Tyler Bradt Exclusive Interview waterfall world record holder

Tyler Bradt Exclusive Interview kayaksession.com

In March, Brazilian Pedro Oliveira ran a 127-foot falls in Brazil breaking Tyler Bradt’s former 107-foot record (alexandra falls, NWT canada). There was huge media coverage worldwide about Olivia’s record. While most people imagined this record would stay for a very long time, Tyler Bradt just ran the 186 ft (nearly 60-meter) Palouse Falls in Washington State, smashing Olivia’s record by 59 ft!!!
In an exclusive first interview for Kayak Session mag, Tyler answers some of the burning questions everyone has been wondering about since the news came out…

By Philippe Doux and Whitney Lonsdale
© Kayak Session Publishing - 20009

“I hope it encourages people not to run huge waterfalls but to understand that the only limits that exist are the ones you create, no matter what you are doing.”

KS: How do you feel? Any injuries? Given the smile on your face if there are any they must be minimal…
TB: Palouse went about as well as I could have ever hoped. I am a little sore today and have a sprained wrist but given the circumstances it’s all pretty minor stuff.

KS: Was there some celebrating after you ran it?
TB: Naw, Ian and I just went to bed early after catching up on a good book :)

KS: … a book written by a certain Jack Daniels I guess. I read all his book from cover to cover...

KS: What was your main motivation to run that waterfall?
TB: I have been passionate about running waterfalls for a while now. We have gradually come to havea better feel for what is possible in the vertical realm. We have researched the potential for running bigger and bigger waterfalls by starting at the bottom and working up. Palouse was the next step. I had come to a good understanding of what I believe I am capable of and what is possible. Palouse was a calculated decision to reach further into the unknown and make a dream a reality. It is something that spoke to me personally and nothing aside from a personal goal affected my motivation to run the waterfall.

“Palouse went about as well as I could have ever hoped”

KS: What goes through your mind as you’re lining up for it? And when actually running the beast?
TB: Palouse was a mentally difficult waterfall. With every angle you look at it from, something new appears and proves what you previously thought wrong. The lip was more complicated than I thought it was before putting on my gear and giving it a last scout from river left. It was not straight forward at all and the line about a boat width wide. The five or six seconds on flat water, feet from the lip, were crazy moments. I was optimistic about the line and focused on sticking it. I lined it up just as I wanted to and ran it exactly as I had in my visualizations. The power of the mind is an amazing thing.

KS: When you first got there was your immediate reaction to it that you would run it? Or did you have to talk yourself into it a bit?
TB: The day I ran it was the fourth time I had been there in the course of three or four weeks. The first reaction was that it was runnable. I didn’t know if I wanted to do it or not until Ian and I went and ran some waterfalls around the North West. I felt really good after brushing up on my waterfall running and visiting it again. It was a goal I penciled in mentally, being totally ok with thinking about it and training for a while. I was on my way back to Montana on April 20th and Rush and I decided to stop so he could take a look at it. The flow was a few thousand CFS lower than I thought runnable so I didn’t expect to show up and find it at an even more manageable flow. I decided I wanted to give myself the opportunity to run it, knowing that I would back away if I wasn’t feeling good about it. We called in the team to meet the next day at noon.

“Palouse was a calculated risk, no doubt dangerous but also one of the most amazing days of my life. It’s a personal thing and nothing exterior, especially negativity, affects that.”

KS: Did anyone try to stop you?
TB: Every member of the team we chose to be there was incredibly positive. I believe that positive energy inspires positive results and no one second guessed what I was thinking about doing and all supported my decision 100%.

“The team we had was amazing. Everyone brought to the table a different skill set and played crucial roles”

KS: Who was with you when you ran it?
TB: The team we had was amazing. Everyone brought to the table a different skill set and played crucial roles. The team consisted of the following: Ian Garcia and Cody Howard in boats at the bottom; Sam Drevo at the top ready to repel behind the falls if a rescue was necessary; Rush Sturges coordinated the documentation and Erik Boomer, Lane Jacobs, Ben Stookesberry and Barney helped with the documentation; Jesse from World Class was at the bottom running a camera and there to back up the safety. All truly great people who contributed to making the day a success.

KS: Exactly what kind of safety was set for the run?
TB: There was cell service at the waterfall in case of an emergency and Spokane is 60 air miles from the waterfall. We had medical equipment and ways to stabilize me in case of a back injury. We had two boats at the bottom and a person ready to repel behind the falls with a throw bag. We thought through the different scenarios and prepared for them all.

KS: Does running it have to do with the fact Olivia beat your previous record?
TB: Running something like this isn’t about records. It is not worth maiming yourself or dying over a record. Of course I was disheartened about Perdro’s claims after he landed on his head and no one was there to witness him sticking the landing. It added controversy to the record, again. I am glad that I was able to set things straight again, but it certainly wasn’t my motivation for running it.

KS: You have gotten an incredible amount of press and media already. Did you expect as much?
TB: I never really though it through to the media point. My main focus was running it and being safe. The story is good and I feel obligated to tell it. I think there is a great underlying message behind all of it that is neat for people to see. I will be happy to share with world how this all came to be.

KS: Did you feel like there was potential that you might not survive the drop?
TB: No

KS: What did you feel like were the major hazards or risks?
TB: Back injury.

KS: Would you do it again?
TB: Once is good enough for me.

“I never really thought it through to the media point. My main focus was running it and being safe”

KS: When are we going to see the first footage on video?
TB: Rush and I are creating a new production called “Dream Result”. Check out www.Rev-Inn.com for more information on the launch date scheduled for Spring 2010. The footage will be out soon in the media. Watch the website for information about that too.

KS: As you probably know (or maybe even expected) some people have been criticizing your run saying it is not good for kayaking, and it encourages young people to risk their lives? What is your response to that?
TB: I would rather risk my life than risk not living my life. There is a balance there and being in tune with that balance is important. Palouse was a calculated risk, no doubt dangerous but also one of the most amazing days of my life. It’s a personal thing and nothing exterior, especially negativity, affects that. It has been great seeing all the people who have reacted to this positively. Thanks very much to everyone who gave me positive words; it is great so many people have felt inspired by this. I hope it encourages people not to run huge waterfalls but to understand that the only limits that exist are the ones you create, no matter what you are doing.