Carve the River Up at the Hydrospeed World Championship

Also known as riverboarding and white-water sledging, hydrospeed is an extreme sport in which you ride the river lying on top of a board, using fins to control your direction and speed.

The sport is relatively young, but continues to attract new followers throughout Europe and the United States. Another country that has taken well to hydrospeed is Guatemala, where a plethora of whitewater rivers provide ample runs for practitioners. With that in mind, the country was a natural choice to host the 2015 edition of the Hydrospeed World Championships.

Events will run from Oct. 12–19 on the Lanquin and Cahabon rivers, located in the Alta Verapaz department of the country. The town of Lanquin will serve as a base, and offers a well-developed tourist infrastructure due to the presence of the rock pools at Semuc Champey.

After a couple of practice days to acclimatize to the river, competitors will take part in slalom, bordercross, endurocross and relay events. Competitors are expected from around the world, and the event offers a chance to learn more about hydrospeed from some of the top names in the sport.

The rivers are expected to be high given recent rains in the area, and competitors can expect a tough time. Following the competition, everyone will move to the tourist hub of Antigua to celebrate the continued growth of hydrospeed as a sport.