Kayaking
Kayaker Aniol Serrasolses drops off a 20m-high glacial waterfall
Elite kayaker Aniol Serrasolses sets out on an otherworldly journey deep into the wild Arctic to descend the highest ice waterfall in history.
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Catalan adventurer and elite kayaker Aniol Serrasolses shatters boundaries on his Arctic expedition when he descends a 20m-high ice waterfall - the largest ever recorded kayak drop from a glacial waterfall.
54 min
Ice Waterfalls
Kayaker Aniol Serrasolses ventures deep into the wild Arctic. His mission? To conquer an extreme ice waterfall and record the world's highest drop from a glacial river.
The Red Bull TV documentary Ice Waterfalls above is not just a story of a record-breaking achievement and breathtaking action, but also a narrative of human resilience, innovation, and the relentless pursuit of adventure. "Words fail to capture this overwhelming sensation", Serrasolses says, looking back. "It felt like kayaking on an entirely different planet. Undoubtedly, it is the most extraordinary kayak experience of my life."
Undoubtedly, Ice Waterfalls is the most extraordinary kayak experience of my life
Aniol Serrasolses leads epic expedition to conquer glacial waterfall in remote region
With a small crew, Aniol Serrasolses set out on a 36-hour voyage into the remote Svalbard archipelago of Norway - in one of the least explored regions on Earth made up of unforgiving icy terrain. Along with fellow kayakers David Sodomka, Aleix Salvat and Mikel Sarasola, Aniol Serrasolses chases one ultimate goal: to find and descend an enormous glacial waterfall. The group hiked 11 kilometres across the ice to access the glacial river.
Aniol Serrasolses and team hike 11 icy kms to reach their destination
© David Sodomka / Red Bull Content Pool
Witnessing ice breaking in Svalbrad
"We found ourselves in an ever-changing and completely unforeseeable landscape", says Serrasolses. "We were well aware of the risks involved, but when you take in your surroundings, it all becomes clear."
Maneuvring the icy rapids in Svalbrad to get to the waterfall was something extraordinary, even for the experienced kayaker Serrasolses. He had been dreaming of kayaking an ice waterfall for years, he admits, and had meticulously planned the expedition.
Despite all the preparation, he speaks of encounters that took his breath away: "One of the things that surprised me, is that feeling of levitating above the water. You could see the bottom with those textures, with those movements, with those shapes - you saw the ice. You saw the ice breaking. It was incredible."
Aniol Serrasolses and his kayak faced-off with a 20m-high ice waterfall
© David Sodomka / Red Bull Content Pool
The pressure of having just one chance to descend the ice waterfall
One of the challenges of the endeavour was to nail the perfect line with the first and only attempt - as the window to complete was small and the waterfall would disappear. Serrasolses admits that he felt the pressure to perform: "I had this fire of, I need to go get it and I need to do it now, or the moment will be gone."
During the experience, Aniol Serrasolses felt as if he were levitating
© David Sodomka / Red Bull Content Pool
Italian fashion label Prada Linea Rossa played a key role in the success of the kayaking feat. Serrasolses' partner supplied the technical gear to face the harsh Arctic conditions - and equipped the kayaker with advanced textiles engineered for comfort and high-performance in extreme environments.
Serrasolses is more than just an exceptional kayaker. The 33-year old Spaniard currently lives in Chile where he runs a tourism business with his brother. He is also building a lodge, and bringing clients from abroad aside his professional kayak career.
Watch Ice Waterfalls on Red Bull TV
Watch Ice Waterfalls on Red Bull TV to experience this otherworldly journey deep into the wild Arctic, where the soul of adventure and the spirit of kayaking come alive!
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