The Paddler Autumn/Fall issue 2017
The International magazine for recreational paddlers. The best for all paddling watersports including whitewater kayaking, sea kayaking, expedition kayaking, canoeing, open canoeing and rafting. All magazines are in excess of 150 pages and absolutely free.
The International magazine for recreational paddlers. The best for all paddling watersports including whitewater kayaking, sea kayaking, expedition kayaking, canoeing, open canoeing and rafting. All magazines are in excess of 150 pages and absolutely free.
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T H E E X P L O S I V E<br />
H I S T O R Y O F<br />
SICKLINE<br />
Taken from conversations with event founder Olaf Obsommer<br />
In 2005, there were plans up for a huge<br />
dam project to take all the water from<br />
the Oetz river and pump it to the<br />
Kaunertal. Olaf and friends staged a big<br />
protest in the summer of that year, with<br />
500 kayakers showing up. <strong>The</strong> highlight<br />
was kayaking the Oetz by night through<br />
the village Soelden holding flaming<br />
torches. “It was an impressive and really<br />
emotional moment” Olaf remembers.<br />
“In 2006 we stopped doing those protests, thinking it<br />
would be more effective to do extreme races instead,<br />
as they are easier to sell to the media to show the<br />
world the beauty of this river and its valley.<br />
“In the summer 2006 we did an invitational boater<br />
cross on the Soelden cataracts at high water for 50<br />
competitors, then we had the idea to start another<br />
extreme race in the fall on the famous<br />
Wellerbruecken rapids…”<br />
One vantage point<br />
<strong>The</strong> Wellerbrucke rapids, home of Sickline, were<br />
chosen for many reasons. Firstly, you can watch the<br />
start and finish from one vantage point. “<strong>The</strong> course<br />
is really technical with many spots where you can lose<br />
time,” Olaf adds. Also adding to the appeal of the<br />
venue is the convenience. Once in Oetz, you don’t<br />
have to drive anywhere, and the town has all the<br />
amenities an event of this size needs.<br />
Sickline got off to a shaky start after that first<br />
invitational race back in 2006. <strong>The</strong> 2007 race was<br />
cancelled for high water (210 on the gauge) and<br />
in 2008, it looked as though it would be<br />
unrunnable due to a river-wide siphon above<br />
what is now Champions’ Killer Minus One. “I was<br />
really depressed” remembers Olaf. “<strong>The</strong>n a local<br />
came to us and said no problem – he knows a dude<br />
who is doing all the dynamite stuff for the ski resort.<br />
And this dude was so fired up and motivated for that<br />
mission, we had just to pay his costs… so really early<br />
in the morning we blew away this rock. That was big,<br />
man! <strong>The</strong> rocks were crashing and flying everywhere.<br />
We got a call from the major of Oetz what the hell<br />
was going on the Wellerbruecke. <strong>The</strong> guys from the<br />
tourism board told him it was a military practice…<br />
and it’s why I named the rapid TNT!”<br />
This year, Sickline had 32 nations enter [the<br />
British entry was the largest by number] and 175<br />
entrants. It’s come a long way.<br />
<strong>The</strong>PADDLER 133
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