Race Info
THE EXTREME KAYAK WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
For the sixth 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 3rd and the 5th of October, the best whitewater kayakers on the globe will meet in Tyrol’s longest alpine valley to snatch the much sought-after 2013 world champion belt.
24-year old Sam Sutton from Rotorua in New Zealand impressively demonstrated that for the third year in a row he is the fastest extreme paddler in the world. Sutton defended his title once again to win the gold medal ahead of Dejan Kralj from Slovenia and New Zealand’s Mike Dawson. Over 100 top kayakers from 28 countries had travelled to Austria to compete for world championship honours on one of the last non-adjusted whitewater rivers of the Alps.
This year, too, the so-called »Wellerbrücke« section of the glacier-fed Oetztaler Ache River that has the reputation of being the Eiger Northwall of whitewater kayaking – will be the centre of the race action. In total, max. 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 V. The Top 3 of the previous year are automatically qualified for the finals at the Wellerbrücke. In addition, 45 athletes can qualify on Friday to compete in the world championship race.
"We are pleased that the Oetztal Valley can also host the adidas Sickline World Championship in 2013", says tourism director Oliver Schwarz. "Among insiders the Oetztal has been known for many years as one of Europe’s most beautiful kayak ground. With its glacier rivers the Oetztal offers whitewater in all facets between May and October and here, depending on the water level of Rofen-, Venter- and Oetztaler Ache River, kayakers of all classes can find their personal challenge."
"Tirol is a true paradise for outdoor athletes; the unique mountain scenery forms a perfect arena for activities on the rock face, in the water or in the air. The state of Tirol is an adventureland. That is displayed by many exciting events like the adidas Sickline World Championship in Oetztal." explains Josef Margreiter, managing director of Tyrol Werbung.
ONLY THE BEST ADVANCE TO THE NEXT ROUND
The 48 finalists who race at Wellerbrücke, will compete in a 'head-to-head' format, i.e. the fastest of the qualification will battle the 48th, the second fastest will compete against the 47th and so on. Last year’s medallists will be integrated in the racing grid based on a timed run on the qualifying course. The faster kayaker will advance to next round, respectively, together with two ‘lucky losers’, i.e. the two fastest of the eliminated Top 48 athletes. Then the Top 26 compete once again in a dual mode. The 13 remaining athletes will then compete for world champion honours, together with two more ‘lucky losers’, i.e. the two fastest of the eliminated Top 26 athletes. In the superfinal, the fastest time wins. Each of the top 15 kayakers has one try to secure a place on the podium. The kayaker with the slowest race time of the previous run will be the first to start. He will then climb the ´hot seat´whirlpool, the throne of the fastest athlete. His race time must now be beaten. If a kayaker is faster, he can dethrone the race leader. The athlete, who is still sitting in the whirlpool at the end, will be the well-deserved adidas Sickline World Champion.
SAFETY FIRST
At the famous Wellerbrücke, the Oetztaler Ache River holds one of the most sophisticated whitewater sections on earth, thus the perfect setting to determine the world’s best extreme kayakers. For safety reasons, public authorities have closed this particular section of the river. It is only open for the adidas Sickline Extreme Kayak World Championship. "Safeguarding is vital in our sport and it is somehow a routine job for whitewater kayakers”, says Olaf Obsommer, race director and founder of Sickline. "However, there is a huge difference if one is responsible for a small group of paddler friends who all know each other very well or if one is responsible for more than 100 athletes from 20 different countries. Then you have to pull out all the stops.” Water rescue services, mountain rescue services, and the Austrian Red Cross work hand in hand to secure the highest possible safety of the athletes from around the world. The teams are using innovative life saving tools, like ropeways that are built by Mountain Rescue Tirol prior to the event, in order to shorten rescue ways and thus rescue intervals on the extremely difficult terrain and to increase the rescue comfort. The challenging task is also an appreciated practice to train the smooth interaction of rescue forces ashore, in the water and on the mountain. "The adidas Sickine World Championship gave us the opportunity to demonstrate our know-how and skills on a very difficult terrain”, says Peter Veider, MD of Mountain Rescue Tyrol. "We are already looking forward to this year’s event.” Michael Huber of the Austrian Water Rescue Services Tirol is also enthused about the smooth collaboration between the rescue services and the organisers within the scope of the adidas Sickline Worlds: “Despite having safeguarded at several international events, the size and complexity of this sport event was unique. The readiness of the organiser to create such an extensive safety concept and, what’s more, to really implement it was new to us. Since safety truly comes first at this event, I consider the adidas Sickline World Championship as exemplary.” The rescue teams are supported by an event-own, 10-person hf Safety Crew that consists of kayak experts who are positioned in safety kayaks inside the water as well as onshore with throw bags. “I think there are few sports events that pay so much attention to safety”, says event director Mike Hamel, MD of the organising agency Planet Talk. “We try to always be a step ahead. This year we even took out a personal accident insurance for our participants. Fortunately we never had to salvage someone, but these days you often meet a problem, that the rescued person is not sufficiently insured. That’s why we protect our participants by including an accident insurance for the weekend in our start fee. It covers salvage expenses like helicopter flights, rescue and emergency medical services, disability or cosmetic surgery.”
ALL-AROUND-SERVICE FOR ATHLETES
Once again the competitors can look forward to an all-around-service for athletes including complimentary physiotherapy at the adidas Reload Centre. "For us the athletes take centre stage, no matter which sport we support,” says Axel Burkhardt, Global Sports Marketing Manager for adidas Olympic Sports, Cycling & Outdoor. "We wanted to create an event for the kayak community and I’m very pleased that the adidas Sickline Worlds are so well-received. I first and foremost would like to thank our top class field of international competitors who turn the adidas Sickline Extreme Kayak World Championship into such a thrilling battle.”
ONLINE REGISTRATION OPENS IN MARCH
From 1 March 2013 onwards, kayakers can register online for the adidas Sickline Extreme Kayak World Championship. The start fee is EUR 129,- 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 mastering whitewater level V.
