Serrasolses kayaks down snowy mountain at 100km/h posted: 04/04/2021
Spaniard tackles 25km descent and lands world-first waterfall double kickflip.
Aniol Serrasolses travelled at nearly 100km/h down a high-speed snowy descent, scythed across the forest floor and ended with a world-first flip off a waterfall.
The Spanish kayaker pulled off the feat over a 25-kilometre descent on Chile's Villarrica volcano. Here is all you need to know:
- Serrasolses performed tricks and jumps off rocks along the snowy descent at high speed, before cutting through the forest floor and ending in the river below.
- Once in the water, he performed a world first double kickflip off a waterfall before ending up in the open water unscathed.
- Not all his tricks went entirely to plan. In a trial run, he hit a bump,
almost did a 360 in the area and flew through the air for 10 metres before landing flat on his face. The main run itself went considerably smoother.
- With Serrasolses' competitions generally cut off by cancellations this year, he took advantage of the sporting hiatus to seek new challenges, explore new routes and find ways to take kayaking to the next level.
- Of his latest rapid adventure, he said: I've always wanted to kayak down the snow and unite the four elements: earth, air, water and fire. Taking advantage of the great winter that Chile experienced in 2020 and the difficulties to travel due to the situation we live in, I decided that this was the year to develop the project.
- He tackled his descent in September, the start of the Chilean spring, when the snow is still on the ground for the most part and the rivers are flowing well.
- Briefly stunned by the impact, he shook it off and was back at the top of the descent once again, climaxing in that ambitious kickflip on the Captren river, a trick never seen before on a kayak.
- Of the dramatic finale, he said: The trick is to do two full rotations in the air. It has been tried for many years surfing waves in the river or the sea without success. This time I managed it in on the first attempt, and I couldn't be happier. The next one will clearly have to be the triple won't it?!
Read a full wide-ranging Q&A with Serrasolses below:
What was the overall experience like?
It was pretty fun. The part on the snow was kind of the hardest part as a kayak is not really made for the snow so you ride it like a sled. You go really fast but you're kind of out of control.
What about the crash? It looked like you took a hit
That crash is next level as the snow was pretty hard. Definitely, that one hurt. My idea was to go around those pieces of ice and avoid them. Before doing that move, my kayak started spinning out of control. So, I went straight onto the ice and it sent me into the air so far - I flew over 10 metres.
What were the origins of the idea for this?
It was a really good winter snow wise so it felt like time to do something local and work on that project. We did two days of filming, we had a good segment snow wise but it didn't feel good enough. So, I thought we should link this up with the river through the forest and make it a whole descent through local rivers. The forest floor had really steep sections that we had to do over and over again. It's not the nicest kayaking but, when I saw the result, it looks good.
And you must have been pleased with the waterfall stunt at the end, no?
This whole concept was to take kayaking out of its element rather than always down rapids and waterfalls. That double kickflip is a double rotation and it's been attempted many times before but no one has ever succeeded. This time it just went really good. I got two rotations on my first try but it took a lot of commitment to do it off that height. If you don't land correctly, the impact on back is hard, actually it's hard even if you land it correctly!
Where does your creativity come from for these ideas?
Over the last few years my focus has been a lot on the progression of the sport: the hardest waterfalls, the biggest water rivers, the highest waters. As I'm getting older, I want to do more creative stuff and more shooting and projects to put kayaking in really cool locations, where it hasn't been seen as much.
All you've achieved all goes back to being introduced to the sport by your brother. Do you ever get a chance to take stock of how it all panned out?
I look back and can't believe the life we lead and how random it was that it started. There was a kayak club just one in many kilometres' radar. It was so random that we lived in that particular place. We'd ride our bikes to school every day and saw them one day the kayakers. We started kayaking with them and that shaped our life. That's really insane. All our life has revolved around kayaking. We moved to a place where not much was going on and made our lives so I'm super thankful.
Was it love at first sight for you and kayaking?
It wasn't love at first sight. We started kayaking with people that were 40 or 50 years old. Their idea of fun was going on a lake and paddling around a little bit. When we hit our first rapids, that's when everything clicked. It was so much more fun than football or water polo which we used to play. All team sports were physical but they were all about winning and losing, and you were not doing those sports in nature. Kayaking is a super amazing sport that visits different places each day and different rivers, everything is changing and risky.
What is it about whitewater that attracts you the adrenalin maybe?
For me, it's mostly about the places and the feelings that I get. Yeah, there's a rush of adrenalin and that's quite addictive but it's the places, people and experiences - that's what really gets you. There's many aspects of the sport:
Most recent headlines
17/02/2025
TVBEurope talks to the team who brought a piece of broadcasting history back to life on BBC Wales last night
By Jenny Priestley
Published: February 14, 2025 ...
17/02/2025
Eligible studios will receive the relief directly from their local authorities, with no need to submit a claim
By Matthew Corrigan
Published: February 17, 20...
17/02/2025
As DEI initiatives come under pressure in the USA, supporters of Rise, which promotes diversity in the media and entertainment sector, discuss the continuing im...
17/02/2025
EIB Global loan will partially fund SES's continued O3b mPOWER medium earth orbit (MEO) fleet expansion enabling additional capacity worldwide. O3b mPOWER s...
15/02/2025
At Nielsen, Business Resource Groups (BRGs) play a critical role in nurturing a ...
15/02/2025
Innovation to empower creativity: Explore the latest in Lightroom
Rob Christensen February 15, 2025
0 Comments
Whether you want to remove distracting ...
15/02/2025
Wisycom, a worldwide leader in RF technology and provider of wireless solutions, announces a new distribution agreement with EQUAPHON. An Argentinian profession...
15/02/2025
DPA Microphones, the leading manufacturer of high-quality microphone solutions, is pleased to welcome Nicholas Nick Mariano and Vincent Vince Divine to the ...
15/02/2025
Tuxera, a leading provider of quality-assured file systems and networking solutions, will showcase how Tuxera Fusion SMB enables unprecedented performance for m...
15/02/2025
Bitmovin's latest Video Developer Report indicates an increasing role of AI, the slow adoption of next-generation codecs, and continuing challenges when it ...
15/02/2025
When Michelin Enterprises set out to promote its prestigious Hotel Guide in the new Sleepless in the Kitchen , campaign, veteran German/Slovenian gaffer Robert...
15/02/2025
Formula E, the world's first all-electric racing series, revolutionizing motorsport with cutting-edge technology and a commitment to sustainability has sele...
15/02/2025
Agile Content, a global leader in TV and video technology solutions, announces its rebranding to AgileTV.
The transition to AgileTV stems from a commitment to ...
15/02/2025
Hiltron Communications will promote the latest additions to its range of satellite communication products, systems and supporting services at GovSatCom 2025. Th...
15/02/2025
Following the success of the original Airglow Booklight, DoPchoice debuts a new addition to their inflatable line the Float. This lightweight, inflatable, round...
15/02/2025
LAS VEGAS Marshall Electronics has announced that it will debut its newest camera controller, the RCP Plus, at the 2025 NAB Show at Booth N2649 between April 5 ...
15/02/2025
ATLANTA Gray Media has named Blake Sebo as the next general manager of KTUU and KYES, Gray's NBC and CBS affiliates in Anchorage, Alaska....
15/02/2025
KOKKEDAL, Denmark DPA Microphones will feature its new CORE+ technology for distortion-free microphone sound at the 2025 NAB Show, April 5-9, in Las Vegas....
15/02/2025
SWANSEA, U.K. QuickLink will launch StudioPro-NDI and StudioPro-3, two new models of its QuickLine StudioPro video production platform, at the 2025 NAB Show, Ap...
15/02/2025
Live From 2025 NBA All-Star Game Weekend: After 25 Years, Turner Sports All-In F...
15/02/2025
NASCAR Driver Cam on Max Embraces Cloud-Based Workflow for 2025 Season Chris Brown of WBD Sports says Mobii will play key part in delivering signals from the tr...
14/02/2025
Last month, we officially launched the Spotify Partner Program, a powerful new m...
14/02/2025
From an island off the coast of Lutruwita to the global stage in France SBS & ...
14/02/2025
The future of electro-optical/infrared (EO/IR) land systems is evolving so that ...
14/02/2025
Here are 5 reasons why you should attend ISE 2025
Discover more about Calrec: Learn more about Calrec's legacy of innovation in broadcast audio solutions ...
14/02/2025
World Radio Day: On the same wavelength
By Graham Murray, International Sales Manager at Calrec
To mark World Radio Day, Calrec's International Sales Ma...
14/02/2025
DALLAS and TYSONS, Va. Tegna has concluded a broadcast rights agreement that makes Tegna's KFAA in Dallas the exclusive local television partner of the Dall...
14/02/2025
Amazon's Prime Video has released a new app for Apple TV that the streamer said delivers an improved streaming experiences with faster scrolling, improved s...
14/02/2025
CLEVELAND Telos Alliance announced a software update for its Axia Quasar XR and SR line of audio-over-IP (AoIP) mixing consoles and will show the offering at th...
14/02/2025
Puget Systems Returns to HPA Tech Retreat 2025 with New Analysis Tools for Puge...
14/02/2025
Glass Animals: Tour of Earth Uses Blackmagic Live Production Workflow
Brie Clayton February 14, 2025
0 Comments
80six deploys Blackmagic URSA Broadcas...
14/02/2025
A dispute between Paramount and Youtube TV that would have pulled CBS stations and Paramount's cable channels from the streaming service has been temporaril...
14/02/2025
Colourist Deidre (Dee) McClelland details how she helped shape the distinct look and feel of whimsical Oscar-nominated stop-motion film, Memoir of a Snail
By C...
14/02/2025
BitFire said it intends to introduce forward-looking services that simplify the launch of live production workflows, and enhance real-time collaboration
By Jen...
14/02/2025
The claim by the liquidators is the latest twist in the ongoing saga of the companys collapse at the end of 2021
By Matthew Corrigan
Published: February 14, ...
14/02/2025
A carriage dispute between YouTube TV and Paramount could come to a head today (Feb. 13), with the virtual pay TV provider threatening to pull all of the progra...
14/02/2025
ENGLEWOOD CLIFFS, N.J. LG Electronics USA has opened a new in-house, state-of-the-art virtual production studio at its 360,000-square-foot North American headqu...
14/02/2025
NEW YORK In a bid to help local broadcasters find new ways of monetizing their content, the Coalition for Innovative Media Measurement (CIMM) and TVB have relea...
14/02/2025
WASHINGTON Three Democratic U.S. Senators have sent a stern letter blasting FCC Chair Brendan Carr for the weaponization of the agency for attacking broadcast...
14/02/2025
Years after launching the streaming service Apple TV+ in November of 2019, Apple has finally released a version of its steaming app for Android devices....
14/02/2025
FOOTHILL RANCH, Calif. Red Digital Cinema will make its V-RAPTOR [X] and KOMODO-X camera systems available with Nikon's premier Z Mount, providing filmmaker...
14/02/2025
DAYTONA, Fla. The Fox Sports production of this year's Daytona 500 will see the addition of a few new tech elements and the continued unfolding of the broad...
14/02/2025
Watch Bryson Battles Blind Audition on The Voice Get a Four-Chair Turn Michael Bubl said the Boston Conservatory at Berklee musical theater senior might have...
14/02/2025
2025 Daytona 500: FOX Sports Looks To Ride Super Bowl LIX Momentum Into NASCAR S...
14/02/2025
14 Feb 2025
VEON's Kyivstar and the Come Back Alive Foundation Raise USD 2....
14/02/2025
Max Renews THE PITT, Starring Noah Wyle, For A Second Season
Max
Warner Bros. Television Group
The Pitt
New Episodes Of The Medical Drama From John...
14/02/2025
This year, Technicolor proudly celebrates 110 years of shaping the magic of cinema pioneering color, visual effects, and innovation that bring unforgettable l...
14/02/2025
NBA All-Star: More Games, More Teams, More Music, More Sound From the Court Turner Sports' team will deploy familiar tech to capture all the audio By Dan D...
14/02/2025
LIV Golf Continues To Innovate With Drones, Data-Driven Graphics, and All-Access...
Serrasolses kayaks down snowy mountain at 100km/h posted: 04/04/2021 
