Young rider Valentin Illichmann takes to the waters on a Fanatic Rapid, a board built for these conditions. With his stance wide like an outlaw quick drawing his revolver, he preps for the next section using his paddle to pilot his board amidst the maelstrom.
“It’s a mixture of kayaking and surfing. A really shaky business!” says the Bavarian-born paddler, whose primary focus is now riding white-water rapids and waves.
Valentin belongs to a small but steadily growing subculture. Whitewater paddling is already established in the US, but in Germany there are less than a hundred paddlers willing to take on the cascading rivers. With a certain element of danger, injury can occur though collision with rocks or getting sucked under by the strong undertow.
“If you fall off your board and it gets pulled downriver and you collide with a rock, it’s unlikely that you’ll be able to free yourself, especially if your leash gets snagged.” describes Valentin who normally paddles without a leash, as well as wearing a helmet, knee pads and boots.
