2009 Honorees

The 2009 Class of Honorees joins past inductees as part of whitewater paddling’s rich history. IWHoF is pleased to announce the four IWHoF Honorees. The 2009 International Whitewater Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony was held at the Nantahala Outdoor Center in Bryson City, North Carolina.

Read the full profiles of each of these honorees by clicking on their names.

Stepanka Hilgertova

Stepanka Hilgertova started to compete in whitewater slalom in 1980 at the age of 12. Since that time she has competed in five straight Olympic Games.

Rafael Gallo

Rafael Gallo has pursued his passion for whitewater paddling from learning to paddle in the Great Smoky Mountains of the United States during college to founding and growing one of the best rafting companies in the world in his native Central America, based in Costa Rica.

Pavol and Peter Hochschorner

Pavol Hochschorner and Peter Hochschorner are the best Slalom C2 team ever. Anyone who has been a fan of Slalom racing has heard of the Hochschorner twins from Slovakia.

Mikhail Kolchevnikov

Kolchevnikov founded a number of national rafting competitions in Russia and was also a pioneering river runner compiling an impressive list of First Descents on Class V and VI Rivers.

Lars Holbek

Lars Holbek was one of the most accomplished whitewater explorers of all time. Futaleufu, Stikine, Fantasy Falls, Golden Gate, Hospital Rock; these titles conjure some of the world’s most difficult, top-quality whitewater, and Lars was the first to paddle all of them.

Celebrating Bill Mason’s Work As A Wilderness Artist

Few people can match the influence of artist and filmmaker Bill Mason in shaping the Canadian identity.
January 31, 2025/by chrispreperato

Bill Mason

Bill Mason developed a great passion for canoeing and the wilderness very early in life. As a renowned, award winning Canadian naturalist, author, artist, filmmaker and conservationist Bill Mason is widely considered a Canadian Canoeing Legend.