CHRIS KORBULIC began his time on the river before he was born. And his progression through the outer edge of kayaking–multi-day, expedition-style runs, has taken him to places few others get to see–first descents and exploratory runs through the Karakorum in Pakistan, Central Africa, Venezuela, and India.
I got to hang with Chris a bit while he was passing through Asheville on a recent filmmaking mission. He has a quiet, thoughtful way about him, a rhythm generated perhaps by so many days on the water. Like other adventure athletes I’ve met who are at the top of their game, he’s very humble. It was seemed a bit funny bringing him to my little local class III run (the French Broad Gorge) just to shoot an interview–someone who even in his early 20s has been part of legendary kayaking missions. But I recognized immediately that for Chris it wasn’t the rapids or the “adrenaline factor” that motivated him, but some deeper appreciation (and need) for just for being out there in the flow.
