Mother’s Day Gift: A New Women’s Kayaking World Record
METLAKO FALLS, Ore. – Christie Glissmeyer had a special gift in mind for her mom on Mother’s Day. She just had to make sure she survived it, first.
Glissmeyer, a 30 year-old professional kayaker and native of Huber City, Utah, set a new women’s world record for a waterfall descent on Mother’s Day, dropping 82-foot Metlako Falls in Oregon. The previous world record stood at 78 feet and was set in 1998 by Shannon Carroll.
Christie Glissmeyer Going Big - Photo Courtesy of Paddling Life Magazine
“I told my mom about it eventually, but I waited until afterward so she wouldn’t worry,” Glissmeyer said of the drop’s timing. “I wanted to make sure I was safe beforehand. Otherwise, that’d be the worst mother’s day gift.”
Most of Glissmeyer’s attention is ordinarily focused on whitewater kayak racing and rightly so, as she is undefeated halfway through her season in Oregon so far with three races left to go. But, why not take some time off on the weekend to relax, hurtle yourself 80 feet down a roaring waterfall and set a new world record, right?
“I honestly don’t run bid drops that often,” Glissmeyer admitted, saying her previous best was a series of 30 to 40 foot drops. “I do more racing and that kind of thing, but this was a fall that really intrigued me and I decided to go run it.”
And run it she did along with Todd Wells, a 17 year old from Trout Lake, Oregon, who also set the world junior record on the same day. One wonders if Wells had to ask mom’s permission beforehand and, thus, spoiled the surprise.
Glissmeyer said Metlako, despite its height, provided a smooth entrance into the falls and a very soft landing. And the combination made for a safe and memorable day.
“It’s a very straight forward drop,” she said modestly. “You start in a big, calm pool and you have a perfect
Glissmeyer Geared Up - Photo Courtesy of Wendmag.com
spouting ramp. And you end up in a deep, calm pool. So, I felt like it was pretty manageable for me to run safely. Even still, I definitely had a moment at the top where I had to relax because I was getting pretty nervous.”
It didn’t hurt that Glissmeyer had a few friends, including Evan Garcia and Eric Brewer, that had run Metlako previously and helped give her advice and spot her landings. Plus, kayaking is also in her blood. Her dad is a rafter and had her out on the water from as far back as she can remember.
After finishing up her racing season, Glissmeyer has her sights set on paddling in various spots around the world. She’s already been to the White Nile River in Uganda, which she says is one of her favorites, and she’d like next to head to Ledak in Northern India, where “there’s a bunch of class 4 and 5 multi-day self-support trips” that she’d like to do.
In the meantime, she’s content to live and kayak in the Columbia River Gorge, which she sees as one of the best places to paddle anywhere in the world. And as for why she loves her sport so much?
“The adventure aspect is a huge part of it,” she said. “I can go into gorges where there’s no other way in [beside kayaking]. The healthy lifestyle, staying in shape, getting away from the stress and the crowds, and just enjoying life. Plus, there’s always a new challenge…a new fall.”
The last line sure doesn’t do much to make one believe she won’t go bigger, either.
Paddling Life Magazine has a good article here.
