How one of the world’s most extreme kayakers paddles into incredible danger and survives.
There’s no way to win this battle. Gravity always comes out on top. As Aniol Serrasolses paddles closer and closer to the rushing edge of a monstrous waterfall, he passes the point of no return and his fate is sealed… he’s going over the precipice.
You or I would likely be overwhelmed by the natural fear that comes with a death-defying drop from heights of 100 feet or more, but for Serrasolses, it’s a moment of clarity, a few seconds of purity and absolute focus. The world around him doesn’t exist. It’s just him, his kayak, and the hope that his skill, experience and planning are sufficient to let him float away safely after an epic descent. It may look like insanity, or even a death wish, but for Serrasolses, it’s the only rational way to live.
Serrasolses was born and raised in Catalonia, Spain, not exactly a hotspot of kayaking. When his older brother first took him out on the water when he was 12, Aniol was hooked. “Since the very first days I knew I wanted to spend my life kayaking around the world,” he recalls. “I was a small kid with big dreams.”
But kayaking isn’t a local activity, it requires travel and resources to attempt the most challenging, and exhilarating, white water rapids and waterfalls on the planet. But Aniol is special, and it didn’t take long for brands to take note. “As soon as I got my first sponsors, kayaking became a sustainable activity for me,” he says. “Signing with Red Bull when I was only 20 took things to the next level.”
This story is from the MAXIM Hot 100, July August 2019 edition of Maxim.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the MAXIM Hot 100, July August 2019 edition of Maxim.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Enzo on the Silver Screen
Michael Mann’s new biopic of Enzo Ferrari starring Adam Driver is set to make the legend burn even brighter
Some Like it HОТ
We piloted Ferrari's fantastie new open-topped grand tourer through the craggy hills of Sardinia
THE LEGEND OF ENZO
DURING HIS LIFETIME FERRARI FORGED THE ENTIRE PANTHEON OF MOTORSPORTS
THIS SIDE of PARADISE
A landmark new exhibition of Ellen von Unwerth’s work is suitably playful and provocative
FRANCIS FORD COPPOLA IN BELIZE 10-MS
The famed director of The Godfather and Apocalypse Now tells us why the Central American country has captured one of the world's greatest imaginations,
WEAPONS of WICK
Meet master engraver Melissa McMinn, who created Keanu Reeves’ dueling pistols for the hit franchise
SUDDENLY This SUMMER
Model, influencer and actress Summer Soderstrom is the blonde bombshell we're keeping our eye on
VIVA LAS VEGAS
We wade into the spectacle that was the reborn Las Vegas Grand Prix
DRINKING La DOLCE VITA
From pioneering distilling methods to the massive success of Martini Racing, the story of the most iconic name in aperitifs
FIVE-STAR STYLE
With an impressive roster of ultra-high-net-worth clients, i design powerhouse Rigby Rigby is making waves Bei on the Riviera and beyond