Mountains and rivers - both have something similar. Anyway, a man started to climb the mountains earlier. It was obvious that the view on beauties and wildness of rivers flowing down through valleys, is wonderful, so later came a desire to have a look at these valleys from a short distance.And this is possible from a boat only. These boats are inflated, known as raft.

A man navigated the rivers of old. The river is a natural way, moreover, it is the easiest way for transportation (especially in a case when roads and paths are missing, and you have to cross deep forests, swampy meadows and endless mountains only). From the very beginning, he tried the navigation by means of bound faggots, later, he bound trunks of trees, so first raft was created. The raft was made of  beech-trees or other trees, whereas in Asia or South America was made from bamboo. In these exotic countries, the rafts made of bamboo-trees are used for transport of sand, bananas but also of people. Anyway, in Europe and North America, the development went in different way.

The descent of great - but also even of small rivers - became a must hundred years ago. It was not from the reason that people desired sport performance. Frankly speaking, there was necessary to drive through a valley and investigate it from geological point of view. Many various types of  vessels were used for these purposes. There were classical vessels, types of Vltava rowing-boats or typical rafts.

John Wesley Powell  went through canon of Colorado River as a first man at all, hundred years ago. He is taken for a father of rafting in North America. However, there was a different type of rafting as we know it  today. Anyway, it is true that descent of wild rivers was a predominance of Americans. A Russian rafting developed in another way. It was typical and special. The boat was made from everything what was necessary to be inflated and bound together. However, Russian „plots“ (rafts), catamarans and „bubliks“ are underestimated vessels. They do not have any competition, as far as elaboration technology as well as driving characteristics are concerned. Also Czech watermen and adventurers brought something to rafting development. In 1980, the invention of vessel known as „Matylda“ was unique. Its advantage was the variability. It was a set of inflated rollers bound to a raft (as it was in case of wooden rafts). So, we have got a vessel, which was maximal flexible and unsunkable, and movable enough, as the water flew between its separate parts. The inflated rollers, bound in right way, 6-9 metres long, were able to overcome most difficult places in deep river valleys. The passage through Indus canon, effected with Matylda vessel, was not surpassed. Anyway, this vessel-type was a first boat for many Czech raft-men, while trying to descend wild rivers (except of so called invasion boats, got from Czech Army in secret way).

Rafting expeditions continued not only in Czech Republic, but in many countries all over the world. The Americans were pioneers mostly in this way (Sobek Expeditions is one of well-known organisations), Russians made their expeditions on their areas only, and Czechs with Slovaks  made their expeditions just thanks to Matylda vessel. There were effected many expeditions in Asia. ( however, Russia was meant mostly). The first international contact in this sports activity or navigation branch was Project Raft ( Americans together with Russians), taken place in 1986. Twenty teams of all over the world met on Russian river of Čuja. There are rivals ( in Russian way) in boats navigation on wild river. This is beginning of a second category.

Since 1950, rafting starts to be expressed as not only the expedition event (serving to recognition and passage of  bad accessible places) but also its commercial importance is growing. People are dependent on civilization, so they try to return more to the nature. They need to release the stress accumulated. And rafting allows and offers this. All this follows from the instinctive desire of man to discover, to win and struggle - in many cases - for existence. So, this eternal wish (desire) presses the man to reach more and more extreme targets and borders. It is a desire, presenting never ending struggle, fight to be the first, where the victory brings the satisfaction and excitement. So, there is available in a commercial rafting.

The rafting-watermen of past profiled in the role of discoverers of unknown and more dangerous rivers. At present, travel agencies find mostly new exotic places where found the basis for their clients. It brings a profit for them and naturally to the places, chosen for commercial rafting. And, these are places remote and unusual.

Now, we meet these rafting groups all over Europe and North America, of course. Nevertheless, this „fashion“ is being made in Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, South Africa  and Kenya, or along rivers in Equador, Costarica, Peru or Belize in South America, or even on Usutu-river in small Swaziland.

The successfull descent of rivers in tropical countryside follows from a simple fact, that to your equipment  there are sufficient bathing-drawers and enough money. The rest will be secured by group or agency. So, your neopren-dress you do not need at all. Anyway, a protect-helmet as well as life-swim waistcoat are a must. The other condition is: the clients must be lead by able and  experienced leader of a boat. No agency (group) can allow to send the clients for river-descending. The success of an expeditions is involved in leader quality. He has to be able to entertain the people. The participants wish to enjoy fully their stay in exotic (for the money, they paid). Entertainment and fear. The abundant „adrenalin“ must be taken off the body. Nevertheless, the safety must be kept, cost what it may! A good life-swim waistcoat (with sufficient supporting surface) is very important. The same is valid for helmet, protecting against shocks from boulders in water. Boat-leader shows a beginner, how to work with a paddle, how to help to lead a boat throughout biggest waves, he is able to show everybody what to do, in case you fall out the boat and how to get this „man over the board“ back on the boat. All this will be presented before the navigation is started. Consequently, he leads the boat throughout biggest waves and rollers and makes in faces of others an appearance that they lead the boat by themselves.

As a prove of this fact, he safely leaves the boat on this difficult place, and returns in a moment when everything returns to previous stage. Anyway, all this is sufficient for satisfied crew. So, the participants can say to their friends later: „I put a paddle into biggest white wave. The boat sunk with its front part to water-mass, which stopped it. I felt an unbelieveable power on paddle-blade. It seemed to be that it depended on me only if the boat drove out of this hole. Front part of boat arose flexibly higher and higher. It appeared to me that we had to fall out the boat into terrible water roller. The leader said that he could do nothing with it.

He was down somewhere in the hole full of white foam, and his paddle served for nothing (was out of order). At that moment, I felt a water-draw on a paddle and the boat begun to emerge from wave-peak. I took ahead violentlyand a boat rushed forth over white wave crest.  Our leader stood on back part and flaped with his paddle in one hand on boat-back, and, in a moment, when a boat threw away the air with its back, in order to leave the embrance of water roller, he fell down into the water. It is true, he reached us shortly and mount into a boat. Nevertheless, it was me, who managed to solve this situation and got the boat (it behaved as runaway horse) on right way back!“ - so in such way follows the story of participants. Satisfaction on both parts!

Last but not least, part of today´s rafting, there is sporting activity. You can compete in everything. There exist many sorts of sports and new sports are created. Provided you are not successfull in creating of new sport, you have to state new record, in order to be noted in Guiness Book of Records at least. The raft-men do their best - there was even an attempt, how many persons can raft-boat take. Anyway, this is taken as a recession.

Sport rafting started to be established ten years ago. The boats with four or six members crew. Men as well as women, originally in vice-versa rank. First races were taken place in 1990 in several countries of Europe, later in our country. Nevertheless, these first events are prospective. The Czech Team became an internation champion in Austria, just in 1991. In the same year, there are taken place frist races on Kamenice river, later on Lipno dam.

Open raft- championships are taken place as Trophy Challenge. The International Rafting Federation (IRF) is founded – the Czech raft-men has their important word. The respective World as well as European Championships are taken place. Czech crews take first places. Suddenly, it appears the other watermen sport where we have  World and European champions! However, their names are less known. In spite of this, it is young and collective sport. The names - such as Sodomka, Radil, Třešňák, Pollert or Hilgertová  knows everybody. Waterman sport - we speak about group of people (gang). In case of rafting - it is a must!

There are races on wild rivers. However, rafing needs - as it is similar of other sporting activities - sponsor, spectators, press, media assistance. So, the disciples are arranged for attractive  disciplines - descent sprints. Slalom, descent „head to head“ - collective start of several teams. etc. So, finally the last disciple - „long descent“. There was taken place - first in Europe, even in Czech Republic , World Champinship in Rafting, in Čertovy proudy (Devil´s Streams) near Lipno dam in August 2007. The success of  this championship was a success of whole Czech rafting, Lipno area and Czech Republic.

 Text: Vojta Jančar

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