(2015 ☆ ARCHIVED) Mariann Saether - Norway

MARIANN SAETHER (Norway) - Nominee for the 2015 'Sportswoman of the Year' award.

Website: http://mariannsaether.no, Facebook: www.facebook.com/mariannkayak, Video: https://vimeo.com/138721275

• Sport(s): extreme kayaking, canoe slalom, expedition, Represents: Norway
• 2015: Norwegian Slalom Champion K1, World Champion Adidas Sickline, 1st Brandseth Downhill, 1st Sjoa Sweet Rumble, competed at the 2015 ICF World Championships in London
• 2014: 1st Myrkdalselva Downhill, 2nd overall at the Whitewater Grand Prix (1st at the Giant Slalom and the Big Trick contest).

Mariann Saether is one of the most widely respected female extreme paddlers on the planet having completed multiple first descents across the four corners of the globe. Over the last couple of years she has divided her time between Norway, her home country and Chile with her boyfriend Ron Fischer, also a legend in the sport of extreme kayaking.

Living in Norway Mariann has paddled several incredible first descents in the Northern part of the country, as well as descended many waterfalls which are still seldom run in Telemark - a genuinely impressive feat given the emphasis of 'big waterfall paddling' in Europe at the moment.

Mariann is a keen activist against the damming of rivers worldwide and tirelessly promotes kayakers working together to protest against their construction. She in favour of promoting the education of the 'correct information' regarding the construction of dams and supports her local kayak club, Voss Kayakklubb.

At Ekstrem Sport Veko, Mariann organised a celebration paddle for Louise Jull and Juan Antonio de Ugarte inviting people to remember any loved ones lost on rivers. The trip was held on the Raundal River that flows into Voss. Over 70 people turned up for the river trip and BBQ, which was prepared at her house at the take out for the river. That afternoon said a lot about Mariann's passion and love she has for the kayaking community and the people in it.

Mariann has recently taken up slalom kayaking and has started competing for Norway. She has this year raced some of the international circuit races including World Cup competions at La Seu d'Urgell and Pau. In Pau she finished 24th amongst 70 highly competitive athletes. An achievement Mariann was really happy with. She also raced in the 2015 World Championships at Lee Valley, London gaining 52nd place; an incredible achievement given how young her slalom career is.

This year Mariann was crowned the first ever Female Adidas Sickline World Champion in Oetz, Austria. Mariann showed her experience on larger water making the race course look as smooth as some of the slalom courses she has been competing on. 

Mariann is truly one of the world's most inspirational extreme paddlers on the planet.

Achievements on and off the water:

• Interview with National Geographic about trying to save the White Nile in Uganda and the Otta River in Norway
• Interview with Unsponsored.co.uk
• First female descent of Rio Baker, Chile, in 2001
  First female (and only) descent of Laksforsen Waterfall, Europe´s second biggest waterfall (after Rheinfall) - 2003
  First descent of Rio Bravo, southern Chile, 2007
  Rider of the Year  2012
  First Female Descent of Double Drop, Voss, 2005.

This is a 2015 archived nominee. Voting has closed.