Chris

Hipgrave

Quick Facts

Marital Status: Married (Trish) 
Height: 6' 4"
Weight: 180
Music: Anything but country
Food Favorites: Cheese & a good cup of tea.
What you do to get ready for a race: Have fun
What you do after a race: Focus on the positive and learn from my mistakes

Paddle: Jantex Helmet: Shred Ready Spraydeck: Sandiline Paddling Clothes: Sandiline & Under Armor Shoe: Keen Car Motorcycle: KTM 690 Supermoto Favorite energy bar/food: Clif Bar

Remaining an active paddle sports competitor, Hipgrave has been featured in documentaries by S4C and National Geographic in addition to a lengthy list of print and online media. An accomplished expedition paddler, Hipgrave has travelled the World with his kayak searching for new adventures, culminating in two autumns spent paddling in the tiny Himalayan Buddhist kingdom of Bhutan were he surveyed and mapped the countries remote and unpaddled rivers.

Hipgrave continues to compete at high levels, and has been a member of the USA National Wildwater Team since 1999, representing the USA at 5 World Championships and dozens of World Cups. He is a past National Champion and also a respected long distance kayak athlete. He has been named Blue Ridge Outdoors Magazine's "Athlete of the Year" twice.

A veteran of the paddle-sport industry including lengthy tenures with Dagger and Liquidlogic, he also coached and held the position of acting Executive Director at the nations most successful whitewater racing club, the Nantahala Racing Club, where he continues to volunteer.

In 2005, Hipgrave joined USA Canoe/Kayak of Charlotte NC as their Olympic High Performance Director where he orchestrated the Olympic programs for both whitewater slalom and flatwater sprint in preparation for the Beijing Olympic Games.

Today, Hipgrave acts as Retail Director for the Nantahala Outdoor Center in his surrogate home town of Bryson City, NC.