Swimming the Intouchables, Not your average rapid (#15 Carnage for All 2020)
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- Опубліковано 29 чер 2020
- Watch Axel Hovorka running upside down the first half and swimming the bottom half of the infamous Intouchables rapid on the NF Mokelumne in California. Not your average rapid. Even less so out of your boat.
Beater: Axel Hovorka
Behind the camera: Axel Hovorka, Cameron O'Connor, Gavin Biancucci - Спорт
![ОРБАН приехал к ПУТИНУ и "отчитался" о поездке в Киев 😁 [Пародия]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/_0ukDovOWq8/mqdefault.jpg)
Regardless of the debate about this being the most difficult or not, this was one of the best carnage for all reels I've seen in a while.
Thanks for the share. It is actually the “Untouchables”. And I would beg to differ, this is not one of the most dangerous rapids, but it deserves a great deal of respect. I’m not trying to downplay this, but this rapid doesn’t have any serious pins, sieves, or big sticky holes. It is insanely powerful, but all flushes downstream with no super outstanding hazards. That being said, the sheer size and power is its own beast. Definitely was a learning experience about my own paddling and judgment!
There is serious flush drowning potential there, but probably not one of THE most dangerous rapids out there.
Yeah like I said, “the sheer power and size is its own beast”
A truly humble brag if I ever heard one - the brag part being good enough to run any of this.
ya, flush drowning, it's a thing stick to the pond meatball
The lengths some people go to clean their gear! ;) glad your safe dude!
Best edit of carnage I've ever seen
He went for the ear dip
not sure about the paddling, but the media game is definitely on point! Hell yeah :-)
Amazing
I agree with Kayak Session I have not been to Fantasy in person but from everything I’ve heard and all the videos I’ve seen, The Untouchables is one of the most dangerous rapids in the world
I am not trying to start an argument and I have lots of respect for paddlers like yourself, but I genuinely am interested in why you say that. It’s size and violence possesses its own risk, and a rather large one. It obviously has a risk of getting knocked out and flush drowning or some serious injury potential, but I feel there are many more dangerous runnable drops like the Mungo or T Canyon where one small mistake will instantly stuff you into a siphon in a boxed in gorge. Another example of something more dangerous would be high water Tumwater, where a swim would most be certainly be death. Chutes de Ursle in Quebec is a much larger rapid which Benny swam in a similar fashion. In my opinion it is not the most dangerous rapid on fantasy. With that said, I reiterate that running that thing was an insanely sketchy decision, one that I strive to never repeat.
But I know that I was real luck that it was that chill. Flipping that early could have been a lot worse, but it is pretty padded over there
Hey Axel, calling a rapid one of the most dangerous in the world is an extremely general thing to say. I’m sure both of us could go back forth for a long time naming dangerous rapids. To me, it is a matter of respecting the rapid. It took a long time for that rapid to be ran for the first time and I remember the hype watching the EG edit with Sam, Dylan, and Baby Bird running it. Given the notoriety and reputation that Fantasy Falls has, as people from all over the world come to run it, I think it is disrespectful to not give it the benefit of the doubt and say it’s one of the most dangerous rapids in the world. It is scary to think, but at this point in the sport in the sport with social media, rapid’s reputation’s make a huge difference in whether or not someone runs them. Tomata 1 was considered one of the most dangerous waterfalls in the world when it was first being run, then tons of people ran it with clean lines and it’s reputation arguably changed in the eyes of the sport. If The Untouchables’ reputation as one of the most dangerous rapids in the world changes, even more people will start running it. If what happened to you happens to some one else, there is absolutely nothing close to a guarantee they will come away from it unscathed like you did. I’m really glad you are okay and learned from that experience.
I’m totally with you on that. I always try to look at the rapid for what it is and not the reputation it has attached and make my call based on it. All the rapids on that run and especially this one deserve lots of respect as they are really big and difficult and each one has a stout history behind it. I completely stand by giving the rapid the benefit of the doubt and to indeed say it is very dangerous. My main issue is that KS called it “intouchables” and made a very blanket statement about it which I don’t see as very respectful to the rapid. It’s up here racking up views and they don’t bother to correct the name of the rapid.
Ok I totally see where you’re coming from with that. I do not agree with that either but at the end of the day when you make an edit for a competition like this they have the final say over how everything gets described and shared. I know you know that just something to keep in mind. Cheers yo
Should have called it "save soldier Hovorka"
Looked like their could have been some better support down below.
Maybe? Basically the only thing reasonably possible there is to have people at the bottom ready to collect the pieces, we did. I did end up managing to loose my onesie and a life straw. The video doesn’t really show any of the support so I don’t know how you formed that opinion. Maybe you saw that rope toss? The reason he threw it was to pull me left towards the calmer part of the pool below, there is no way to pull someone out of the river.
Wild!!
That last "F*ck!" was quite appropriate
Would it be better to have a rescue boat already waiting in the eddy at the bottom? ..... and the people watching to have throwline(S) ready from the start ? 🤔
But did he have a bootie beer afterward?
I paddled once with Axel three years ago at age 12? He had been camping with his mother and showed up with grape jelly all around his mouth. It took about half the run on the lower White Salmon for the grape jelly to wear off. I decided you could tell how hard the run was by how long it took for the grape jelly to wash off Axel's mouth. At the time he was running everything in a RPM. A little hard to tell but It looks like he is running this in one of the new RPM knock offs. Maybe a boat with a low volume stern was not the best choice. No grape jelly that I can see after that swim!
Yo I remember paddling with you Tom! Also thanks for talking that boat back to bend for me! I don’t remember the grape jelly but it sounds like me. I’m actually paddling a “modern creek boat” not a “RPM knock off”. This thing is plenty spicy in creek boat so there is not point in using a half slice.
I'm a newb, but this makes me understand "carnage"😆
That was extremely risky boys god damn
nice bubbles
Is the red , blood in the water?
Negative. I have a red drysuit. Actually came out of this with out a scratch
Holy shit
That may have been the absolutely most sketchy decision I’ve seen in kayaking.... and I’ve watched Tao Berman’s highlight reel!
I’m not sure about that, but I say with great confidence that it was an extremely bad call on my part
Ehhhh. Close but Tao’s video is THE sketchiest video ever!!!
Row-D
I would do this if I could breathe underwater and rocks didn't break bones.....yea I'd do it!
Whoa fuuuuucckkk man..
and wear face protection!
Did he inhale water? Glad he is safe.
Nah
Carried back up and aced it, didn't you sport?
One day
The swim over the Stuttgongsfossen was worse
Probably
How about, NO!
Looked gnarly, but one of the most dangerous? neh...
You go swim that upper section and say that.
Weird, it's almost like at 15 years old (and less than 5 years of paddling) one doesn't have the experience to successfully run one of the hardest runnable rapids in the world.
Never woulda seen that coming.
I have been paddling for the more than half of my life, I’m not sure where the >5 year assumption came from 🤷♂️. And yes, I did prove your point, that being said I did not pull off the line but it caused for a great learning experience.
@@ashkayaker so, was this last summer or this year? Either way you were 14 or 15. Sorry, I was off by 2 years... when did you make the transition to class V? Less than 3 years ago, right? I mean, i remember your first truss lap, when you walked big bro. Look man, I've been watching your progression, it's impressive to say the least, but stepping up when you maybe don't quite have the resume can cause tremendous problems for you and your support team.
I'm glad you're okay, and i hope you learned something from this.
*sorry, should read * I'm glad you learned, not hoped.*
Wild ride Axel. I bet next time you run the drop you'll have a clean line. Keep progressing yung ripper!
@@ashkayaker do you think the bank side and boat rescue coverage was good? If you run hairier stuff and have that sort of rescue you might not come out the other side alive.
There's a difference in how you assess risk in your early to late teens to when you are an adult. (From my own teens I had a more of an invincibility vs responsibility of older age) That being said I'm not doubting your technical ability or experience on a river.
This is another great example of how piss poor most kayakers are at setting EFFECTIVE safety. That guy was super lucky.
I think you are supposed to stay in the kayak. Total rookie mistake.
I have never kayak in my life but why do lousy that
Why? Need to show stupid heroism?
Not at all. I stepped up to a rapid I thought I could run and missed the line. I obviously made some errors in judgment but I was all good so it proved to be a teachable moment. 👍