click here
Hobbies:
Kayaking.!

Music:
House, Cumbia.

Sponsors:
  • Riverland
  • Namibia
  • Hotel Del Valle
  • Kayak Club SJ
  • Ministerio Desarrollo Humano

Video Moments:
-

Your First Kayaking Experience:
-

Your Most Memorable Kayaking Experience and Why:
-Pucon, mi first waterfall.
-WC Freestyle 2013, super high level competition.



Gav Barker
I've been paddling for 23 years, including freestyle, whitewater and surf, and loved every minute along the way. Been a member part of the GB freestyle team for 4 years and am the current British Champion.
Gender: Male
Age: 43
Province: Lancashire
City: Manchester
Country: United Kingdom
Height: 5"8
Weight: 147
Years Kayaking: over 20 years
Association: BCU
Website: click here
Hobbies:
Kayaking
Climbing
Golf
Chilling

Music:
Yep

Sponsors:

Your First Kayaking Experience:
Paddled the mighty irwell in Bury, Just the Burrs section mind....I wasn't ready to go all the way from Ramsbottom!!

Your Most Memorable Kayaking Experience and Why:
Swims in Wales and uganda were both pretty memorable!! Countless great memories with friends on the water in the uk and around the world.



George Heyworth-Hill
Kayaking sucks where's the gym!!!!!
Gender: Male
Age: 29
Province: Lancashire
City: Lytham St.Annes
Country: United Kingdom
Height: 6.3
Weight: 220
Years Kayaking: 4 years
Association: N/a
Website: click here
Hobbies:
No hobbies just lifestyle

Music:
All music

Sponsors:

Video Moments:
Your First Kayaking Experience:
Just at a local club on the lake

Your Most Memorable Kayaking Experience and Why:
All of my kayaking Experience are memorable .



Georgia Clarke
Year 9 High School, first year of paddling Freestyle. Excited to have the opportunity of paddling and learning from the pro's
Gender: Female
Age: 24
Province: NSW
City: Valley Heights
Country: Australia
Height: 5ft 4inch
Weight: 119
Years Kayaking: 2 years
Association: Penrith Valley Canoe
Website: click here
Hobbies:
Guitar, Ice Hockey, Field Hockey and Kayaking of course

Music:
Punk

Sponsors:

Video Moments:
2015 Australian Freestyle Nationals

Your First Kayaking Experience:
Penrith White Water

Your Most Memorable Kayaking Experience and Why:
2015 Australian Freestyle Nationals coming 2nd with the opportunity to come to the Worlds



Gilbert Coombes
I am always up for a kayak and new experiences. Competed in the 2013 worlds at north Carolina and loved it. So keen to get to the Ottawa river and represent Australia.
Gender: Male
Age: 27
Province: New South Wales
City: Sydney
Country: Australia
Height: 6'1"
Weight: 180
Years Kayaking: 4 years
Association: Australian Canoeing
Website: click here
Hobbies:
kayaking
hiking
exploring
fun things

Music:
Anything

Sponsors:

Your First Kayaking Experience:
My friends older brother started kayaking so one day I went along with him and had a try.

Your Most Memorable Kayaking Experience and Why:
Going down the south coast and getting on some big waves for the first time.



HIRANO TOSHIYUKI
N/A
Gender: Male
Age: 43
Province: TOKYO
City: MIZUHOMACHI
Country: Japan
Height: 5.10
Weight: 155
Years Kayaking: 10 years
Association: NIHON SQUIRTKAYAK Association
Website: click here
Hobbies:
Kayak
Motorcycle

Music:
Yoko Kanno

Sponsors:
Your First Kayaking Experience:
It's the first time paddling in the sea of Izu Peninsula.

Your Most Memorable Kayaking Experience and Why:
When I first Mystery Move.



Hayden Voorhees
I live in Meridian, ID. The Payette is my home river.
This is my first World Championships and I am stoked.
Gender: Male
Age: 25
Province: Idaho
City: Meridian
Country: United States
Height: 5' 9"
Weight: 110
Years Kayaking: 10 years
Association: USA Freestyle Kayaking
Website: click here
Hobbies:
I like to play any sports including basketball, football, disc golf, ect.

Music:
I like any music with a good beat.

Sponsors:
Your First Kayaking Experience:
My first kayaking experience was probably just messing around in a pool. When I was 6, I spent a lot of time on the Lower Main Payette in my Fun 1.

Your Most Memorable Kayaking Experience and Why:
My most memorable kayaking experience was when I made the US team in second place behind my brother.



Heidi Walsh
My name is Heidi Walsh and I am a sixth form student, kayak instructor, lifeguard and bank safety at Lee Valley Whitewater Centre. I am very new to freestyle kayaking; it has only been a year since I entered my first novice competition and got my first flat spin! Since then I have been paddling all over England and met some amazing people along the way. Now is my chance to do the same thing but on a worldwide scale and have loads of fun along the way!
Gender: Female
Age: 27
Province: Hertfordshire
City: Watford
Country: United Kingdom
Height: 5ft 4.5
Weight: 130
Years Kayaking: 1 year
Association: British Canoeing
Website: click here
Hobbies:
Kayaking (obviously), swimming, football, netball and anything else sport related. Also enjoy photography and making paddle videos

Music:
Avicii, Bliss n Eso, Martin Garrix, Major Lazer, One Republic etc anything with a good beat and goes with a kayak video

Sponsors:

Video Moments:
Your First Kayaking Experience:
Taking a summer course with my swim friends in 2012 on a lake and realising the small boats go in circles really fun and they're more fun than the others. I haven't stopped since!

Your Most Memorable Kayaking Experience and Why:
The lead up to team selections because I met and trained with so many people I considered to be a thousand times better than me and by the end of selections they became my good friends and paddle buddy's



Hitomi Takaku
Jointcompany Highever businesswoman
Gender: Female
Age: 42
Province: Tokyo
City: Hachiouji
Country: Japan
Height: 5.41
Weight: 132
Years Kayaking: 10 years
Association: Japan Canoe Federation
Website: click here
Hobbies:
Fishing

Music:
Japanese folk music "Sada Masashi"

Sponsors:
Your First Kayaking Experience:
I was over the uninhabited in the sea kayak.
It was harvested sea urchins and fish was done the camp.

Your Most Memorable Kayaking Experience and Why:
This year, I've fallen waterfall in Uganda.
It was the first experience in my life.



Hugo Scott
Hugo 1
Gender: Male
Age: 27
Province: Wiltshire
City: Warminster
Country: United Kingdom
Height: 5'8
Weight: 153
Years Kayaking: 3 years
Association: British Canoeing
Website: click here
Hobbies:
Climbing
Media

Music:
Deep house

Sponsors:

Video Moments:
Your First Kayaking Experience:
At Clayesmore School

Your Most Memorable Kayaking Experience and Why:
Meeting The Alan Ward (no big deal)



Hugo Anthony
HUGO 2 (the better looking one)
Gender: Male
Age: 26
Province: Middlesex
City: London
Country: United Kingdom
Height: 5'10"
Weight: 187
Years Kayaking: 3 years
Association: british canoeing
Website: click here
Hobbies:
kayak, rugby, eat, repeat

Music:
the music of life

Sponsors:
  • #unsponsored

Video Moments:
featuring in a lot of hugo scotts amazing videos

Your First Kayaking Experience:
with my local club 'HJCC'

Your Most Memorable Kayaking Experience and Why:
meeting THE Alan Ward (no big deal)



Hunter Katich
Second time on the US team. First year in senior mens. 2013 World Champion Junior Men. Winning 2012 World Cup.
Gender: Male
Age: 28
Province: Alabama
City: Auburn
Country: United States
Height: 5'9
Weight: 145
Years Kayaking: 7 years
Association: Paddle Monkeys
Website: click here
Hobbies:
Surf, mountain bike, baseball, basketball

Music:
All music

Sponsors:
Your First Kayaking Experience:
Canoeing with my parents

Your Most Memorable Kayaking Experience and Why:
Winning Worlds 2013 and 2012 World Cup



Ian Salvat Cuevas
I'm 3th in worl0d cup in Sort 2014 and champion of Spanish cups in 2013,214.
Gender: Male
Age: 28
Province: Pallars Sobirà
City: Sort
Country: Spain
Height: 5' 7"
Weight: 143
Years Kayaking: 10 years
Association: Kayak Sort
Website: click here
Hobbies:
photography, editing videos and filming

Music:
chill-out, reggae

Sponsors:
Video Moments:
Your First Kayaking Experience:
It was at the slalom course in Sort when i was 3 years old

Your Most Memorable Kayaking Experience and Why:
Last season when i was in Chile



Iker Carreto Tejedo
Last year I was in Adidas sickline in the world cups and in Slovakia for the European championship.
Gender: Male
Age: 30
Province: Pallars Sobirà
City: Sort
Country: Spain
Height: 1,74cm
Weight: 63kg
Years Kayaking: 10 years
Association: Kayak Sort
Website: click here
Hobbies:
sky, snow, football

Music:
rock

Sponsors:

Video Moments:
Your First Kayaking Experience:
with my dad

Your Most Memorable Kayaking Experience and Why:
Sort flooded



Jack Ledwith
Im from a very rural town in a rural county in Ireland (a rural country) where I am the only one who paddles. I started off playing kayak polo which led me into different disciplines and finally into freestyle.
Gender: Male
Age: 27
Province: Leitrim
City: Carrigallen
Country: Ireland
Height: 6"1
Weight: 145
Years Kayaking: 3 years
Association: .
Website: click here
Hobbies:
Kayaking
Mountain and road cycling
Piano

Music:
rock

Sponsors:

Your First Kayaking Experience:
My first kayaking experience was in The Cavan Canoe in some small rec boats

Your Most Memorable Kayaking Experience and Why:
My most memorable kayaking experence was my first time running the Ottawa at 8 feet it scared me a little but I loved it.



Jakob Hanoulle
Winner Belgian Cup
competitor World Cup 2014
competitor European Freestyle Championship
Gender: Male
Age: 27
Province: Belgium
City: Roeselare
Country: Belgium
Height: 5.6
Weight: 154
Years Kayaking: 10 years
Association: Vlaamse Kajak Federatie
Website: click here
Hobbies:
Freestyle kajak

Sponsors:
Your First Kayaking Experience:
aged 9

Your Most Memorable Kayaking Experience and Why:
World Cup Nantahala 2013
Winning Belgian Cup



James Rowlinson
After competing for Australia in 2007 and 2009, I took a break from the competitive freestyle scene to finish my degree at university. Now, fresh-faced from 5 years of burying my nose in books and equations, I best have a crack at the classic underdog comeback story, wish me luck
Gender: Male
Age: 33
Province: Queensland
City: Cairns
Country: Australia
Height: 5ft 9inch
Weight: 165lbs 5 oz
Years Kayaking: 10 years
Association: Australian Canoeing
Website: click here
Hobbies:
Free diving, Spear fishing, snowboarding, photography, surf life saving, kayaking... Anything that gives me an excuse to get outdoor

Music:
Music: I like a variety of tunes, from heavier rock to the classics, to some hip hop and even some of that artificial doof doof the kids play at their parties these days.

Sponsors:

Video Moments:
Featured in a few flicks from Skippy Films and Airborn Athletics, as well as my personal youtube channel (check it out!

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCbigJqmOIGixldmct-jckiw)

Your First Kayaking Experience:
Can't be too sure on that one, but I'm going to guess it would have been at a school camp when I was about eight or so.

Your Most Memorable Kayaking Experience and Why:

This would have to be running the Triple Crown in Uganda in 2012. It was the last day of my two month stint on the White Nile, and five of us hit the three biggest rapids of the section while the rest of the gang cheered us on. It was the biggest challenge in mental preparation I've ever done, but popping up at the bottom of Hypoxia grinning ear to ear and floating down the river as the sun set while (unladen) African Swallows darted between the waves is a moment that will stick



James Ibbotson
Ex-slalom paddler who found the fun in freestyle. Also love to play kayak polo.
Gender: Male
Age: 31
Province: Yorkshire
City: Doncaster
Country: United Kingdom
Height: 5.10
Weight: 209
Years Kayaking: 10 years
Association: British Canoeing
Website: click here
Hobbies:
Kayaking
Kayaking
More kayaking
Playing playstation

Music:
Anything and everything

Sponsors:
Video Moments:
Your First Kayaking Experience:
In a swimming pool back when i was 8 years old

Your Most Memorable Kayaking Experience and Why:
The time i almost died running a drop i was told not to......



James Bebbington
2011 World Champion
2010 World Cup Champion
2014 Europeans Bronze

I'm a freetyle kayaker from the UK, having spent the last decade training and competing around the World I still love to paddle :-)

Now i run a video production company alongside my kayak trips/ training.

Gender: Male
Age: 37
Province: Cheshire
City: Warrington
Country: United Kingdom
Height: 6'2"
Weight: 157
Years Kayaking: 10 years
Association: n/a
Website: click here
Hobbies:
Video, Photo, Cycling, Vegetarian ;-)...

Music:
Music that is beautiful and unique - Not pop.

Sponsors:
Video Moments:
Your First Kayaking Experience:
In a pool, learning to roll. Then quickly onto the rivers of NW England and Wales.

Your Most Memorable Kayaking Experience and Why:
Winning the 2011 worlds. It was the culmination of 2 years solid training, changing my diet and lifestyle and focusing on a goal. The first time I really committed to achieving one specific goal.



Jen McGaley
I'm a small and enthusiastic paddler who loves being active and am about to begin studying biology at university. Looking forward to my first World Championships in a squirt boat!
Hobbies:
Playboating, squirtboating, playing the French horn cycling and generally keeping fit!

Music:
Jazz, bigband and classical

Sponsors:
Your First Kayaking Experience:
Feeding ducks from an open canoe when I was about 10 months old!

Your Most Memorable Kayaking Experience and Why:
Winning a silver medal at the 2014 European Championships :)



Jeremy Norbury
-17 years old
-Student of World Class Academy
-From South Island of NZ
Gender: Male
Age: 26
Province: Otago
City: Alexandra
Country: New Zealand
Height: 5' 9"
Weight: 140
Years Kayaking: 9 years
Association: NZFA
Website: click here
Hobbies:
-Mountain Biking
-Snow Skiing
-Cliff Jumping
-Kayaking.... and more kayaking
-Editing videos

Music:
anything

Sponsors:
  • Astral
  • Double Dutch Paddles

Your First Kayaking Experience:
Slalom kayaking on the Clutha River near my home in Alexandra New Zealand. 8 years old, scared out of my mind on water that flows slower than what your Grandma can walk.

Your Most Memorable Kayaking Experience and Why:
Kayaking the Roaring Meg section of the Kawarau River in NewZealand in a Topo Duo with my mate Sam! Dressed only in our essential kayaking gear (life jacket, spray skirt and helmet), we gave the other kayakers on the river a bit of a shock when we emerged from our kayaks.



Jeremy Laucks
Jeremy is the owner of Blackfly Canoes and paddler of all things that float (and some that don't)
Gender: Male
Age: 43
Province: NH
City: New Hampton
Country: United States
Height: 5'7"
Weight: 170
Years Kayaking: 10 years
Association: USACK
Website: click here
Hobbies:
Boating, Making boats

Sponsors:
Your First Kayaking Experience:
My brother thought it was a good idea.

Your Most Memorable Kayaking Experience and Why:
2009 World Championships. I won two medals



Jessica Droujko
Mechanical engineering student kayaking/living in Montreal.
Gender: Female
Age: 31
Province: Donbass
City: Donetsk
Country: Ukraine
Height: 5'7"
Weight: 130
Years Kayaking: 9 years
Association: UCF
Website: click here
Hobbies:
Kayaking

Sponsors:
  • my dad
  • my mom

Your First Kayaking Experience:
Stephen Wright pushing me down the Lorne in the Keener Program.

Your Most Memorable Kayaking Experience and Why:
Chile, it's beautiful.



Jim Rovekamp
A freestyle kayaker and a student, trying to have as much fun as possible
Gender: Male
Age: 27
Province: Zuid-Holland
City: Bergschenhoek
Country: Netherlands
Height: 6
Weight: 165
Years Kayaking: 7 years
Association: watersport verbond
Website: click here
Hobbies:
Kayaking, Soccer, playing darts, hanging out with friends

Music:
deephouse, house, pop

Sponsors:
Video Moments:
Your First Kayaking Experience:
kayaking with my dad at Sault-Brenaz

Your Most Memorable Kayaking Experience and Why:
Kayaking on the La Malate wave, because it's awsome



Joel Kowalski
I grew up on the shores of the Ottawa River. My first kayaking experience was in the Ottawa Kayak School's teen camp. After my first summer paddling on the Ottawa I was hooked for life. Kayaking and whitewater now defines my life. I've travelled to every continent in the last 10 years in search of adventures on the planet's most incredible rivers. Competition play a large part of my kayaking too. I'm fired up to have the World's coming back to the Ottawa. And I'm excited to share my home river with so many old and new friends again this summer. CANADA
Gender: Male
Age: 36
Province: Ontario
City: Beachburg
Country: Canada
Height: 6'2"
Weight: 200
Years Kayaking: 10 years
Association: Ottawa Kayak School
Website: click here
Hobbies:
Kayaking, Rafting, Skateboarding, Skiing, Painting, Design,

Music:
Anything but country really...

Sponsors:
  • Wilderness Tours Raft & Kayak Resort
  • Ottawa Kayak School
  • Jackson Kayak
  • Level Six
  • Smith Optics
  • Bell Canada

Video Moments:
- First Descent: Michoacan
- Frontier
- Dream Result
- Stakeout

Your First Kayaking Experience:
Ottawa River in OKS' Teen Kayak Camp 2002

Your Most Memorable Kayaking Experience and Why:
Hard to say... definitely more than a few at this point. Meeting Juanito de Ugarte on the Rio Gol Gol in the 2012 WW Grand Prix is up there.



Johanna Denke
I'm not quite sure whether I'm rather a kayaker doing art or an artist who's kayaking
Gender: Female
Age: 27
Province: Baden Württemberg
City: Mannheim
Country: Germany
Height: 5.5
Weight: 125
Years Kayaking: 7 years
Association: DKV
Website: click here
Hobbies:
Spending time in water and on the road

Music:
Experimental noisecore

Sponsors:

Video Moments:
-

Your First Kayaking Experience:
Ouh, can't remember this one

Your Most Memorable Kayaking Experience and Why:
Getting seasick by giving sea kayaking a try



Jonas Unterberg
I am a member of the German Freestyle Team since 2008. After Plattling (2011) and Nanthala (2013), this year is my third time at Freestyle World Championships.
Gender: Male
Age: 31
Province: NRW
City: Cologne
Country: Germany
Height: 6.2
Weight: 183
Years Kayaking: 10 years
Association: DKV
Website: click here
Hobbies:
Kayaking
Longboarding
Wakeboarding

Music:
Reggae

Sponsors:

Video Moments:
Your First Kayaking Experience:
I started Kayaking on the Rhine in a Slalom-boat!

Your Most Memorable Kayaking Experience and Why:
Going to Plattling for world championships in 2011 and meeting all those fun people!
And seeing Philipp Vorbohle winning the 2014 Oker Rodeo in a Robson Supersonic.



Jordan Poffenberger
Supposedly Pro Canoeist always trying to improve and progress.
Gender: Male
Age: 30
Province: VA
City: Fairfax
Country: United States
Height: 5'10"
Weight: 145
Years Kayaking: 10 years
Association: 'Merica
Website: click here
Hobbies:
Going Fast
Also Boofs.

Music:
Gnarls Barkley
Dean Martin
Johnny Cash

Sponsors:
Your First Kayaking Experience:
I was 5 years old in a Perception Jib pinned on a tree on a flooding Potomac.

Your Most Memorable Kayaking Experience and Why:
I'm hoping my most memorable kayaking experiences are still ahead of me.



Joseph Dunne
I live for kayaking, Have been the Australian National junior Champion several times, then went to the Worlds in Nantahala 2013 my first year as a senior, I am now a part time Raft guide at Penrith White Water stadium and help coach juniors
Gender: Male
Age: 30
Province: NSW
City: Leura
Country: Australia
Height: 5ft 7
Weight: 136lb 14oz
Years Kayaking: 7 years
Association: Australian Canoeing
Website: click here
Hobbies:
- music, kayaking, rafting, bush walking, mountain biking, canyoning, camping

Music:
anything

Sponsors:

Video Moments:
Too Many to choose

Your First Kayaking Experience:
Probably beginners class at Penrith White Water Stadium when I was 12

Your Most Memorable Kayaking Experience and Why:
2013 ICF World Championships first time as in senior K1 and got to paddle with some of my all time hero's



Joshua Singleton
I am a founder of Christian Paddlers. And learnt majority of my playboating on the beaches of Western Australia. I have won two classes in the 130km white water Avon Descent race.
I work as a Program Leader, facilitating school age camp, across New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia.
And love going to the beach.
Gender: Male
Age: 39
Province: NSW
City: Moss Vale
Country: Australia
Height: 5'8"
Weight: 154
Years Kayaking: 10 years
Association: Champion Lakes Paddle Club
Website: click here
Hobbies:
Kayaking on rivers and the beach.
Chilling by the beach.
Bushwalking.
Australian Rules Football.

Music:
Aussie Rock like Powderfinger.
Pump up with Calvin Harris.
And love some good country tunes.

Sponsors:
Video Moments:
www.youtube.com/Singo12

Your First Kayaking Experience:
Kayaking down the Blackwood, Western Australia, with my Dad at about 10 years of age on a weekend trip.

Your Most Memorable Kayaking Experience and Why:
Running English Channel on the Slave River, NWT Canada. At the time we had only heard rumors of people running this class V in the past. I hadn't done any first descents on the trip yet and the guys threw me a bone to get first stab at this beast. I remember paddling in and the line opened up right in front of me as I went over the horizon line and it was a sweet ride through the channel.



Jungyeop Yeo
Instructor of Songkang Canoe School
Gender: Male
Age: 39
Province: Gangwon
City: Inje
Country: Korea, Republic of
Height: 5.5
Weight: 148
Years Kayaking: 10 years
Association: KCF
Website: click here
Hobbies:
Music
Snowbording
Game

Sponsors:
Your First Kayaking Experience:
2006

Your Most Memorable Kayaking Experience and Why:
2007 at World rafting Championship as a safety kayaker, it was high volume water. It gave me lots of impression.



Jussi Tanskanen
Northern Finland based kayaker. Have organized week of waves freestylekayak event in lappland, last two years.
Gender: Male
Age: 39
Province: Lappi
City: Sirkka
Country: Finland
Height: 5.9
Weight: 159
Years Kayaking: 11 to 15 years
Association: Suomen melonta- ja soutuliitto
Website: click here
Hobbies:
Kayaking, telemarkskiing, snowkiting, mountainbiking,

Sponsors:

Video Moments:
Your First Kayaking Experience:
Started with flatwater kayaking at my parents summerhouse

Your Most Memorable Kayaking Experience and Why:
Kayaking Reisariver in northern Norway, Beautifull multiday river.



Juuso Karttunen
22-year old kayaker from Finland
Gender: Male
Age: 32
Province: Oulu
City: Oulu
Country: Finland
Height: 5,9
Weight: 170
Years Kayaking: 8 years
Association: Finnish Canoeing and Rowing Federation
Website: click here
Hobbies:
Mountain biking, snowboarding

Music:
Electric

Sponsors:
Video Moments:
Your First Kayaking Experience:
2007 in a swimming pool, training some eskimo rolls

Your Most Memorable Kayaking Experience and Why:
Trip to Uganda. Warm, delicious food, easy life and world class wave!



Kaito Roemer
My name I Kaito Roemer; Kayaking is my passion, its as simple as that. I started at the age 10 through the Missoula Youth Kayak Program Zoo Town Surfers. I spend my evenings play boating on Brennan's Wave, and weekends running the local rivers with my Kayak buddy Darby McAdams. I am fortunate to have had some amazing times and met some amazing people through Kayaking. I am super stoked to to have the opportunity to compete in Ottawa, with great athletes, on a great river.
Gender: Male
Age: 25
Province: MT
City: Missoula
Country: United States
Height: 5'5
Weight: 150
Years Kayaking: 6 years
Association: Jackson Kayaks
Website: click here
Hobbies:
Growing up in Montana, I enjoy all things the wild's have to offer.

When the streams and rivers are running, Kayaking.
When the world is frozen over, Skiing.


Music:
Ya I dance a little; Dubstep and that old 90's stuff my dad makes me listen to on long road trips.

Sponsors:

Video Moments:
Your First Kayaking Experience:
Age unknown perhaps 8, to separate my sister and I my dad kicked me out of the raft into a little blue Kayak on the Yellowstone River. Little did he know it would be the start of something Great!

Your Most Memorable Kayaking Experience and Why:
The moment I made the US Freestyle Kayaking Team. A lot of hard work and dreams come true in that moment.



Kalem Kennedy
This is my second year being on the Canadian Freestyle Team. Competed at World's in 2013 in North Carolina and place 13th in the Men's Jr. I am super stocked to be competing on my home river.
Hobbies:
I enjoy obviously kayaking as well fishing in the summer.When the water freezes in the off season I play comparative hockey with my brother.

Music:
country, hip hop, dub step and anything else not over played on the radio.

Sponsors:

Your First Kayaking Experience:
It all started for me surfing white caps in my uncles old dagger boat and a flat section of the Ottawa River

Your Most Memorable Kayaking Experience and Why:
Being the youngest at 14 as I am aware to surf Gladiator in the Ottawa XL on the Ottawa River during my third year kayaking.



Kalob Grady
My name is Kalob Grady, I am 20 years old, I am an avid whitewater kayaker. 
I grew up on the banks of the Ottawa River. The River has held a special place in my heart for as long as I can remember. As a child, I enjoyed paddling a kayak on flat water. The summer I turned 10, my world would be forever changed. This was the summer when I first kayaked whitewater. By the time I turned 13, I had developed a solid foundation in paddling and my skill sets all started to come together. I spent that whole summer following raft trips down the river, tagging along with the Keener program and simply spending as much time on the water as I possibly could.  It was at this time that I realized I lived at one of the greatest places on earth for Freestyle Kayaking and my passion for the sport flourished. In the year that followed, I committed to the sport and dedicated all of my energy and effort into kayaking.
These efforts were rewarded the following Spring, when I finished 4th (team alternate) at the Canadian Junior Team Trials as a 13 year old. This result inspired me to train and dedicate myself to the sport even more. I immersed myself in kayaking in every way that I could in order to improve and develop as an athlete.
In 2010. I won the Canadian Junior National Championships. This allowed me to represent Canada at the World Freestyle Kayaking Championships.
I had the opportunity to attend the New River Academy (NRA) to further hone my skills and extend the paddling season outside of Canadian winters. With NRA, I was able to study and paddle in preparation of the World Championships in amazing places such as Uganda.
In the World Junior Freestyle Kayak Championships, I finished in 6th place. I was really pleased with the result and the satisfaction that all of my hard work and dedication placed me amongst the best paddlers in the world. My Junior career ended with 12 podium finishes and the title of National Junior Champion.
My sights have now shifted toward the Senior Men’s division. I am now truly competing against the best kayakers that the world has to offer. I wish to continue my dedication to the sport striving to continue to improve, push my limits and raise the bar as to what is possible to accomplish in a kayak.
Gender: Male
Age: 30
Province: Ontario
City: LaPasse
Country: Canada
Height: 5'8ft
Weight: 175 lbs
Years Kayaking: 9 years
Association: Team Canada
Website: click here
Hobbies:
Kayaking, Kayaking, Kayaking, Cuddling, Margaritas, Sunsets & Long Walks on the Beach.

Music:
Macklemore, ChillWave, Upbeat, Indie

Sponsors:
  • Mountain Equipment Co-op
  • Kokatat Watersports Wear
  • Titan Kayaks
  • Ten Tree Clothing

Your First Kayaking Experience:
Classic first time, out on the river, paddling around with Dad. Hooked from moment number 1!

Your Most Memorable Kayaking Experience and Why:
Winning Junior Nationals at 16 years old was an amazing experience!



Katie Kowalski
:)
Gender: Female
Age: 33
Province: Ontario
City: Beachburg
Country: Canada
Height: 5'4
Weight: 145
Years Kayaking: 9 years
Association: OKS
Website: click here
Hobbies:
Kayaking, Skiing, Touring, Snowboarding, Travelling,

Music:
Any, and all sorts.

Sponsors:
Your First Kayaking Experience:
First whitewater was at Wilderness Tours in the teen camp program.

Your Most Memorable Kayaking Experience and Why:
Every time I get on the water.



Kazuya Matsunaga
Engineer
Gender: Male
Age: 40
Province: Hyogo
City: Toyooka
Country: Japan
Height: 5.4
Weight: 132
Years Kayaking: 10 years
Association: JCF
Website: click here
Hobbies:
Fishing,Snowboading

Music:
Japanese hiphop®gae

Sponsors:
Video Moments:
Your First Kayaking Experience:
a littele river near my bornhouse

Your Most Memorable Kayaking Experience and Why:
2008 worldcup trip in Europe



Kimberly Dodd
Happy!
Gender: Female
Age: 33
Province: Hawkes Bay
City: Hastings
Country: New Zealand
Height: 5.6
Weight: 135
Years Kayaking: 7 years
Association: NZ Extreme White Water
Website: click here
Hobbies:
Surfing
Mtn biking

Music:
Not RNB or classical

Sponsors:

Video Moments:
.

Your First Kayaking Experience:
Paddling down the Mohaka with my dad and brother.

Your Most Memorable Kayaking Experience and Why:
The Mastigouche slide!! Because it is out of control fun with little consequences.



Kira Carreto Tejedo
first in the Spanish cup and the catolania cup 2014 and 2015.
Gender: Female
Age: 24
Province: Pallars Sobirà
City: Sort
Country: Spain
Height: 1,60cm
Weight: 53kg
Years Kayaking: 6 years
Association: kayak sort
Website: click here
Hobbies:
sports in general

Music:
all types

Sponsors:

Video Moments:
Your First Kayaking Experience:
whenb i first went down the river in Sort

Your Most Memorable Kayaking Experience and Why:
when i participated at the world cups last year



Lars Romeskie
Playing in the outdoors has always been a driving force in my life. Paddling has played a large part in it for the last two decades, leading me to travel the world and settling in the Ottawa Valley and ultimately to find a career to support it all.
Gender: Male
Age: 46
Province: Ontario
City: Beachburg
Country: Canada
Height: 5'10"
Weight: 190
Years Kayaking: 16 to 20 years
Association: http://www.whitewaterontario.ca/
Website: click here
Hobbies:
paddling, mountain biking, cats, skiing, hockey, swimming, fishing, hunting, climbing, lawnmowing...

Music:
Varied; but not rap.

Sponsors:
Your First Kayaking Experience:
first paddled at age 15, in a pool session.

Your Most Memorable Kayaking Experience and Why:
Running Rideau Falls



Leif Anderson
I recently graduated with my PhD in theoretical physics, and spent this year focusing on paddling. It has paid off big time with this awesome chance to compete against the best paddlers in the world.
Gender: Male
Age: 41
Province: Colorado
City: Glenwood Springs
Country: United States
Height: 6'7"
Weight: 220
Years Kayaking: 10 years
Association: Leif and Natalie
Website: click here
Hobbies:
Slalom paddling, downriver paddling, physics, knitting

Music:
yes, sometimes.

Sponsors:
Video Moments:
Your First Kayaking Experience:
The first time I remember being in a kayak was when I was very young. My mom was towing me upstream in her kayak. Somehow I flipped over and had to pull my skirt.

Your Most Memorable Kayaking Experience and Why:
There are so many experiences. Too many for any one to be the absolute most memorable.



Leonard Kelleher
I have competed for team Ireland from 2004-2009 on both the freestyle and surf kayak teams. This is my first international freestyle competition since the 2008 European freestyle championships.
I've briefly kayaked in Ottawa before but am delighted to get the opportunity to return. This place is magical.

Best results:
2004 freestyle Europeans - 2nd
2005 freestyle worlds - 15th
2005 surf kayak worlds - 3rd
2006 freestyle Europeans - 11th
2007 surf kayak worlds - 1st
Hobbies:
Surfing, running, swimming, cycling, skateboarding, snowboarding, juggling, travelling.

Music:
.

Sponsors:

Video Moments:
.

Your First Kayaking Experience:
On the river Liffey in Dublin along with my best bud Cillo Delaney. We couldn't even paddle in a straight line but managed to knock a bit of craic out of it.

Your Most Memorable Kayaking Experience and Why:
Night kayak surfing one of Europe's most iconic waves (Mundaka, Basque Country) having just won the world surf kayak champs (international class).

Catching a greyhound bus from LA to Seattle with my brother to meet up with a bunch of other kayakers. Then from Seattle to continue on to Skookumchuck rapids for an unforgettable couple of days.



Liam Dowd
Liam is a new addition to Australia's Freestyle team, in fact, he only started paddling 2 years ago and has been supported for the past year by the Australian Freestyle committee with some hands on coaching from Jez Jezz. Despite, his lack of experience he managed 3rd place in this years Australian Nationals and 3rd summer series.In his first ever international event he will be competing in Junior K1. Liam is ecstatic about being on the Australian team and can’t wait to experience the Garberator and watch the Pro's in action.
Gender: Male
Age: 24
Province: NSW
City: Blaxland
Country: Australia
Height: 5 ft 7inches
Weight: 99.2
Years Kayaking: 2 years
Association: Australian Canoeing /Freestyle Kayak
Website: click here
Hobbies:
Photography, Abseiling, rock climbing and most of all Kayaking.

Music:
Music - Electro

Sponsors:

Your First Kayaking Experience:
Beginners class at Penrith White Water Stadium

Your Most Memorable Kayaking Experience and Why:
Competing in this years Australian Nationals and qualifying for the Worlds



Lisa Hasselwander
First time at the World Championships, much fun, excited to be here.
Gender: Female
Age: 28
Province: Nordrhein-Westfalen
City: Dormagen
Country: Germany
Height: 5,57
Weight: 150
Years Kayaking: 6 years
Association: WSC-Dormagen
Website: click here
Hobbies:
Kayaking, Horse riding, Climbing, Hiking

Music:
Nearly everything

Sponsors:
Video Moments:
---

Your First Kayaking Experience:
---

Your Most Memorable Kayaking Experience and Why:
---



Louise Urwin
.
Gender: Female
Age: 44
Province: Bay of Plenty
City: Okere Falls
Country: New Zealand
Height: 5.6
Weight: 65kg
Years Kayaking: 10 years
Association: .
Website: click here
Hobbies:
Kayaking (obviously)
Surfing
Mountain Biking
Picnicing

Music:
.

Sponsors:
Video Moments:
.

Your First Kayaking Experience:
Freezing my t***ts off on a bony grade 2 river in NZ winter. Lots of swimming & ice-cream headaches… loved every minute!

Your Most Memorable Kayaking Experience and Why:
My most memorable kayaking experiences aren't so much on the river as on the journey. I've accumulated so many amazing memories traveling and competing with some of the most hilarious & beautiful people. From picnics at push button on the Ottawa, to Horse riding in Argentina or elephant shuttles in Thailand, and paddling festivals & comps around the world, the times on the river have been epic but so are the adventures on the road in between runs.



Lowri Davies
Lowri is a professional kayaker and top-level coach. She is owner and head coach at FlowFree coaching, a kayak school that runs courses and trips across the UK, Europe and further afield. She's a former European Freestyle Champion and 4 time British Champion. She has a number of medals for extreme races across Europe and last year earned a bronze in the European Rafting Championships.

But competing is just a small part of her paddling, as she paddles all over the world just for fun! She also likes to explore and has a number of first descents to her name.
Gender: Female
Age: 40
Province: Wales
City: Llangollen
Country: United Kingdom
Height: 5'6
Weight: 145
Years Kayaking: 10 years
Association: BCU
Website: click here
Hobbies:
When not kayaking, I'm usually mountain biking - both downhill and cross-country. I also enjoy snowboarding, climbing and silly adventures.

Sponsors:
Your First Kayaking Experience:
No doubt it would have been on some lake somewhere when I was a little nipper, in all of my Mum's kayaking gear which was way too big for me. I didn't get properly into it until boats and gear started fitting me. Thank god they make gear for kids and for that matter women these days. 'Twas but a dream back then in the ribbed PFDs and 4 metre kayaks!

Your Most Memorable Kayaking Experience and Why:
Too many to choose! From multi-day first descents, surfing big waves in the sunshine or just chilling on my local river with friends....

...oh actually I recently starred in TV program as their "celebrity kayaker" and by weird twist of the plot ended up riding the rapids on a giant inflatable swan. I guess that's fairly memorable!



Lucien Schreiber
I'm practicing kayaking since 5years in Millau France. I was second at the french championship in 2013, 4th in 2014 and I finished second at the Natural Games, a big outdoor sport festival in Millau. I now live in Galway in Ireland for my study, where i continue to practice freestyle kayaking and creekboat.
Gender: Male
Age: 26
Province: Aveyron
City: Millau
Country: France
Height: 5'11"
Weight: 154
Years Kayaking: 5 years
Association: Kayak Club Millau
Website: click here
Hobbies:
Freestyle and creek. Outdoor sports (slackline, bike).
I'm also playing the guitar for 8 years.

Music:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-bp9laIZPR4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6vopR3ys8Kw&list=PL7S68UZm3-s4C6oTC-E4mvvzo4O1y_5qb

Sponsors:
Video Moments:
Your First Kayaking Experience:
In Millau, with the school, not very interesting. But I discovered the club later and my first time in a "closed" boat was very scary. I didn't want to go to the whitewater park, but I made it!

Your Most Memorable Kayaking Experience and Why:
During three days of paddling in the Pyrenees in France, the first day we walked for 1hour with our kayak, and just after there was a first portage. A man was leached to his kayak and went to the impassable rapid. There was a thunderstorm and the thunder resounded in the valley. It seemed like a horror movie, but finally the man survive, without any injury. Now we can say that the rapid is not impassable anymore !



Lukas Cervinka
I am competing already 10 year, I am super cool 3 time European champion in C1. I had too long legs to be a kayaker.
Gender: Male
Age: 34
Province: CZ
City: Libchavy
Country: Czech Republic
Height: 6"7
Weight: 204.9
Years Kayaking: 10 years
Association: CNAWR
Website: click here
Hobbies:
Kayakin, snowboarding, cars, girls, girls and girls

Music:
Nsync , Back street boys, Aerosmith.

Sponsors:
Video Moments:
I made my own 150 clips for FB

Your First Kayaking Experience:
Well didnt fit in properly so I had to C1 because it hurts and it was in Czech on the river I guess

Your Most Memorable Kayaking Experience and Why:
I love Troja white water course where all the bikiny girls are rollerblading next to the hole.



MARCOS GALLEGOS NEIRA
_PUBLIC ONLINE ATHLETE PORTFOLIO_

http://issuu.com/marcoswhitewaterkayaker/docs/portafolio_2015_1__1_

_ALSO AT_

WWW.MARCOSGALLEGOS.COM

INSTAGRAM - MARCOSKAYAK23
FACEBOOK - MARCOS GALLEGOS
Gender: Male
Age: 2024
Province: X REGION - LOS LAGOS - LAKES DISTRICT
City: CHAITEN - FUTALEUFU
Country: Chile
Height: 6'3''
Weight: 179
Years Kayaking: 10 years
Association: Chilean Canoe & kayak Association
Website: click here
Hobbies:
OUTDOOR SPORTS - FAMILY - FRIENDS - MUSIC - PARTYS - CHILLIN - SIGHT SEEING - GIRLS (cause every sport needs lots of girls around ) - COMMUNITY WORK - TRAVELLING - DRIVING IS COOL.

Music:
RAP - REGGAETON - ELECTRONIC - HOUSE MUSIC - INDIE - FOLKLORE - CLASSIC - TRAP - REGGAE - DUBSTEP - ADRENALIN RUSH IS SICK !

ALL MUSIC IS AMAZING !

Sponsors:
Video Moments:
WWW.WHITEWATERGRANDPRIX.COM

SUBSTANTIAL MEDIA HOUSE

SBP SERRASOLSES BROS PRODUCTIONS

MARCOS GALLEGOS ON VIMEO & YOUTUBE

MARCOSKAYAK23 ON INSTAGRAM & TWITTER



Your First Kayaking Experience:
BRIDGE TO BRIDGE SECTION ON THE FUTALEUFU.

Your Most Memorable Kayaking Experience and Why:
The day I took my Mother kayaking for the first time. This was on the Licura river in Pucon, Chile for her Birthday.



Madison Wilson
I have competed in slalom for the past three years after joining the team at Ivanhoe Grammar School. Freestyle fascinated me so I decided to give it a try. I competed in my first Freestyle competition earlier this year and made the Australian team for the 2015 ICF Freestyle World Championships in Canada.
Gender: Female
Age: 25
Province: Victoria
City: Melbourne
Country: Australia
Height: 5ft 4in
Weight: 156
Years Kayaking: 3 years
Association: Canoes Plus Racing Team
Website: click here
Hobbies:
Kayaking
Motor bike Riding
Football
Art

Music:
Jazz
Hip Hop
Meat Loaf
Thirsty Merc
Nirvana
Rock

Sponsors:
  • Wilson Partners Real Estate
  • 2XU

Your First Kayaking Experience:
At school in Year 7 in a big plastic creek boat

Your Most Memorable Kayaking Experience and Why:
Competing and gaining a bronze medal in the 2015 National Freestyle Championships at Penrith and earning a place on the Australian Team to compete in the 2015 ICF Freestyle World Championships in Canada.



Marc Richard
Marc started paddling in his late twenties and quickly fell in love with whitewater kayaking after the desire to surf ocean waves lured him to the Ottawa river. First lessons were at Wilderness Tours with Perry McGregor, Ken Whiting and so many other great paddlers that it still feels a home away from the ocean.
Marc is happily living the dream of teaching and guiding people that want to explore kayaking in the beautiful and diverse watery playgrounds of Nova Scotia.
Gender: Male
Age: 58
Province: Nova Scotia
City: Dartmouth
Country: Canada
Height: 5'11'
Weight: 198
Years Kayaking: Not Given
Association: Canoe Kayak Nova Scotia
Website: click here
Hobbies:
Biking
Canoeing and Kayaking
Cross Country Skiing
Hiking
Snow Shoeing and Shoveling

Music:
Classical
Jazz
Metal

Sponsors:
Your First Kayaking Experience:
Coastal Adventure in Tangier Nova Scotia

Your Most Memorable Kayaking Experience and Why:
First mystery move at smoothies on the Ottawa after a week of trying to figure out how and why I should try to make a perfect good kayak sink. The beauty, joy and peace of floating under the surface is so much fun that it keeps me coming back again and again.



Marcel Bloder
6x Austrian Champion
12th at last Europeans
24th at last Worlds

Gender: Male
Age: 34
Province: Styria
City: Graz
Country: Austria
Height: 6' 10"
Weight: 189
Years Kayaking: 10 years
Association: Austrian Canoe Federation (OKV)
Website: click here
Hobbies:
Skateboarding, Snowboarding, Sports

Music:
Mumford & Sons, basicly the best of everything :D

Sponsors:
Video Moments:
Your First Kayaking Experience:
Topoduo with my father on my local river Mur

Your Most Memorable Kayaking Experience and Why:
Topoduo with my Mum on my local river Mur, one of most important and beautiful memories I have with her



Marlène Devillez
I paddle since I'm 6.
I started in slalom kayaking, but when freestyle kayak arrived in France in 2000 it was amazing! I had try and I never stop this! I'm in the French team since 2008. It's a pleasure to travel all around the world to do europeans and worldchampionships. I'm triple european champion (2010,2012, 2014) and I finished 3rd at the last world cup! I so excited about participate at worlds in Garb!
Gender: Female
Age: 36
Province: Doubs
City: Pontarlier
Country: France
Height: 5,5
Weight: 115
Years Kayaking: 16 to 20 years
Association: Voray CK
Website: click here
Hobbies:
Kayak, running, travel and painting.

Sponsors:
Video Moments:
Your First Kayaking Experience:
It was with my parents when I was 6 in a canoe.

Your Most Memorable Kayaking Experience and Why:
When I won for the third time the European Championships. Share it and celebrate it with all the French Team was so awesome!



Marvin Gauglitz
it`s my third world championship (2011/2013/2015)
i`m happy to be here at Canada, thanks to all my sponsors.
Gender: Male
Age: 30
Province: Baden-wuerttemberg
City: Mannheim
Country: Germany
Height: 5,8
Weight: 141
Years Kayaking: 10 years
Association: DKV
Website: click here
Hobbies:
Kayaking, playing drums (Sound Ink)

Sponsors:

Video Moments:
Your First Kayaking Experience:
kayak course at my local kayak club

Your Most Memorable Kayaking Experience and Why:
best german competitor at the worlds 2013



Mathieu Dumoulin
2nd at world cup in 2014
2 times European champion.
4th at Bus eater worlds.
Jackson kayak team manager for Europe.
Adidas sick line team athlete.
Gender: Male
Age: 37
Province: Aveyron
City: Millau
Country: France
Height: 5.8
Weight: 155
Years Kayaking: 10 years
Association: FFCK
Website: click here
Hobbies:
Any outdoor sport.


Sponsors:
Video Moments:
Your First Kayaking Experience:
on my local white water course in Saint pierre de Boeuf, France.

Your Most Memorable Kayaking Experience and Why:
My first paddle strokes on the Zambezi were the best of my life. I watched videos of that river for the 25 firsts years of my life and when i paddled it for real for the first time i had all the lines already in mind!



Matt Hamilton
I am a transplanted Ottawa river local. I have made the Ottawa my home now for 13 years.
I have had a number of jobs within the paddling industry. I have been an athlete, a raft guide, a kayak instructor, a sales rep, and a team manager.
I have competed internationally in slalom, freestyle and squirt kayaking.
Gender: Male
Age: 49
Province: Ontario
City: Forester falls
Country: Canada
Height: 5'10"
Weight: 190lbs
Years Kayaking: over 20 years
Association: Team Canada
Hobbies:
kayaking and canoeing, alpine skiing, mountain biking, hunting and fishing

Music:
classic rock.

Sponsors:
  • Pyranha
  • Werner Paddles
  • Smith Optics
  • Level Six

Video Moments:
wilderness tour promo video, good gravy productions

Your First Kayaking Experience:
8 years old at summer camp. flatwater....

Your Most Memorable Kayaking Experience and Why:
After paddling for over 30 years I have had too many memorable moments paddling. Mostly it's the places I have been and the people I have met that stand out.



Matt Cuccaro
Matt IS a LOCAL Ottawa Valley/ Ottawa River Canoeist. He is the River Operations Manager at Wilderness Tours and when he isn't busy guiding he is Teaching SRT to Emergency Service Professionals and guides across the Country. Matt is also a Paddle Canada Advanced Instructor Trainer.

In the Winter Matt is a ski Instructor and loves to teach and ski with anyone who asks.

Matt Describes himself as Blue Collar Athlete and loves every minute of it.
Gender: Male
Age: 51
Province: ON
City: Renfrew
Country: Canada
Height: 6
Weight: 210
Years Kayaking: over 20 years
Association: CKC/ Paddle Canada
Website: click here
Hobbies:
Canoeing, Cycling, Skiing, Bending my Elbows

Music:
Anything that gets my moving

Sponsors:

Your First Kayaking Experience:
My First Whitewater solo Canoe trip was when I was 13 t was also my first beat down. It was a great day of firsts.

Your Most Memorable Kayaking Experience and Why:
My Most Memorable moment. It is a toss up between three, My first waterfall, My first really long beat down, Or my first loop. Each one of these things taught me something. The first was this is cool I want more. the second was I can survive this and want to keep going, the third means I can still learn new tricks. All experiences i would not trade in for anything'



Max Rayner
My name is Max Rayner, I am 18 years old and am excited to represent New Zealand at the World Championships. I learnt to roll when I was 8 years old and I have loved kayaking ever since. I discovered freestyle when I first attending the Keener programme in 2009. Ever since then I have loved freestyle and have returned to the Ottawa river 3 times. I look forward to competing with the worlds best in September.
Gender: Male
Age: 28
Province: Otago
City: Alexandra
Country: New Zealand
Height: 5'7"
Weight: 154
Years Kayaking: 10 years
Association: Central Otago Whitewater
Website: click here
Hobbies:
Mountain biking
Skiing
Guitar

Music:
Queens of the Stone Age
Nirvana
Pixies

Sponsors:
Video Moments:
Your First Kayaking Experience:
When I was around 4 my dad took me kayaking in a topo duo.

Your Most Memorable Kayaking Experience and Why:
Running Maruia Falls for the first time. I had never been so scared in my life and it was a great feeling getting to the bottom and overcoming my fear.



Max Münchow
Member of the German National Team 2010, reserve in 2011, so this is my first year as a athlete in the World Championships. I´m really excited and happy to be in Canada and on the Ottawa river
Hobbies:
Kayaking
Music (E-Bass)
Motorbiking

Music:
nearly everything

Sponsors:
Video Moments:
Your First Kayaking Experience:
I´m Kayaking since 22 years, i really can´t remember my first time in a Kayak

Your Most Memorable Kayaking Experience and Why:
Kayaking in Uganda - really amazing



Max Karlsson
2014 European Champion K1JM Freestyle
2014 European Runner-up K1M Squirt

2014 World Cup Champion K1JM Freestyle
2014 World Cup Champion K1M Squirt

3rd K1M squirt, 2013 World Championship
4th K1JM freestyle, 2013 World Championship
2nd overall K1JM freestyle 2013 European Cup
Gender: Male
Age: 28
Province: SWE
City: Stenungsund
Country: Sweden
Height: 5' 10"
Weight: 140
Years Kayaking: 10 years
Association: Swedish Canoe Federation
Website: click here
Hobbies:
Paddling is my passion, my life.

Sponsors:
Video Moments:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=znpcFJo6pUo

www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZawdFLvxP4U

www.youtube.com/watch?v=q2HGOjg4vnk

Your First Kayaking Experience:
I was 9 when I paddled my first rapid. I borrowed my sister's Dagger Dynamo and ran a rapid on Boulder Creek in Boulder, CO. I was immediately hooked and from that day the Dagger Dynamo was mine, ALL MINE.

Your Most Memorable Kayaking Experience and Why:
Winning both the K1JM Freestyle and K1M Squirt at the 2014 World Cup #2 in Salt, Spain on the buzzer.

What made it memorable was that my entire Swedish family, 15 in all, were there wearing the Swedish colors, waving the Swedish flag and were cheered louder than the rest of the crowd combined. My Swedish relatives are crazy but I love them to death.



Maxi Montoya
I'm from San Juan Argentina, the national team of freestyle, and kayak club san juán
Gender: Male
Age: 32
Province: Santa Lucia
City: San Juan
Country: Argentina
Height: 5' 6"
Weight: 158
Years Kayaking: 6 years
Association: Federación Argentina Canoas
Website: click here
Hobbies:
my favorite hobby is the kayak, also swimming, trekking and mountain bike

Sponsors:
  • Kayak club San Juan
  • Namibia Indumentaria deportiva
  • Desarrollo humano San Juan
  • Municipalidad Santa Lucia
  • Universidad de San Juan
  • Distribuidora Santa Lucia Berrocal
  • Deporte San Juan

Video Moments:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=0L7pfBz3fas

Your First Kayaking Experience:
when I went to the 2014 freestyle world cups in Spain, I learned a lot and it was unforgettable experience as an athlete

Your Most Memorable Kayaking Experience and Why:
in 2014 when I won the South American championship freestyle kayak



Mikyung Jeong
* Songkang Canoe School Owner
* Freestyle Team of Songkang Canoe School
* ICF Freestyle Judge

Gender: Female
Age: 58
Province: Gangwon
City: Inje
Country: Korea, Republic of
Height: 5.15
Weight: 123
Years Kayaking: over 20 years
Association: KCF
Website: click here
Hobbies:
Travel, ski, game

Sponsors:
Your First Kayaking Experience:
In 1987 at Han River in Korea

Your Most Memorable Kayaking Experience and Why:
1989- 3 Channels cross from Korea to Japan, I trained for 3months but I have to give up the final day because of other kayakers. He gave up just before start so one of member has to give up too, so people asked to me to do because I'm the youngest one and only one female paddler. It makes me sad and want to quit kayaking but I returned to kayak and keep paddling till now.



Mireia Serres Segarra
5th Junior women in the 2014 ICF World Cup Freestyle in Sort. I was as well in the world cups of Millau and Salt but I didn’t get through the finals

7th junior women in the 2014 ICF European Championships in Cunovo Slovakia.

(In both cases being 15 year old)

2 years as a member of the junior women Spanish team

I start to compete from the first time in the younger categories, and I'm always fighting for the higher places in the Spanish competitions.
Gender: Female
Age: 25
Province: Vallés Occidental
City: Terrassa
Country: Spain
Height: 1,62cm
Weight: 53kg
Years Kayaking: 4 years
Association: Salt-ter kayak club
Website: click here
Hobbies:
music and dance

Music:
all types

Sponsors:

Video Moments:
Your First Kayaking Experience:
It was a descents in the Ter river back in 2010

Your Most Memorable Kayaking Experience and Why:
competing last year at the World Cups



Mitchell Taylor
First year competing in senior competition
Competed in two national competitions as a junior
Hobbies:
Water skiing
Mountain bike riding

Music:
Foo fighters
Red Hot Chilli Peppers

Sponsors:

Your First Kayaking Experience:
Penrith Whitewater

Your Most Memorable Kayaking Experience and Why:
Landing my first loop in competition as it was my first ever successful attempt



Moe Kelleher
Kayaking has shaped my life. I feel so lucky to have found a sport that takes you to so many amazing places.
Gender: Male
Age: 40
Province: Dublin
City: Dublin
Country: Ireland
Height: 6
Weight: 198
Years Kayaking: 10 years
Association: Irish Freestyle Kayak Team
Website: click here
Hobbies:
Kayaking, mountain biking, swimming, paragliding, snowboarding.

Music:
Nujabes, Chillout, Dance, Classical, Irish Trad and listing to my girlfriend sing :)

Sponsors:
Video Moments:
2009 - Interlacken Outdoor Games Team NBFLYERS won 2nd place & $11,000 between the team (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NsvUI5lwUAM )

2004 - Liquid Logic video contest winner with Ben Marr. We were paid in kayaks which was nice :)

Your First Kayaking Experience:
Shooting a weir on the Strawberry Beds in Lucan on the mighty River Liffey in a Dancer kayak. Thanks to the Canoeing Ireland training centre for providing this week long course that got me hooked when I was arond 13/14 years old.

Your Most Memorable Kayaking Experience and Why:
A kayaking trip to Meghalaya India in 2013 to explore uncharted waters is certainly a very memorable experience, kayaking on the White Nile River in Uganda is another but I think descending Niagara Gorge in 2008 is my most memorable. Kayaking out into the centre of that beautiful river, turquoise in colour, looking upstream to Niagara falls and downstream towards the crashing waves is still etched in my minds eye.



Motoko ishida
Kayak school in Japan
Gender: Female
Age: 52
Province: aichi
City: toyokawa
Country: Japan
Height: 4.92
Weight: 108
Years Kayaking: over 20 years
Association: Japan canoe Federation
Website: click here
Hobbies:
ski

Sponsors:
Your First Kayaking Experience:
My first kayaking is 1993 in Japan.

Your Most Memorable Kayaking Experience and Why:
I got First SQ in 1998.
It was change my life!

That give me wonderful kayak life.



Nicholas Troutman
2009 World Champion
5x National Champion
PanAmerican Champion
North American Champion
Generally a good guy!
Gender: Male
Age: 36
Province: Ontario
City: Beachburg
Country: Canada
Height: 5'6
Weight: 150
Years Kayaking: 11 to 15 years
Association: Canoe Kayak Canada
Website: click here
Hobbies:
Kayaking
climbing
skiing
biking
anything active

Sponsors:
Video Moments:
Your First Kayaking Experience:
I was 13, we went down the the flat water below Wilderness Tours and James Roddick taught me to paddle and roll. I fell in love immediately and haven't left my kayak since.

Your Most Memorable Kayaking Experience and Why:
Everyday out on the river with friends



Nicola Beeby
"Nicky"
Hobbies:
Kayaking, Crossfit and eating!

Music:
anything!

Sponsors:
Your First Kayaking Experience:
On our local lake with my big sister!

Your Most Memorable Kayaking Experience and Why:
Every moment on the water is as memorable as the one before!



Nina Csonkova
Professional freestyle and white water kayaker
Gender: Female
Age: 39
Province: Slovakia
City: Bratislava
Country: Slovakia
Height: ?
Weight: ?
Years Kayaking: 10 years
Association: Slavia UK
Website: click here
Hobbies:
All outdoor sports like cycling, snowboarding, cross country skiing etc.

Music:
Any good music

Sponsors:

Video Moments:
?

Your First Kayaking Experience:
In Slovakia at white water course when I fall in love with my husband ... he teach me how to roll

Your Most Memorable Kayaking Experience and Why:
I stil remember my few swims at the begining when I was scared as a hell and than when we paddled from Victoria falls to Kariba lake. That was an amazing experience! Chassed by crocss and hippos :-)



Núria Fontané Masó
Catalan paddler 2 times euro champ and world cup champ as well as vice world champion always trying to have fun in and outside the water!
Gender: Female
Age: 28
Province: Girona
City: Salt
Country: Spain
Height: 1,65cm
Weight: 65kg
Years Kayaking: 7 years
Association: Salt-Ter Kayak club
Website: click here
Hobbies:
sky, dance, photography, drawing...

Music:
Indie pop, pop, rap, dubstep, reggae a bit of a mix

Sponsors:
Your First Kayaking Experience:
I can't even remember, probably in a topo duo with my dad when i was like 2 years old

Your Most Memorable Kayaking Experience and Why:
All of them paddling with my friends and family



Peter Csonka
Profesional freestyle and white water kayaker
3xviceworld champion
2x european champion
2x world cup winner
Gender: Male
Age: 39
Province: Slovakia
City: Bratislava
Country: Slovakia
Height: 1854mm
Weight: 8600g
Years Kayaking: 10 years
Association: Slovak canoe associacion
Website: click here
Hobbies:
Kayaking

Music:
Richard Miller, rhytmus

Sponsors:
Video Moments:
?

Your First Kayaking Experience:
Long time ago to remember

Your Most Memorable Kayaking Experience and Why:
Boofing to the eddy where the naked girls were bathing



Philipp Vorbohle
I am a member of the German Freestyle Team since 2009. After Thun (2009) and Plattling (2011), this year is my third time at Freestyle World Championships.
Gender: Male
Age: 36
Province: Bayern
City: Augsburg
Country: Germany
Height: 5,9
Weight: 148
Years Kayaking: 10 years
Association: DKV
Website: click here
Hobbies:
WW kayaking, ski,

Sponsors:
  • robson.de
  • playboaters.de

Your First Kayaking Experience:
on my local flatwater river with a big smile.

Your Most Memorable Kayaking Experience and Why:
Winning the 2014 Oker Rodeo in a Robson Supersonic.



Philipp Michel
It is my first time in the German National Team and I am super excited about being here in Canada.
Gender: Male
Age: 27
Province: Bayern
City: Neuburg
Country: Germany
Height: 5.8
Weight: 165
Years Kayaking: 6 years
Association: DKV
Website: click here
Hobbies:
Creekboatin, Handball, Party

Music:
everything

Sponsors:

Video Moments:
/

Your First Kayaking Experience:
kayak lesson on the Danupe

Your Most Memorable Kayaking Experience and Why:
Corsica creekboating



Quim Fontane Maso
Double European Champion in K1Junior and K1Senior 2010-2012
ViceworldChampion 2011 Junior
Silver medalist European Championships 2014
2 times 3rd place overall WorldCup Senior Men
1st place on the Eurocup ranking in 2015
Gender: Male
Age: 31
Province: Catalonia
City: Salt
Country: Spain
Height: 1,82cm
Weight: 80 boobs
Years Kayaking: 10 years
Association: Salt-ter Kayak Club
Website: click here
Hobbies:
Creeking and surfing big waves on the sea, besides kayaking I like skiing and outdoors in general.

I study Sports Science in the University of Girona and I coach the Salt-ter Kayak Club Freestyle team.

Music:
C2C, Nneka, Violadores del Verso, Orishas, spice girls

Sponsors:
Video Moments:
Your First Kayaking Experience:
Running the Washing machine on the Noguera Pallaresa on a Topo Duo with my father.

Your Most Memorable Kayaking Experience and Why:
Night paddling on the White Nile with a bunch of good friends!



Quinton Kennedy
I am a regular Valley boy who loves to kayak! I am currently the national champion and am stoked to be representing Canada in the world championships this summer!
Gender: Male
Age: 27
Province: Ontario
City: Beachburg
Country: Canada
Height: 5'8"
Weight: 155
Years Kayaking: 5 years
Association: Team Canada, Airborn, Riverplay
Website: click here
Hobbies:
-Kayaking
-Hockey
-Photography/Video
-Chillen

Music:
ANYTHING!

Sponsors:

Video Moments:
Your First Kayaking Experience:
Surfing whitecaps at the cottage in my uncle's old school dagger.

Your Most Memorable Kayaking Experience and Why:
Competing in the Ottawa XL and getting to paddle with some of my idols in kayaking. I also was lucky enough to qualify for the White Water Grand Prix in 2016.



Rae Boratto
Whitewater Kayaking has been an integral part of my life for the last 12 years. It has taken me around the world, found me a new home on the Ottawa River, fuelled my passion for the outdoors and wildlife research, and led me to a life of gardening (yep, that’s right, whitewater kayaking is to blame for my co-ownership of a vegetable market garden). Although wildlife, gardening and whitewater might not a first glance seem linked- they all involve a passion for the outdoors, for the environment and for a simpler life. I look forward to a summer of kayaking and digging in the garden... sharing the river, fresh vegetables and my home with other paddlers!
Gender: Female
Age: 43
Province: Ontario
City: Beachburg
Country: Canada
Height: 5'4
Weight: 135
Years Kayaking: 11 to 15 years
Association: Team Canada
Website: click here
Hobbies:
Swimming
Kayaking
Gardening
Travel

Sponsors:
Your First Kayaking Experience:
On the Ottawa River... it was love from the first paddle stroke. In that moment I could never imagine that the Ottawa River would later become my home!

Your Most Memorable Kayaking Experience and Why:
Running the White Nile for the first time... the awe of entering Silverback will always stick with me. I'm so glad I was able to run those rapids before they were gone.



Raoul Collenteur
Dutchy, love waves
Gender: Male
Age: 35
Province: ZH
City: The Hague
Country: Netherlands
Height: 6
Weight: 100
Years Kayaking: 10 years
Association: Watersportverbond
Website: click here
Hobbies:
Climbing, Slacklining, Study

Music:
The Lumineers

Sponsors:
Video Moments:
Your First Kayaking Experience:
Surfing ocean waves

Your Most Memorable Kayaking Experience and Why:
all time are best



Raphael Scheu
I started to do kayaking 10 years ago. After moving to Bavaria I discovered white water kayaking and kayak freestyle
Gender: Male
Age: 27
Province: Bavaria
City: Straubing
Country: Germany
Height: 6.9
Weight: 150
Years Kayaking: 10 years
Association: DKV
Website: click here
Hobbies:
Kayaking, climbing and reading philosophy

Music:
I love classic music

Sponsors:

Your First Kayaking Experience:
When I was 8 years old I had the opportunity to try kayaking

Your Most Memorable Kayaking Experience and Why:
White water Kayaking in the Alps



Raphael Scheu
I enjoy kayak freestyle and whitewater, that's why I'm here.
Gender: Male
Age: 27
Province: Bavaria
City: Straubing
Country: Germany
Height: 5,9
Weight: 160,9
Years Kayaking: 4 years
Association: DKV
Website: click here
Hobbies:
Kayaking, climbing, reading

Sponsors:

Video Moments:
I got no videos of myself

Your First Kayaking Experience:
Flatwater paddling with my local kayak club

Your Most Memorable Kayaking Experience and Why:
My first time surfing a hole. It was something completly new



Risa Shimoda
Risa has been paddling since 1979 and enjoys paddling on the surface as well as below it! She helped found the first International Freestyle Committee in 1992 and organized the forty-event National Organization of Whitewater Rodeos in the US during the late 1980s and 1990s. She chairs the USA Freestyle Kayaking Committee, the International Whitewater Hall of Fame Board of Governors, worked as the Executive Director of American Whitewater (twice), led the Potomac Whitewater Festival for six years and has helped teach whitewater boating to severely wounded veterans with Team River Runner for ten years. She has served on numerous outdoor industry and conservation organizations boards from 1991 to the present, and has competed on the US Whitewater Freestyle Team at eight World Freestyle Kayaking Championships (1993-2015). She feels lucky to be here and is enjoying her third World Championships on the Ottawa.
Gender: Female
Age: 69
Province: Maryland
City: Takoma Park
Country: United States
Height: 5.33
Weight: 107
Years Kayaking: over 20 years
Association: Fans of Squirtboating
Website: click here
Hobbies:
Paddling, volunteering for paddling conservation and recreation organizations, and organizing lots of fun events for Stanford alumni in the Washington, DC region.

Music:
Any thing inspires tap dancing or spoon-playing.

Sponsors:

Video Moments:
Your First Kayaking Experience:
Cincinnati, Ohio's Sierra Club pool rolling session. I I loved the people, loved the challenge, and loved the after party pizza and beers. I was inspired by a movie called 'Fast and Clean' that featured Becky Judd, who made the US Slalom Team despite having not learned to paddle until she was in her twenties!

Your Most Memorable Kayaking Experience and Why:
A stealth run of the Niagara Gorge, because it was so silly and fun. We stashed our black plastic boats the night before; dressed like joggers running on a riverside path; and when the water rose quickly from 50,000 to 100,000 cfs we dove into our boats and paddled like heck to avoid being seen and ticketed by the National Park Service.



Robert Kierans
I have been padding for 5 years now and doing freestyle for the last year or so. This is my first international competition,really looking forward to it! I'll be starting university in September hopefully I'll be able to paddle more much more than study!
Gender: Male
Age: 27
Province: .
City: ..
Country: Ireland
Height: 5'10
Weight: 170
Years Kayaking: 5 years
Association: Irish Canoeing Union
Website: click here
Hobbies:
Kayaking
Photography

Sponsors:
Video Moments:
Your First Kayaking Experience:
Paddleing Flatwater with Silver Bridge Kayak Club spinning in circles for a few hours !

Your Most Memorable Kayaking Experience and Why:
Getting my first roll after trying for two years !!!



Rowan Kaar
Im 17 years old and I'm from Australia, i enjoy anything outdoorsie. This is my second time competing for Australia
Gender: Male
Age: 27
Province: NSW
City: Blue Mountains
Country: Australia
Height: 5.7
Weight: 165
Years Kayaking: 6 years
Association: Australian Canoeing
Website: click here
Hobbies:
kayaking, climbing and anything outdoors

Music:
aussie hip-hop, techno and rock

Sponsors:

Your First Kayaking Experience:
In a lake at Penrith

Your Most Memorable Kayaking Experience and Why:
running the snowy river



Rowan Stuart
19 years old. College senior. Psychology major with minors in Biology and Neuroscience. I plan on winning in life. I enjoy casual games of scrabble to the sound of waterfalls. I teach kayaking and guide rafts in North Carolina. Sporks are my favourite utensil, and I never want to stop travelling.
Gender: Female
Age: 28
Province: North Carolina
City: Robbinsville
Country: United States
Height: 5'6"
Weight: 135
Years Kayaking: 9 years
Association: USACK
Website: click here
Hobbies:
Do people have hobbies other than kayaking? I greatly enjoy eating, reading, and sleeping.

Music:
Yes.

Sponsors:
  • Pyranha Kayaks
  • Werner Paddles
  • Astral Buoyancy
  • Immersion Research
  • Shred Ready
  • Watershed Drybags

Video Moments:
Nah.

Your First Kayaking Experience:
Riding on the back of my dad's C1 as a little kid while he surfed waves on the Nantahala.

Your Most Memorable Kayaking Experience and Why:
My first time running Go Left and Gorilla on the Green river narrows, because they're those rapids that you always hear about here in the southeast - I was also sick at the time.



Sadat Kawawa
Part of the Ugandan Freestyle kayak team and super excited to get to Canada!
Gender: Male
Age: 32
Province: Jinja
City: Jinja
Country: Uganda
Height: 5'10"
Weight: 165
Years Kayaking: 6 years
Association: Uganda
Website: click here
Hobbies:
Kayaking!

Sponsors:
Video Moments:
This is the 2015 Hendri Coetzee Extreme race that I won!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R19vLGp5uwo

Your First Kayaking Experience:
On the Nile...

Your Most Memorable Kayaking Experience and Why:
Competing at the 2015 World Freestyle Championships!



Sage Donnelly
Current US National Champion in Freestyle as well as Kayak and Canoe slalom. 12th in Canoe slalom at 2015 Jr. Worlds. 2014 Canoe and Kayak "Female Paddler of the Year" and top 3 finalist for World Paddle Awards Jr. Paddler. 2nd 2 years in a row at the GoPro Games Homestake Extreme Creek Race. 5th overall at the 2015 Payette River Games SUP (stand up paddle board) Championships. Type 1 diabetic with celiac and thyroid disease...classic triple threat!
Gender: Female
Age: 24
Province: NV
City: Carson City
Country: United States
Height: 5'4
Weight: 130
Years Kayaking: 10 years
Association: USACK
Website: click here
Hobbies:
wakeboarding, rock climbing, long boarding, archery, shooting, reading, running, working out.

Music:
Taylor Swift, Hoodie Allen, Sleeping with Sirens, Ed Sheeran, Zion I, A Day to Remember, 5 Seconds of Summer, G-Eazy, Shawn Mendes, Rush Sturges, Diplo

Sponsors:
  • Jackson Kayak
  • Kokatat
  • Werner Paddles
  • Keen Footwear
  • SnapDragon Sprayskirts
  • Smith Optics
  • Watershed Drybags
  • Bluewater Ropes
  • GoPro
  • G-Form

Video Moments:
Your First Kayaking Experience:
I started out in an old topi duo when I was 2, and started running class 2 rivers in my own boat when I was 5.

Your Most Memorable Kayaking Experience and Why:
It was this year, when I was given the opportunity to run rivers for a documentary with one of my heroes, Rush Sturges. We did several laps on Oh Be Joyful in Colorado and I really got to know him as a person and a paddler. I also have to say that running the entire North Fork of the Payette River with Alec Voorhees, Dane Jackson, Rush Sturges and Kalob Grady was way up there on the top too.



Sam Wilson
18 year old kayaker, love being on the water and meeting new people!! Been kayaking about 6 years now and can't imagine stopping anytime soon XD
Hobbies:
Kayaking
Skateboarding
Drumming
BMX

Music:
Bliss n Eso
Hilltop hoods
Anything with a good beat and good flow!

Sponsors:
Video Moments:
Your First Kayaking Experience:
Out with the scouts on the lake doing capsize drills; of course I managed to tuck my grab handle in my boat so had to be pulled from the boat!

Your Most Memorable Kayaking Experience and Why:
Europeans 2014! My first competition out of the UK full of great times on and off the water!



Sam Ward
Co owner of Love it Live it and Kayak the Nile
Gender: Male
Age: 41
Province: Jinja
City: Jinja
Country: Uganda
Height: 6'1"
Weight: 158
Years Kayaking: 10 years
Association: Ugandan Canoe Federation
Website: click here
Hobbies:
EAT, SLEEP, KAYAK!

Sponsors:
Your First Kayaking Experience:
In a wild water racer on a grade 3/4 ditch in England... bit of a gong show.

Your Most Memorable Kayaking Experience and Why:
Can't remember!



Sandra Sebelin
I LOVE Kayaking.
Competing for Germany at the Worlds in CANADA will be gonna great!

Gender: Female
Age: 35
Province: Bavaria
City: Passau
Country: Germany
Height: 00
Weight: 00
Years Kayaking: 10 years
Association: TV Passau
Website: click here
Sponsors:
Your First Kayaking Experience:
loooong time ago with my parents

Your Most Memorable Kayaking Experience and Why:
albania, canada, norway
such beautiful countries for kayaking



Seth Chapelle
I love to paddle. Very stoked to be back at Worlds! My first worlds was Graz, Austria in 2003 in OC-1. This will be my 6th time competing at World Champs. Huge thanks to my mom and dad for getting me into paddling and my family for being supportive (I'm one of 8 kids).

I work full-time as an ER nurse in MD. In the summer I spend a lot of time skiing and volunteer on ski patrol.

Top finishes include:
• 4th place C-1 - World Championships of Freestyle Kayaking 2013 – Bryson City, NC
• 1st (OC-1) and 3rd place C-1 World Cup of Freestyle Kayaking 2012
• 4th place C-1 - World Championships of Freestyle Kayaking 2011 – Plattling, Germany
• 2nd place C-1 - 2006 World Cup Freestyle Series in North America (Ottawa, Black, and Rock Island)
• US C-1 National Champion in 2006, 2007, 2013
• US C-1 National Champion runner-up in '04, '05, ‘14
Gender: Male
Age: 36
Province: Maryland
City: Frederick
Country: United States
Height: 6'2"
Weight: 175
Years Kayaking: 10 years
Association: USACK
Website: click here
Hobbies:
Paddling, skiing, disc golf, running, playing the drums, being outside and active.
Also chilling with my bae Netflix from time-to-time :P

Music:
All kinds - I love music, concerts, and can play the drums.

Sponsors:
  • Jackson Kayak
  • Werner Paddles
  • Immersion Research
  • Astral

Your First Kayaking Experience:
Not sure exactly - I paddled kayak for a couple year and then when I was 11 or 12 I switched to C-1. My first time in a C-1 was at a pool slalom session and Davey Hearn (former olympian) let me try his boat. I fely more confident in the C-1 and liked the higher vantage point from sitting up higher - shortly after I pulled the seat out of my kayak and asked my dad how to make my boat a C-1.

Your Most Memorable Kayaking Experience and Why:
Most memorable was the time I got pinned under an undercut on the Lower Yough in a class III spot and was unable to get myself out - and I was so fortunate that a family friend named Greg had noticed that I went out of site and jumped in to pull me out. That was most memorable because it was very scary and happened in a very benign seeming area.

I have so many amazing memories as well. It's too hard to pick just one good one :)



Seán Cahill
Going into final year of school. Paddle as often as possible. Race in all disciplines regularly. Play ultimate Frisbee with my school and club
Gender: Male
Age: 26
Province: Munster
City: Cork
Country: Ireland
Height: 5'10"
Weight: 143
Years Kayaking: 5 years
Association: Irish Canoeing Union
Website: click here
Hobbies:
KAYAKING, Ultimate Frisbee, Kayaking, kayaking, music

Music:
everything

Sponsors:

Video Moments:
Your First Kayaking Experience:
.

Your Most Memorable Kayaking Experience and Why:
European Championships in Slovakia last year, first international experience, it was unbelievable



Shane Little
I am currently halfway through a 4 year mechanical engineering degree and spend any free time I have travelling with friends and my kayak.
Gender: Male
Age: 29
Province: Leinster
City: Dublin
Country: Ireland
Height: 6.3
Weight: 165
Years Kayaking: 8 years
Association: Canoeing Ireland
Website: click here
Hobbies:
Hillwalking, swimming, cycling or anything outdoors

Music:
Pretty much everything

Sponsors:
Your First Kayaking Experience:
on the river Liffey in the Strawberry Beds, Dublin.

Your Most Memorable Kayaking Experience and Why:
Kayaking the White Nile in the middle of a thunder storm



Shaunna Kent
Representing Canadian Women's Squirtboating
Gender: Female
Age: 37
Province: Ontario
City: Petawawa
Country: Canada
Height: 5'9"
Weight: 130
Years Kayaking: 4 years
Association: Team Canada
Website: click here
Hobbies:
White water kayaking (Creeking, playboating, squirtboating)
Rock climbing
Horseback riding
Triathlons
Yoga
Hunting
Hiking

Music:
Just about anything save screamo and rap which is just one long stretch of swearwords and insults to music

Sponsors:
Your First Kayaking Experience:
My first kayaking experience was with the Petawawa River rats at a pool session. It was there that I learned to roll, run rapids, swim, and surf. Without that club I never would have started

Your Most Memorable Kayaking Experience and Why:
My first mystery move and running the 30ft waterfall on the Malbaie river in Quebec



Shintaro Komori
Captain of firefighter in Japan.I have confidence the skill of putting out the fire.And,I love kayaking too much.
Gender: Male
Age: 46
Province: Tokyo
City: Ome
Country: Japan
Height: 5.5
Weight: 137
Years Kayaking: 10 years
Association: Team Marsyas
Website: click here
Hobbies:
Reading

Music:
sada

Sponsors:
  • Marsyas

Video Moments:
BLANK

Your First Kayaking Experience:
I was in 21 years old.

Your Most Memorable Kayaking Experience and Why:
BLANK



Sinead O'Donnell
Retired raft guide, part time freestyle kayaker.
Gender: Female
Age: 38
Province: Clare
City: Cratloe
Country: Ireland
Height: 5' 4"
Weight: 140
Years Kayaking: 9 years
Association: Irish Canoe Union
Website: click here
Hobbies:
Swimming, surfing, kayaking.... Anything water based!

Music:
Rock

Sponsors:

Video Moments:
Owl rafting staff video star 2009

Your First Kayaking Experience:
Running the "mighty" Corrib River in Galway, Ireland with my University Kayak Club...I was hooked from there!

Your Most Memorable Kayaking Experience and Why:
My first time running Silverback in Uganda 6 years ago....huge waves!



Sophie McPeak
Youngest member of Team GB 2015
Gender: Female
Age: 25
Province: Oxfordshire
City: Oxford
Country: United Kingdom
Height: 5
Weight: 118
Years Kayaking: 4 years
Association: BCU
Website: click here
Hobbies:
Horse Riding, Skiing, Gymnastics, all sports especially Kayaking and hanging out with Friends.

Sponsors:
Your First Kayaking Experience:
I started Kayaking with my dad on the river Thames in Oxford and on rivers in Wales at the age of 11 years old, at the age of 13 I moved into Freestyle and Slalom.

Your Most Memorable Kayaking Experience and Why:
I competed in my first Hurley Classics at the age of 13 and came 2nd in the U18 Ladies British Championships 2014, and in March 2015 I secured a place in Team GB for the World Championships in Ottawa.



Stephen Wright
I love kayaking! I learned to paddle on the Potomac River in Washington DC, and I've been hooked ever since. I run the instruction for the OKS Keener Program every summer. I'm the 4-time USA National Freestyle Kayak Champion. I have the highest score ever achieved in USA freestyle kayaking, and the longest mystery move ever done in competition. I'm also a 2-time bronze world championships medalist.
Gender: Male
Age: 46
Province: TN
City: Rock Island
Country: United States
Height: 5'4"
Weight: 145
Years Kayaking: 10 years
Association: USACK
Website: click here
Hobbies:
Scooters, dogs, kayaking, disc golf, photography, kayaking, video, instruction, kayaking, working on my van, kayaking

Music:
almost everything

Sponsors:
Video Moments:
youtube

Your First Kayaking Experience:
kayaking on the Potomac. I learned to roll my first day, and only have 4 swims in 18 years since.

Your Most Memorable Kayaking Experience and Why:
Every day in a squirt boat, playboat, river runner, or creek boat is memorable. Whatever day I'm kayaking, is the one I remember most at the time!



Steve Taylor
Super Stoked to be part of the World Championships!!!
Gender: Male
Age: 43
Province: NZ
City: Auckland
Country: New Zealand
Height: 5'7"
Weight: 171
Years Kayaking: 10 years
Association: http://NZFKA
Website: click here
Hobbies:
Kayaking

Music:
Italian Hard Style 15... and 16

Sponsors:

Your First Kayaking Experience:
Fulljames Wave, Waikato River, NZ

Your Most Memorable Kayaking Experience and Why:
Dropping into Number 5 on the Zambezi for the first time



Subaru Fukushi
College student
Gender: Male
Age: 32
Province: Hokkaido
City: Ebetsu
Country: Japan
Height: 5.7
Weight: 130
Years Kayaking: 6 years
Association: Japan Canoe Federation
Website: click here
Hobbies:
Watching Comedy show

Sponsors:

Your First Kayaking Experience:
Cold raining day at Titose river

Your Most Memorable Kayaking Experience and Why:
NOW!!!!!
Because this is my first time in the World Championships



Sue Robb
I work as a strategic planner (town planner)/project manager specialising in rural and environmental planning. A few times I have been fortunate to be able to combine my planning/project management skills and kayaking, very rewarding experiences.

I live next to Canberra (Australia's capital) which is great for paddling- lots of rivers, lakes and pools, close to beautiful beaches and not too far from Penrith, Australia's artificial whitewater course.
Gender: Female
Age: 62
Province: New South Wales
City: Queanbeyan
Country: Australia
Height: 5 3
Weight: 150
Years Kayaking: over 20 years
Association: Australian Canoeing
Website: click here
Hobbies:
Lots of freestyle and kayak/canoe polo, big walks, paliates, swimming and food markets/new cafes.

Music:
Anything except country.

Sponsors:

Your First Kayaking Experience:
Eight years old in my father's slalom boat.

Your Most Memorable Kayaking Experience and Why:
Lots, anywhere I am having fun.



Sébastien DEVRED
je pratique le kayak freestyle depuis que j'ai 13 ans.
Gender: Male
Age: 33
Province: tournon
City: Tournon saint martin
Country: France
Height: 5.84
Weight: 176.36
Years Kayaking: 10 years
Association: Wonderland Kayak School
Website: click here
Hobbies:
Fitness, Running, Natation, Sport de nature,

Music:
It's Complicated
Beyond monday

Sponsors:
Video Moments:
Your First Kayaking Experience:
Navigue en bassin d'eau vive a tournon saint martin

Your Most Memorable Kayaking Experience and Why:
4ème K1M et 5ème C1M Mondiaux Nantahala 2013



TOMOKI IIJIMA
I came over from the country of the samurai!
Gender: Male
Age: 52
Province: TOKYO-TO
City: SETAGAYA-KU
Country: Japan
Height: 70.8
Weight: 152
Years Kayaking: 10 years
Association: JCF
Website: click here
Hobbies:
Reading

Music:
SKA
Rock Steady

Sponsors:

Your First Kayaking Experience:
I did fishing on Canadian canoe in a lake.

Your Most Memorable Kayaking Experience and Why:
A down river did Ottawa River in 2007.
I was surprised that a river was big!



Takahito Yuki
engineer
Gender: Male
Age: 45
Province: SHIGA
City: OTSU
Country: Japan
Height: 5.8
Weight: 171
Years Kayaking: 10 years
Association: JCF
Website: click here
Hobbies:
kayak

Music:
MINMI

Sponsors:
Your First Kayaking Experience:
Lake of BIWA,the biggest lake in JAPN

Your Most Memorable Kayaking Experience and Why:
Yoshino river in JAPAN,it`s my first whitewater downriver



Takahito Yuki
enguneer
Gender: Male
Age: 45
Province: Shiga
City: Otsu
Country: Japan
Height: 5.8
Weight: 171
Years Kayaking: 10 years
Association: JCF
Website: click here
Hobbies:
kayak

Music:
MINMI

Sponsors:
Your First Kayaking Experience:
Lake BIWA. it's the biggest one in japan.

Your Most Memorable Kayaking Experience and Why:
Yoshino river. my first white down river



Tatsunori Yanagimoto
Kayak guide in Japan
Gender: Male
Age: 48
Province: Tokyo
City: Ome
Country: Japan
Height: 5.5
Weight: 165
Years Kayaking: 10 years
Association: Japan Canoe Federation
Website: click here
Hobbies:
kayak
Rafting

Music:
Soul and Jazz

Sponsors:
Your First Kayaking Experience:
I have been kayaking when I was 20 years old in Shimanto River in Japan.

Your Most Memorable Kayaking Experience and Why:
Kayaking in Taiwan.
Good river, good food and good friends.
It's great trip.



Thomas Zach
Everybody´s calling me Tom,
Kayaking m.d. from Austria, paddling as much as possible, stoked to go to the worlds again and meet all those fantastic people again - and of course new ones too!
Gender: Male
Age: 42
Province: Oberoesterreich
City: Micheldorf
Country: Austria
Height: 5.7
Weight: 158
Years Kayaking: over 20 years
Association: OKV
Website: click here
Hobbies:
Kayaking, Biking, Running, Music, travelling

Music:
almost everything

Sponsors:
Your First Kayaking Experience:
On my local river when I was 5 years old, paddling a glass fiber slalom kayak from the late seventies!

Your Most Memorable Kayaking Experience and Why:
My first trip to Uganda and the White Nile
Why? You should see it for yourself before the mighty Nile gets dammed!



Thomas Hinkel
I am a member of the German Freestyle Team since 2008. And after Thun (2009) and Nanthala (2013), this year is my third time at Freestyle World Championships.
Gender: Male
Age: 37
Province: Bayern
City: Schöllnach
Country: Germany
Height: 5,8
Weight: 175
Years Kayaking: 11 to 15 years
Association: DKV
Website: click here
Hobbies:
MTB, Ski Freeride, Climbing, ...

Sponsors:

Video Moments:
Your First Kayaking Experience:
can't remember. any flatwater around my home region.

Your Most Memorable Kayaking Experience and Why:
some trips in asia, africa and south amerika. i love the feeling to travle around the world with all your stuff in your boat.



Tim Bernard
age : 22
favorite color : green
favorite spot : hawaie sur rhone
favorite trick : the pistol flip
profession : knives maker
Gender: Male
Age: 2024
Province: france
City: Thiers
Country: France
Height: 1,75 meters
Weight: 72 kilogrammes
Years Kayaking: 7 years
Association: ffck
Website: click here
Sponsors:
Your First Kayaking Experience:
at the age of 15 with my dad !

Your Most Memorable Kayaking Experience and Why:
the 2012 world cup in rock island



Timothy Lau
Multi Kayak Discipline, enjoy C1 in slalom, creek boating/wildwater and eager to improve my skills in Freestyle C1
Gender: Male
Age: 28
Province: Victoria
City: Melbourne
Country: Australia
Height: 5ft 11 inch
Weight: 132
Years Kayaking: 7 years
Association: Australian Canoeing /Freestyle/ Canoes Plus Racing Team
Website: click here
Hobbies:
kayaking, watching kayaking videos, climbing and reading

Music:
Anything Really

Sponsors:

Your First Kayaking Experience:
In the pool at school

Your Most Memorable Kayaking Experience and Why:
Your Most Memorable Kayaking Experience and Why: Running Cruncher at Brady’s for the first time, as it was the biggest, fastest water Ive paddled and I had heard a lot about it.



Tomasz Czaplicki
3rd Place in K1M in The World Championships 2013
15 times Polish Champion
Euro Cup 2015 in Wildalpen winner in K1M
3rd place in the World Cup 2014 in Squirt Boating
Gender: Male
Age: 36
Province: Dolny ÅšlÄ…sk
City: Jelenia Góra
Country: Poland
Height: 5'10"
Weight: 163
Years Kayaking: 10 years
Association: Polish Canoe Federation/ Karkonoski Klub Kajakowy
Website: click here
Hobbies:
Kayaking, Ski, Snowboard,swimming, ski-touring

Music:
Metallica, Megadeth, Slash

Sponsors:
Video Moments:
Your First Kayaking Experience:
When I was a kid I had accident on a jet-ski. I wasn't able to walk, so my Dad had me sit in a kayak and that how it started.

Your Most Memorable Kayaking Experience and Why:
3rd place in 2013 Worlds. Only 33 points away from gold; I was so close from winning...



Toshiyuki Hirano
Office Worker
Hobbies:
Motorcycle
Fishing

Music:
Yoko Kanno

Sponsors:
Video Moments:
N/a

Your First Kayaking Experience:
It's the first time carp Izu sea

Your Most Memorable Kayaking Experience and Why:
The first time was a MysteryMove



Tuomas Kuronen
I am five time Finnish champion. I was 3rd in European championships 2006 and 4th 2008.
Gender: Male
Age: 43
Province: Keski-Suomi
City: Jyväskylä
Country: Finland
Height: 5,45
Weight: 154
Years Kayaking: 10 years
Association: Suomen melonta- ja soutuliitto ry
Website: click here
Hobbies:
skiing, climbing, motorcycling

Music:
-

Sponsors:

Video Moments:
-

Your First Kayaking Experience:
My first kayaking experience is on the lake in a kayak my father was made.

Your Most Memorable Kayaking Experience and Why:
Most memorable kayaking experience is my first vertical move in a hole. I was paddled slalom boat and it was cool to get kayak vertical.



Tuomas Kaukola
In real life I am an Engineer of building services. These are my fourth world championships of my life.
Gender: Male
Age: 37
Province: Kymenlaakso
City: Iitti
Country: Finland
Height: 5,7
Weight: 135
Years Kayaking: 10 years
Association: Suomen melonta- ja soutuliitto
Website: click here
Hobbies:
Kayaking, XC-skiing

Music:
-

Sponsors:
Video Moments:
Your First Kayaking Experience:
Downriver kayaking at year 2000 and I swam two times.

Your Most Memorable Kayaking Experience and Why:
Lappland in northern Finland is a special place at every spring when rivers are flooding and there are many good waves.



Tyler Fox
A nice person who loves to paddle
Gender: Male
Age: 41
Province: Bay of Plenty
City: Okere Falls
Country: New Zealand
Height: 6.1
Weight: 190
Years Kayaking: 10 years
Association: NZ Extreme White Water
Website: click here
Hobbies:
Surfing
Downhill mtn biking

Music:
Not country

Sponsors:
  • Wave sport
  • Level Six
  • Astral buoyancy
  • H20 Paddles

Video Moments:
Valley High... Some pretty epic stuff!

Your First Kayaking Experience:
In an outdoor ed program in high school.

Your Most Memorable Kayaking Experience and Why:
Learning to roll! Changed everything, started it all!



Valerie Bertrand
...
Gender: Female
Age: 45
Province: Geilo
City: Geilo
Country: Norway
Height: 5'2''
Weight: 125
Years Kayaking: 10 years
Association: Norwegian
Website: click here
Hobbies:
Kayaking, skiing, outdoors

Music:
...

Sponsors:
Video Moments:
Several promo videos for kayaking brands

Your First Kayaking Experience:
WW: Gatineau river in high flows. I swam more than I paddled!

Your Most Memorable Kayaking Experience and Why:
Winning the 2007 surf kayak world championship in heavy tide.



YASUSHI KAMOSHITA
engineer
Gender: Male
Age: 50
Province: NIIGATA
City: KASIWAZAKI
Country: Japan
Height: 5.4
Weight: 139
Years Kayaking: 10 years
Association: JCF
Website: click here
Hobbies:
watching movies
trip to hot spring

Music:
jazz

Sponsors:
Video Moments:
n/a

Your First Kayaking Experience:
Nearby swimming pool

Your Most Memorable Kayaking Experience and Why:
There are too much nice memories. And it can't be chosen.



Yoshikaze Kimura
I love paddling too much.
Please play together!!
Gender: Male
Age: 40
Province: Saitama-ken
City: Kuki-shi
Country: Japan
Height: 5.3
Weight: 160
Years Kayaking: 10 years
Association: BANPREST CO.,LTD
Website: click here
Hobbies:
WATCH JAPANESE MOVIE,ANIME,MAGAZINE,AND PLAY GAME
DRIVING ON CAR

Music:
GARNiDELiA(JAPANESE MUSIC)
Konomi Suzuki(JAPANESE MUSIC)
Super Fly(JAPANESE MUSIC)
ANIMATION MUSIC

Sponsors:
Video Moments:
ON youtube:OldBookjp
Some SQT Technic and down river.

Your First Kayaking Experience:
On Naka river with my father.
Maybe class 1or2 river.
But very Fanny and excited!
I would like to paddle together with my Family.

Your Most Memorable Kayaking Experience and Why:
I Love canoe and I had gave a lot of Experience from Kayaking.
But I can't choice.
Because I never meet the greatest moment.
Maybe kayaking will give me more excite time.
I will try and challenging paddling.



Yoshiko Suematsu
City officials
Gender: Female
Age: 42
Province: Gifu
City: Mino
Country: Japan
Height: ５．５
Weight: 126
Years Kayaking: 10 years
Association: Japan Canoe Federaion
Website: click here
Hobbies:
Kayak

Music:
Jennifer Lopez

Sponsors:
  • Seektruth
  • MousNet CO., LTD
  • Mino City
  • School of Water
  • TAKAI Corporation

Your First Kayaking Experience:
Nagara river in Japan

Your Most Memorable Kayaking Experience and Why:
kayaking in Newzeeland it was very beautiful Country



Yusef Basalirwa
Part of the Ugandan Kayak team and super excited to get to Canada!
Gender: Male
Age: 32
Province: Jinja
City: Jinja
Country: Uganda
Height: 5'10"
Weight: 180
Years Kayaking: 8 years
Association: Ugandan Canoe Federation
Website: click here
Sponsors:
Video Moments:
Your First Kayaking Experience:
On the Nile River!

Your Most Memorable Kayaking Experience and Why:
Paddling on the Zambezi river in Zambia...



Zachary Zwanenburg
I have been competing in the sport of whitewater Kayaking and Canoeing at a regional, provincial, national and international level for the past 9 years.
I am currently one of the top 3 Canadian C1-ers in Canada in Freestyle and Slalom.
2013/2014 was my last year as a Junior and I ended it with the following Rankings: Canadian Ranking: 2nd place in C1 freestyle and 1st place in C1 Slalom at Canadian Nationals, 9th at the 2014 Freestyle World Cups, and top 25 Junior Slalom Athletes in the world!
I am currently studying at the University of Ottawa.
I also own and operate Kiwi Dezignz Nose Plugs :)
Hobbies:
kayaking and canoeing
Video editing
drumming
video games
annoying my dad ;)

Music:
Heavy Metal
Metal
Rock
Dub step



Sponsors:
  • Pagaie Select
  • Vajda(K1)
  • arc'terix
  • Sandiline

Video Moments:
Your First Kayaking Experience:
On the flatwater at Champlain in my dad's boat at about 2 years old

Your Most Memorable Kayaking Experience and Why:
My First Slalom World Championships in Wausau Wisconsin! Coming out of the start gate and being hit by the cameras and noise of thousands of spectators! Best feeling ever!



Zofia Tula
Polish Champion since 2012
3st place in freestyle and squirt boating in European Championship 2014
5th place in freestyle and 2nd place in squirt boating in general classification World Cup 2014

http://jacksonkayak.com/team-jk/regional-team/zofia-tula/

Gender: Female
Age: 33
Province: Dolny Slask
City: Wroclaw
Country: Poland
Height: 5'6"
Weight: 118
Years Kayaking: 10 years
Association: Polish Canoe Federation/ Karkonoski Klub Kajakowy
Website: click here
Hobbies:
All of kind of kayaking, photography, computer graphic, acrobatic pole dancing, snowboarding, horse riding

Music:
All kinds

Sponsors:
Video Moments:
Your First Kayaking Experience:
Two weeks family kayak trip on the Pilica River in Poland.

Your Most Memorable Kayaking Experience and Why:
Every new kayaking experience are the my most memorable kayaking experiences; finding new places to go kayaking and meeting new and different people ;)



jeromine hervo
It is my first senior international competition.
Hobbies:
Travel, animals

Music:
pop, rock

Sponsors:
Video Moments:
I have not got videos.

Your First Kayaking Experience:
On a training with all the girls paddlers in France

Your Most Memorable Kayaking Experience and Why:
On the european championship in Lienz in 2012 when i I was Junior because it was my first international experience.



jessie stone
Medical doctor and professional kayaker who runs a non-profit soft power health when I am not paddling!
Gender: Female
Age: 57
Province: NY
City: Purchase
Country: United States
Height: 5'5''
Weight: 135lbs
Years Kayaking: over 20 years
Association: Jackson Kayak/Soft Power Health
Website: click here
Hobbies:
Back-country skiing, tennis, yoga, ping pong, bananagrams, and working on my spelling! Bathroom demolition !!

Music:
Everything but country music!!!

Sponsors:
  • Jackson Kayak
  • Kokatat
  • Keen
  • Aquapac

Video Moments:
Your First Kayaking Experience:
Swimming the Klamath River in Northern Cal

Your Most Memorable Kayaking Experience and Why:
Getting lost in the Jungle in Ecuador with EJ, Chris Emerich, and Danny Stoc. It was a real, intense adventure with a happy ending and a loot of fanta!



jez jezz
Kayak Crazy Captain of the Australian Freestyle Team, Chair Freestyle Kayak Australia, Love meeting new people and introducing kids of all ages to the joys of paddling
Gender: Male
Age: 46
Province: NSW
City: Sydney
Country: Australia
Height: 6ft
Weight: 160.
Years Kayaking: 16 to 20 years
Association: Australian Canoeing
Website: click here
Hobbies:
Anything outdoors, paddling of course, mountain biking, paragliding, the list goes on... keeping fit anywhere and everywhere.

Music:
Slumberjack, Peking Duk, Hilltop Hoods, Flume, great music is a large part of my life.

Sponsors:

Video Moments:
Your First Kayaking Experience:
It was paddling on the upper green NC and I swam like a fish!

Your Most Memorable Kayaking Experience and Why:
There are a few that come to mind. Winning 3 world cups on the tour was extremely memorable, however truly my most memorable moment in paddling is watching the reaction of a new paddler that I teach to roll. A fantastic experience that I am thankful to be a part of every year.



vincent dupont
i am a boring quebexican!
Gender: Male
Age: 43
Province: qc
City: montreal
Country: Canada
Height: 5,9
Weight: 165
Years Kayaking: 10 years
Association: none
Website: click here
Hobbies:
snowboard, carpentrie, jeep

Music:
radio

Sponsors:

Video Moments:
told ya i was boring

Your First Kayaking Experience:
canoe camping in summer camp at age 7

Your Most Memorable Kayaking Experience and Why:
winning the last team trial than get back home to assist my at the brith of my second child and all that it tha same day



SPONSOR PARTNERS
Algonquin College
NRS
Trans Canada
Level Six
Algonquin College
Giant Tiger
Ottawa Valley Tourist Association
Ottawa Kayak School