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Press Release
10 June 2011
29.09.-02.10.2011
International whitewater elite to meet for
5th adidas Sickline Kayak World Champs
For the fifth time in a row, the adidas Sickline Extreme Kayak World
Championship takes place at the legendary “Wellerbrücke” river section in
Austria’s Oetztal Valley. Between the 29th of September and the 2nd of
October, 150 of the best whitewater kayakers on the globe will battle it out
on the Oetztaler Ache River in Tyrol’s longest alpine valley to determine the
Extreme Kayak World Champion 2011.
With an incredible time of 58.85 seconds, 23-year-old Sam Sutton from New
Zealand not only claimed the gold medal last year, he also set a new course
record. Sutton was the only one in the super final of the TOP 15 to break the oneminute-barrier. In contrast to 2009, when only hundreds of a second separated first
from second place, Sutton secured his title with a comfortable gap of 2.14 seconds
to Michele Ramazza from Italy who claimed silver (1:00.99), and 2.28 seconds to
Lukas Kalkbrenner from Germany who won bronze (1:01.13).
This year, too, the so-called »Wellerbrücke« section of the glacier-fed Ötztaler
Ache River – that has the reputation of being the Eiger Northwall of whitewater
kayaking – will be the centre of the race action. In total, only 150 competitors will
be admitted to the World Championship. Last year’s Top 25 will be automatically
seeded, the remaining 125 entries will be allocated on a first-come-first-serve
basis to kayakers who master whitewater class 5. So far 90 extreme paddlers
from 20 different countries have entered the race, including athletes from all over
Europe, Australia, New Zealand, Argentina, Brazil, USA, Canada and Russia.
“We are pleased that also in 2011 the adidas Sickline Extreme Kayak World
Championship draws kayakers from all over the world into the Oetztal Valley”,
says tourism director Oliver Schwarz. “Among insiders the Oetztal has been
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known for many years as one of Europe’s most beautiful kayak grounds. With its
glacier rivers the Oetztal offers whitewater in all facets between May and October
and here, depending on the water level of the Rofener-, Venter- and Oetztaler
Ache River, kayakers of all classes can find their personal challenge. Each year
more and more kayakers arrive one or two weeks and advance to train in our
alpine valley.“
„With the adidas Sickline Worlds we wanted to create an event for the kayaking
community and I am pleased that it has been embraced by both, the world elite in
kayak sports as well as the international media“, says Axel Burkhardt, head of
Olympic Sports, Cycling & Outdoor at adidas Global Sports Marketing. „Last year
our event was broadcast live in 11 different countries.“
Only the best advance to the next round
The legendary 280m long racecourse on the glacier-fed Ötztaler Ache River is
solid class 5 whitewater, both technically difficult and dangerous, so there are
consequences to mistakes. Therefore the field of 150 international whitewater
kayakers is filtered in two qualification rounds to determine the 45 best paddlers
who compete in the world championship race. The top 3 of the previous year are
automatically qualified for the finals. The 48 finalists who race at Wellerbrücke
first compete in a ‚head-to-head’ format, i.e. the fastest of the qualification battles
the 48th, the second fastest competes against the 47th and so on. The faster
kayaker of each heat advances to next round, together with two ‘lucky losers’ (the
two fastest of the eliminated top 48 athletes). Then the top 26 compete once
again in a knockout system. The 13 remaining athletes and two more ‘lucky
losers’ then advance to the super final where they compete for world
championship honours. The top class field of the final 15 usually includes
everything from creeking, slalom and freestyle world champions to winners of
prestigious extreme races. Each of the top 15 has one try to secure a place on
the podium. The kayaker with the slowest race time of the previous run is the first
to start. He climbs into the ‘hot seat’ whirlpool, the throne of the fastest athlete
until his race time has been beaten. To claim the prestigious champion’s belt the
finalists need a very clean, technically accurate and perfect run.
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First class safety operation
For safety reasons, public authorities have officially closed the Wellerbrücke. The
section is only open for the adidas Sickline World Championship. To secure
athletes’ highest possible safety, 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 hf Safety Crew that consists of
ten kayaking experts, many of which are legends within the sport. 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.
All-around-service for athletes
The adidas Sickline Extreme Kayak World Championship is not only about
racing. The organisers host a variety of side events and offer plenty of athlete
services. Throughout the race weekend participants can enjoy free physiotherapy
at the adidas Reload Centre in the Expo Area. During the hf Safety practice
competitors and fellow kayak enthusiasts have the opportunity to refresh their
know-how about rescuing and resuscitating an injured kayaker. Film producer
Olaf Obsommer and other kayak celebrities present their latest movies at the BigO Movie Night. Daredevils can compete in a Zipfelbob Big Air on a huge freestyle
water ramp. And for all those who just can’t get enough live bands and DJs are
rocking the crowds at the legendary Sickline Champions Party in the AREA 47.
Since March 1st exreme paddlers from all over the world can register online for
the adidas Sickline Extreme Kayak World Championship on the event homepage
www.adidas-sickline.com. The start fee is 129.00 Euros and includes the start
fee, an adidas Sickline event t-shirt, access to the adidas Reload Centre, three
dinners (Thursday/ Friday/ Saturday) and two lunches (Friday/ Saturday) as well
as an accident insurance for the weekend. Participants have to be at least 18
years old and master whitewater level 5.
-END-
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Background information for the editor:
A “sick line” is the perfect, smoothest and fastest line downriver. In search for sick lines
extreme kayakers travel around the world. Extreme kayaking is the art of going down
steep rivers, high waterfalls and mastering extreme whitewater difficulties. Paddlers call
that steep creeking. On their expeditions around the globe extreme paddlers are often far
from any civilisation and self-sustaining for days. Their kayak is turned into a backpack in
which they stow their food and gear for the wilderness. Often they walk a marathon just to
get to the rivers they want to paddle.
There are no official federations and organisations within extreme kayaking. Many
expedition kayakers don’t typically race, but they are very athletic and very skilled, which
is why there has been a strong desire amongst extreme kayakers to have a World
Championship. 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 it fast as well. At the same
time the Extreme Kayak World Championship attracts many of the best slalom and
freestyle paddlers, because they can combine their fitness with adrenaline.
For high res images and further information please contact:
Sonja Güldner-Hamel
PLANET TALK GmbH
eMail: [email protected]
Tel.: +49-8061-35059-12
Fax: +49-8061-35059-10
www.adidas-sickline.com
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