Press Release 19 September 2016
6 -8 October 2016
Extreme Kayak World Championship in Oetz
Oetz (sgh) – For the nineth time in a row, 175 of the world’s best whitewater kayakers from 29 different countries, including 27 women, meet in Austria’s Ötztal between the 6th and 8thof October to determine theadidas Sickline Extreme Kayak World Champion on the legendary “Wellerbrücke“ rapids.
A “sick line” is the perfect, smoothest and fastest line downriver. That’s what the competitors have to find when racing the so-called “Wellerbrücke” rapids, a famous section of the glacier-fed Ötztaler Ache River, peppered with loads of natural obstacles. The course has the reputation of being the Eiger Northwall of whitewater kayaking, thus it offers the perfect setting to crown the World Champion in extreme kayak racing.
The Wellerbrücke rapids are solid class 5 whitewater, both technically difficult and dangerous. The well-known rapids on the course have illustrious names like “TNT Cataract”, “Champions Killer” or “Champions Killer Minus 1”. They are both feared and endeared by extreme kayakers, all of whom respect the river as much as they want to conquer it. Any mistakes paddlers may make have high consequences. Therefore the field of international kayakers is filtered down in two qualification runs to determine the best extreme paddlers who then compete in the actual World Championship race.
„Some of the whitewater paddlers who participate in this World Championship run much higher waterfalls and even more extreme rivers during their expeditions around the world. But they do this maybe once in their life and time doesn’t matter”, explains Axel Burkhardt, Director adidas Global Sports MarketingOutdoor. “The adidas Sickline tests the kayakers’ ability to not only get down one of the world’s most challenging rapids in one piece, but to do this fast as well. The 280-metre long racecourse demands everything in terms of skill and fitness from the athletes, meaning they have to retrieve their full potential to the point, run after run. They cannot afford the slightest mistake and they must be extremely fit, because the cruxes are located at the end of the course.”
Last year, 27-year old Gerd Serrasolses from Sort in Spain outpaddled a field of the world’s finest kayakers, claiming his first and well deserved adidas Sickline Extreme Kayak World Champion title, ahead of David Bain from Great Britain and triple World Champion Sam Sutton from New Zealand.Serrasolses was the hot favourite throughout weekend after putting in the fastest runs in the qualification, the quarter- and semifinal, but he saved his best performance for last, clocking 55.34 seconds in his final run – the fastest race time of the day and a new course record.
With a record field of 25 women at the start, the five fastest ladies after the knockout semifinal round competed for the first time for world championship honours on the Wellerbrücke rapids. 35-year old powerhouse Mariann Saether from Norway secured her title with a winning time of 1:03.49 ahead ofGreat Britain’s Jennifer Chrimes and Alona Buslaieva from the Ukraine.
Only the best advance to the next round
The top 52 men and Top 8 women compete in a so-called ‚head-to-head’ format or knockout system, i.e. the fastest of the qualification battles the 52nd, the second fastest competes against the 51st and so on. The order of the respective heats is based on a classic tournament ladder. The faster kayaker of each heat advances to next round, together with two ‘lucky losers’ (the two fastest of the eliminated top 52 athletes). The top 28 compete once again in a knockout system. The 14 victorious athletes and two more ‘lucky losers’ then advance to the super final where they compete for world championship honours. In the women’s final, the Top 5 paddlers battle it out for the title.
Athletes at the event concur that the adidas Sickline WCH is unique as the best athletes of many different kayaking disciplines – freestyle and slalom world champions, extreme kayakers and river expedition paddlers – come together in a race situation. The head-to-head format makes competition fair and extremely close. Any one of the finalists has the chance and the ability to earn a spot on the podium.
Safety first
For safety reasons, public authorities have officially closed the Wellerbrücke rapids year-round. The section is only open for theadidas Sickline World Championship.To ensure the highest possible safety for the competitors, the organisers run an extensive safety operation.Water rescue services, mountain rescue services, and the Austrian Red Cross work hand in hand with the event-own “Swiftwater Rescue” team. “The riverbanks are virtually littered with extremely qualified safety staff that use innovative life-saving tools, like ropeways, and turn the Wellerbrücke rapids – at least for one weekend – into the safest rapid in the world”, says Event Director Mike Hamel. “The athletes are pushing the physical and mental limits in this race. We want them to focus on their run rather than having to think about what will happen when they end up swimming in 6-degree cold water.”
All-around service for athletes
Before and after the competition, the adidas Sickline participants are truly pampered. Throughout the race weekend athletes can enjoy free physiotherapy and massages at the adidas Reload Center in the Expo Area. Former Canoe World Champion and butcher Uli Knittel caters for the physical well-being with his sumptuous dinner buffets and the hearty “Jackson Kayak” lunch.
Film producer Olaf Obsommer and other kayak celebrities present their latest movies at the Big-O Movie Night. And for all those who just can’t get enough, DJ Chainsaw is rocking the crowds at the legendary adidas Sickline Champions Party at Jay’s Cantina in Oetz.
GoPro generates spectacular footage from athletes’ perspective
GoPro Inc., the manufacturer of small wearable and gear-mountable water- and shockproof POV cameras that are distributed in over 100 countries worldwide, is once again on board asofficial camera partner of the event. GoPro equips all finalists with a GoPro SESSION® helmet camera to generate new spectacular images of the World Championship race from the perspective of the competing athlete.
Livestream on eversport.tv
The final of the adidas Sickline Extreme Kayak World Championship is broadcasted live in several countries. Kayaking fans around the globe can also watch the race live online on eversport.tv. As in previous years, kayaking legend Ben Brown (NZL) will commentate the livestream.
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