Grand Marais, Minn.’s Bryan Hansel is hoping to roll his way into the record books…literally.
The publisher of PaddlingLight is off to set a new world record by rolling his kayak in a new swimming pool every day for an entire year. And not only will the pools be different, he says on his site, but each pool will be newly constructed and have never had a kayak roll in it.
“I’m excited about this expedition,” he says on his site. “Each day, I’ll explore a new pool with a roll and discover what it is like to roll in that pool. To me kayaking is about discovery and I’m looking forward to this expedition of discovery.”
In the process, Hansel also hopes to call attention to drinking water quality in the U.S., highlighting problems that cities like Flint, Mich., are having with their water systems.
Hansel, who trained in his local YMCA pool for the feat, has spent the last year coordinating with nearly 300 pool contractors to try and hit a new pool each day. The tightest part of the schedule, he says, will be during November when pool construction slows down. He started his “expedition” on April 2 in Florida and plans to work his way north as pools are built and filled.
“I’m starting in top shape,” he says. “My roll is bomber on both sides and I don’t expect any complications.”
Info: www.paddlinglight.com
