Matteo Williams

Born to a Kiwi and an American who met guiding Himalayan whitewater trips, and hauled along to rivers across the world by his mom, Matteo has kayaking and travel in his blood. Growing up an hour from the infamous Green River Narrows, Matteo runs the steeps with ease, but that’s not all. Testing his mettle on Cali’s finest last summer, he tapped into the Himalayan whitewater in his genes, styling big water like it was the class II riffles he grew up on. Paddling the gnar might be what really fuels Matteo’s fire, but he’s a freestyle maestro too, finishing 3^rd and 4^th respectively in the latest Freestyle World Cup and World Championships. Despite his skill and accomplishments at the young age of 18, you won’t find Matteo listing his feats or wins, or trying to one up you in the eddy. Known for his infectious smile and easy-going nature, you’re more likely to find him off-handedly probing a (perfect) line down a class V+ rapid or goofing off in the eddy before casually laying down a blazing freestyle ride. But don’t let Matteo’s friendliness and relaxed training style fool you – he has big aspirations and he and his Waka kayak are coming for whitewater near you…