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Icy Kayaking: Aniol Serrasolses Styles ‘World’s Highest Glacier Waterfall Drop’

Aniol Serrasolses went on a glacial expedition, not to go climbing, but instead to find waterfalls to fall off of in a kayak.
Aniol Serrasolses scouts for his glacial waterfall descent; (photo/David Sodomka, Red Bull Content Pool)
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Kayak records and paddle feats in general are few and far between when it comes to the winter months, save a handful of annual pursuits across various Arctic channels.

Last week, news of Catalan kayaker Aniol Serrasolses surprised us though, with the world’s highest glacier waterfall drop. Located in the Svalbard archipelago in Norway, the expedition first required a 36-hour sea voyage from Longyearbyen to the Bråsvellbreen glacier. Then, Serrasolses and fellow kayakers David Sodomka, Aleix Salvat, and Mikel Sarasola had an 11km trek across the glacier.

They were greeted by a 20m (65-foot) waterfall, towering before them, flanked by walls of ice. They named the drop “Philip’s ladder.” This is now the biggest-ever recorded descent of a glacial waterfall.

Aniol Serrasolses paddles the river on the Austfonna ice cap; (photo/David Sodomka, Red Bull Content Pool)

Watch the ‘World’s Highest Glacier Waterfall Drop’

About Aniol Serrasolses & What’s Next

The 32-year-old Serrasolses, from Spain, completed the drop on August 8, 2023. “It’s hard to find the words to explain this feeling,” he said. “It’s like kayaking on another planet. Without a doubt, it’s the most unique kayak I’ve ever done in my life.”

Aniol Serrasolses may not be as well-known — outside of kayak circles at least — a name as Dane Jackson, who has also paddled plenty of 30-plus-meter waterfalls in his day, setting records. Though, Serrasolses’ feat is the first one known to successfully make a drop off ice of this size.

Running the biggest glacial waterfall documented — Aniol Serrasolses on the 20m-tall waterfall in Norway; (photo/David Sodomka, Red Bull Content Pool)

Thankfully, Red Bull was there to document everything for us. And, if you like what you see, Red Bull and Serrasolses have a documentary already in the works, following a couple of other of the kayakers’ ice waterfall attempts. Look for it soon on Red Bull TV.

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