The cliff diver from Amlach

On September 6 Austrian multi-national champion Harald Hudetz wants to get out of his boat as the fastest white water paddler at Red Bull Dolomitenmann for the third time. In an interview the 30-year-old talks about problems in choosing shoes and about his tactics for the race.

In your career you’ve taken part in numerous events like world cup races, European championships and the snow kayak WC. What makes Red Bull Dolomitenmann the most incomparable experience?

Before Red Bull Dolomitenmann I’m excited weeks in advance because it’s a change from the rest of the season’s contests. A normal slalom takes about two minutes. At Red Bull Dolomitenmann you’re underway for more than 20 minutes and have running and swimming parts. Alone from the stress perspective it’s already very challenging. You need great white water paddling technique, and more stamina in the arms than usual.

One highlight of the six-kilometer kayak-course is the jump into the water from seven meters up at the beginning. Don’t you ever think: ‘I should’ve been a mountain runner, a paraglider, a mountain biker’?

No, I’ve never had that thought. I don’t envy any of our team members their task. The running and biking routes would be hell for me. Besides, it isn’t the height at the start that’s the biggest problem. With appropriate boats, pros are jumping through waterfalls 20 meters tall.

Some competitors’ nerves are still pretty raw at the jump in the boat from a height of seven meters at the power plant Amlach. In 1990 Hansjörg Mayer, one of the participants, threw his boat in the water and jumped in after it. How was your first time?

The first time I was very nervous, and trained for the jump 20 times before the contest. Now I only do five trial jumps. But I still have a lot of respect when I do it. If you hit the water too flat, it really hurts. My biggest concern when jumping is that the spray deck will come loose. If that opens up, you have to empty out the boat and you lose a lot of time.

Aside from the start, the weir and Eskimo roll at the end of the course are also key points. What tips can a two-time winner give to Dolomitenmann debutants for them to successfully complete the course?

At what seems to be easy passages, just don’t use too much power. You shouldn’t take the passages downstream too fast; should try and ride the gates safely and don’t make any mistakes. After changing from the Drau to the Isel, it’s almost a whole kilometer against the current. If you haven’t distributed your power well, that kilometer can become really tedious.

Last year was a catastrophe for your team. Your contribution was torn ligaments in your ankle, which you tore while warming up. How did the warm-up program change because of that?

The program hasn’t actually changed at all. This year I’ll just have to be more careful, and tape up the ankle. I still have to do something about my shoes. Usually I wear Neopren shoes, but they’re not good for the running parts of Red Bull Dolomitenmann. So on the one hand I have to wear shoes that don’t hold water to avoid flooding the boat, and on the other, they have to have a good sole so I don’t slip on the stones.

What placing would be good for you this year to make the frustration of last year disappear?

Going by last year’s experience, of course the most important thing is that nobody gets injured. I’d love to win the individual contest, but a team victory would be even greater. In the last few years it’s become harder because the teams are getting stronger and more professional.