SOURCE TO SEA Pro Team
We founded the SOURCE TO SEA Pro Team to promote young kayaking talent. The team currently consists of eleven young people who spend the majority of their time kayaking. Their trips take them from Kyrgyzstan to the Zambezi, to India, to the canyons of the Stikine River, to spring paddling in Greece or to the Saut du Doubs in France.
Huw Butterworth
Year of birth: 2000
What are you particularly proud of?
I'm proud that I've become a better kayaker in the last few years than I ever thought I would be. I'm also very happy about how many friends I've made on the river that I can go kayaking with all over the world.
What are your goals in kayaking?
Of course, I want to paddle until I'm old and gray (like Matthias Deutsch 😘) and get better and have fun doing it. But I also want to produce lots of kayak films so that I can maybe get other people interested in this sport.
Best kayaking destinations?
New Zealand, Mexico, Ötztal
What do you do when you're not kayaking? Pumping, skiing in winter and dreaming about my next paddling trip.
Sponsors:
NRS, EXO Kajaks, SOURCE TO SEA
Follow Huw on Instagram!
Andi Brunner
Year of birth: 1997
What are you particularly proud of?
My racing successes, such as being runner-up in the European Championships and winning the European Cup. And the fact that I'm booked as a special show act at the European and World Championship party 😉
What are your goals?
To destroy the race course so badly that even the insurance company pulls out.
Best kayaking destinations?
Zambezi, Voss, Piedmont.
What do you do when you're not kayaking? Gym, eating, sleeping, cuddling
Blog posts:
Paddling in Meghalaya, India
Sponsors:
NRS, Jackson Kayak, SOURCE TO SEA
Follow Andi on Instagram!
Michiel De Ruytter
Year of birth: 1992
What are you particularly proud of?
I am proud of the fact that I either do things in a way that feels good and right, or just not at all. When everyone said the hike-out from the Saryjaz River in Kyrgyzstan is difficult enough without a kayak, I was arrogant enough to question that.🙂
What are your kayaking goals?
To try to minimize the environmental impact of my travels. Maybe take the train or a boat instead of the plane next time I'm kayaking outside of Europe (even if I can't undo my air miles from the last few years 😬)
Best kayaking destinations?
Southern Belgium, Ötztal
What do you do when you're not kayaking?
Helping build environmentally sustainable homes, rock climbing.
Sponsors:
Dragorossi, Immersion Research, SOURCE TO SEA
Follow Michiel on Instagram!
Matthias Deutsch
Year of birth: 1993
What are you particularly proud of?
When I watched "Bomb Flow" at 18 years old, I always thought I'll never paddle that well to ride those STOUTS... But now I've already checked off some of those big spots. And here's to being a co-designer at DragoRossi Kayaks.
What are your kayaking goals?
To paddle more!
Best kayaking destinations?
Chile, Norway and Alps
What do you do when you're not kayaking? Still studying and working. Also paragliding, cross country skiing, swimming...
Sponsors:
Immersion Research, Dragorossi Kayaks, SOURCE TO SEA
Follow Matti on Instagram!
Lena Grüb
Year of birth: 1993
What are you particularly proud of?
The metres of altitude I gained kayaking in Mexico and our girls' kayaking trips to Mexico, Peru and Chile.
What are your kayaking goals?
To meet as many girls as possible on the world's rivers and to continue paddling with my family. To paddle on all continents (except maybe the South Pole) and be open to everything that comes along.
Best kayaking destinations?
Mexico for going steep, Greece for easier things and the Venter Ache here.
What do you do when you're not kayaking? Eating well, hiking, ski touring, cycling and working.
Blog posts:
Spring paddling in Greece
The long road to the roll
Sponsors:
Prijon, SOURCE TO SEA
Follow Lena on Instagram!
Aurelia Kirn
Year of birth: 2004
What are you particularly proud of?
That I've already been able to experience so much, have such great kayaking vacations with my cousin and have always discovered new countries as a result.
What are your goals when kayaking?
Definitely to kayak better and to discover many more beautiful rivers with a cool group (including a few girls!) and always get to my destination safely.
Best kayaking destinations?
Norway and Corsica (next time maybe with more water 🙂 ) is definitely a kayaking paradise. Greece was also a dream for me as a child. But there are also great rivers at home, like the Brandy.
What do you do when you're not kayaking?
In winter, I like to go ski touring, especially in powder. In summer, I started paragliding
and enjoy spending time in the mountains. I love traveling and exploring new areas.
Sponsors:
SOURCE TO SEA
Follow Aurelia on Instagram!
Alena Kittelberger
Year of birth: 2003
What are you most proud of?
Discovering so many beautiful places through kayaking and being able to share the sport with my family and my cousin from an early age!
What are your goals?
To always have a good time on the water, surrounded by good friends, to stay accident-free, to travel to many more countries (South America, New Zealand...) and to be even more stable in the boat.
Best kayaking destinations?
I've really enjoyed Norway and Chile so far! But I also love the rivers in our area and Ticino or Piedmont.
What do you do when you're not kayaking? I like to go into the mountains with my paraglider, skiing or climbing and when I don't have time for that, I explore the world via Google Maps to escape the daily grind of university.
Sponsors:
SOURCE TO SEA
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Maike Möst
Year of birth: 1999
What are you particularly proud of?
I am proud and grateful that I have seen so many beautiful places with my kayak.
What are your goals?
My goals are to improve constantly and to have a lot of fun.
Best kayak destinations?
Ticino, Jura, Norway
What do you do when you are not kayaking? Work out, ski and read
Blog posts:
Sautdu Doubs, France
Sponsors:
SOURCE TO SEA, Waka, Immersion Research
Follow Maike on Instagram!
Janosch Plathner
Year of birth: 1993
What are you particularly proud of?
The opportunities and experiences that paddling and the associated circle of friends have given me in life.
What are your goals in kayaking?
To go on kayak expeditions and to race successfully in extreme events.
Best kayaking destinations?
Norway, Colombia, British Columbia (Canada)
What do you do when you are not kayaking?
Work, train, ski, paraglide.
Sponsors:
SOURCE TO SEA
Follow Janosch on Instagram!
Nico Redling
Year of birth: 2003
What are you particularly proud of?
I'm not really proud of anything, but rather grateful for all the great people I've been able to teach to date - and hopefully will continue to do so in the future.
What are your goals?
To be happy, smooth and spontaneous. To always make smart decisions on the water. And to discover the most beautiful places/rivers in the world with friends.
Best kayaking destinations?
Norway, Jura, Ticino, Chile
What do you do when you're not kayaking? Working to get back into kayaking, hanging up wet paddling gear to dry and reading a good book.
Sponsors:
SOURCE TO SEA
Follow Nico on Instagram!
Lenard Zaschke
Year of birth: 2002
Whatareyou particularly proud of?
That I have never swum badly and have always come home in one piece.
What are your goals?
To experience as many beautiful moments as possible and to always kayak dry, to travel to Chile, to make a clean final run in the OETZ TROPHY 😉 and to finally learn kickflips!
Best kayak destinations?
Definitely Norway, Chile and New Zealand I imagine but also mega
What do you do when you're not kayaking?
Bring my car in the workshop, play FIFA with the WG, skiing, kicking, skating
Sponsors:
SOURCE TO SEA, NRS
Follow Lenni on Instagram!
