KAYAKING

Sickline Extreme Kayak World Championship 2015

By quattro media

For the eighth time in a row, 150 of the world’s best whitewater kayakers from 27 different countries meet in Austria’s Ötztal between the 1st and 3rd of October to determine the adidas 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 48 best paddlers who 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 Global Sports Marketing adidas Outdoor. “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.”


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Last year, 26-year old Joe Morley from Leeds in Great Britain outpaddled a field full of the best kayakers in the world in his final run, claiming the second Extreme Kayak World Champion title of his career. In 2013, Morley had surprised the kayaking community, when he defeated the seemingly unbeatable 3-time adidas Sickline World Champion Sam Sutton from New Zealand. Last year Morley returned as defending champion and top favourite and he stood up to the pressure. He put in a commanding final run on the 7°C-cold Ötztaler Ache River, clocking 56,48 seconds, the fastest race time of the day and almost one second faster than Kiwis Mike Dawson (0:57,42) and Jamie Sutton (0:57,50) who placed second and third. This year, Morley is aiming for a three-peat. „In theory I think there’s still stuff to squeeze regarding time on this course; I can always be fitter and I can always be stronger on the flat. I know it’s ambitious to try to beat Sam’s record of winning the adidas Sickline three times, but I would like to come back and get another title obviously and keep going for as long as I can”, Morley says.

Joe Morley’s double has fired the enthusiasm of kayakers all over the UK. With 28 participating athletes, Great Britain sends the largest national team to the adidas Sickline Extreme Kayak Worlds, followed by Germany (21) and France (16).

Only the best advance to the next round

The top 48 compete in a so-called ‚head-to-head’ format or knockout system, i.e. the fastest of the qualification battles the 48th, the second fastest competes against the 47th 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 48 athletes). The top 26 compete once again in a knockout system. The 13 victorious athletes and two more ‘lucky losers’ then advance to the super final where they compete for world championship honours.

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 top 15 finalists have the chance and the ability to earn a spot on the podium.


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adidas Sickline Queen

To date eleven women have registered for the adidas Sickline 2015. The five fastest ladies in the qualification rounds battle it out on the Wellerbrücke rapids to become the adidas Sickline Queen. 23-year-old Nouria Newman (FRA), known as the best female extreme paddler in the world, will return to defend her title, after dominating the women’s field last year. She won ahead of Toni George (NZL) and of Martina Wegman (NED).

Safety first

For safety reasons, public authorities have officially closed the Wellerbrücke rapids year-round. The section is only open for the adidas 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.”


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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 shockproofPOV cameras that are distributed in over 100 countries worldwide, is once again on board as exclusive camera partner of the event. GoPro equips all finalists with a GoProSESSION® helmet camera to generate new spectacular images of the World Championship race from the perspective of the competing athlete.


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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 online on eversport.tv. As in previous years, kayaking legend Ben Brown (NZL) will commentate the livestream.

For more information go to www.adidas-sickline.com