A face familiar to all on the raft race circuit, this week we meet Lucas hailing from Brotas, Brazil – winner of many IRF World Rafting Championship medals. Lucas started rafting in 1999 at Empresa Vaca Nautica, in the city of Brotas-SP, through an invitation from a friend to do guide training. After three months of training, he was approved and started work as a raft guide. After six months working as a guide, he started to train for rafting competitions.

Why do you keep rafting?
Besides being a sport practiced in nature, it does very well health, physical and mental. Rafting motivates me every day, because through this sport, I was able to meet many countries, cultures and make many friends.

Most memorable experience on the river?
It was my first World Rafting competition and 2003 in the Czech Republic, even though we did not win the title (we won the first place in the Head to Head event and we finished third overall) but this was an unprecedented result. Brazil, which still did not have much tradition in Rafting. This was the beginning of our whole history.

Funniest river moment?
It was during a Rafting training in Dubai in 2016, I was hanging in the boat with my head in the water, it was a funny moment, my team mates always remember this scene.

Worst moment on a river?
My worst moment was in 2010 at the World Pre in Costa Rica, during a training session, when our boat got pinned on a rock, but thank God, all the teams that were training stopped to help us.

What do you do outside of rafting?
Besides rafting, I practice other sports like: Judo, soccer, running and bodybuilding. And I also have the support of my family at all times and choices in my life.

Words of wisdom to those new to rafting?
Never give up on your dreams, however difficult it seems to be, always seek to learn and have patience, strength is not only physical, it is more mental and emotional. What commands our body is our head and our heart.

Key strength of the IRF?
I believe that everyone who works for IRF is instrumental in keeping it strong and improving every day.

When will we see you next?
My next competition will be in the Rafting World R4 in Argentina.

Current projects?
I have a social project that I developed to train more teams, train raft guides to work in the agencies, train athletes and mainly citizens of the good.

Lucas is one of our River Family. Are You?
#AreYouReady #RaftersAreAwesome #RiverFamily #StrongerTogether #WeAreIRF

We’re looking for more stories of River Family – if you have a story to tell, email Sean with your story and photos.