Meet Cat Hardman | Professional Whitewater Kayaker

We had the good fortune of connecting with Cat Hardman and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Cat, how do you think about risk?
Risk-taking has played a decent role in my life and my career as a professional whitewater kayaker. When I was 15, I decided to attend World Class Academy, which is a college preparatory high school that combines academics, athletics, and culture emersion. World Class follows the belief that learning and good education can come from associating in the world. For me to attend this school meant going from living comfortably to sometimes not being comfortable.

Whether that was sleeping in a hammock during a stormy night in the Ecuadorian Jungle, to living out of a bag for 8 weeks on end without the opportunity of showers or the opportunity to even wash my clothes. My other option was to stay back home and continue my education at my local high school. With World Class, I got to travel the world in search of the best rivers to kayak on. I got the chance to kayak on the Nile, the Zambezi, and even the Futelefue in southern Chile. If I did not take the risk of leaving my hometown, I would have never learned the things I know today that help me as an adult. May that be cooking skills, my knowledge of other cultures, learning how to live in the jungle for weeks on end, or go have the ability to go without wifi or service for weeks on end. World Class not only taught me a lot about myself, but a lot about other cultures, and how other people live. Which I now incorporate into my everyday life. If I had not taken the risk of going to World Class, I would not be where I am today. Taking risks to attend that school helped me feel more comfortable taking the risk of attending a college out of state and far from home.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I have been whitewater kayaking since I was five years old. However, kayaking was not my sport from day one, I enjoyed playing basketball and softball significanlty more. However in 2013, I got to watch the world championship of freestyle kayaking; while I was there, I got the chance to paddle with many of the athletes I look up to. I got to watch them compete, and for 11 year old me, that was when I decided I wanted to compete in kayaking. This meant giving up competing in other sports though, It was a risk I took, and from that year on I trained to be the best athlete in kayaking that I could be. When I was 12, I started training for the junior olympics. I worked all year to learn as many freestyle tricks as I could. It payed off, at 12, I won the freestyle kayaking event at the junior olympics. From then on I trained to become a U.S. Athlete. In 2017 and 2019, I was the alternate to the U.S. Team. During those years, I also engaged more in other aspect of kayaking. This meant I was kayaking big rapids, class IV/V, as well as, learning the skills it takes to kayak off of big waterfalls. Getting where I am today as an athlete took a lot of work, a lot of disapointment and frusteration, but a lot of learning as well. I learned through my years at my traveling highscool, and years after, that to be the best athlete I can be is to just have fun on the water. One thing I learned was that results don’t matter as much as I thoought they did. What matters is that I am having fun and showing the world how fun kayaking is. I also wouldn’t be where I am today without my biggest sponors, Pyranha Kayaks, NRS, and Werner Paddles. Without them, I would not have been able to build the relationships I have now.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I currently live in Columbus, GA but when I am in Colorado and have the opportunity to check out Denver, I enjoy going to the local climbing gyms. As well as, I have been to a Rockies game and I had a blast. If I had to pick a place to eat, it would be both In-N-Out and Canes because I don’t have those restaurants where I live. As well as, I enjoy eating at them. Usually, I step out of the city, and depending on the time of year I will go kayak or I will ski. I enjoy paddling in Beuna Vista and Salida, as well as in Lyons. When I ski, I enjoy going to Winter Park and Arapahoe Basin.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
My parents, friends, and sponsors deserve the biggest shout-out. My friends and family are my biggest supporter whenever I am paddling. They are always by my side cheering my cheering me on. As well as my sponsors give me a lot of support and mentorship.

Instagram: @catkayaker

Youtube: Cat Hardman

Image Credits
Eli Chilton, Kalob Grady, GoPro Mountain Games