DOWN THE BIG BANANA
Born in Warrington, Cheshire, Bren was taken on a primary school trip to the Lake District when he was just nine years old. The party tried various outdoor activities and Bren was taken with kayaking. “He fell in love with the sport.”
By the age of fifteen, Bren was part of the Great Britain freestyle team at the World Championships. He got to the final of the men’s kayak competition.
The following year, Bren decided to go kayaking in Uganda. To afford this trip, he had to sell all his possessions.
Whilst in Africa, he kayaked the White Nile.
When he returned to the UK, Bren did a variety of jobs to fund his passion. He worked in a call centre, as a labourer, on a building site, in a gym, as a gravedigger and at the National Watersports Centre. He was even willing to take part in medical trials if he was paid.
Gradually, his reputation grew. He became known for his, “Distinctive freestyle tricks on huge waves and waterfalls around the world.”
Bren hosted a You Tube kayaking channel and followed this up by starting an Instagram page. His label was ‘Happy Ginger Dude’. He filmed each of his adventures and quickly gained an extensive following.
Bren became so popular that he gained sponsorship from the Pyranha Kayaking Company, based in Runcorn. Subsequently, all his boats came from them.
In 2019, Bren completed the highest waterfall descent, 128 feet down the Big Banana Falls in Mexico. He broke the British record and it was recorded as the second longest descent in history.
He absolutely loved going to the most extreme and remote locations in the world.
Bren said of kayaking, in an interview in 2020, “It’s about problem solving and mastering my fears.”
He added, “It is a sport that challenges you on so many levels and provides access to some of the nicest people on the planet and takes a kid from Warrington to Africa in pursuit of the best rapids.”
Bren was known for his superb public speaking but also his kindness. One of his rivals who was a high school teacher in Nottingham, taught two disaffected brothers. When returning from a summer holiday, they mentioned they had met Bren and he had given them a free kayaking lesson.
At the next competition, the teacher mentioned the boys to Bren. Not only did he remember them, but he also sent a motivational video to the school, featuring some of his stunts – and namechecking the brothers. The teacher never had any problems with them again.
Bren made no money from his kayaking. He sunk anything he made back into the sport, or into projects to help under privileged people in Uganda.
He also taught kayaking to children in the UK.
Bren was the co-organiser of ‘Unleashed’, a massive competition in Quebec.
His last video was of him going down a river in Italy.
By now, he had 58,500 followers on his Instagram account – and had a podcast.
Two days after his last post, Bren took a group kayaking down the Melazza River on the Swiss / Italian border. Suddenly he got trapped in what was described as a ‘recirculating feature’ (i.e a whirlpool), and he disappeared.
A massive search took place – to no avail.
Fifteen of the top kayakers in the world flew into Italy to assist the search.
A few days later, Bren’s body was found by a sailor in Lake Maggiore. He was just 29 years old when he died.
There was an outpouring of grief from the kayaking community. Tributes flooded in.
Pyranah kayaks said, “It is with immense sadness that we announce that our friend and ambassador, Bren Orton, is no longer with us.”
The company added, “The outpouring of love and support from the paddling community since Bren went missing has been extraordinary. This support has been a profound sense of strength for us all, especially for his family and close friends.”
James Reeves, one of his fiercest rivals – and closest friends – said, “Every few years we seem to lose a friend to our sport. Each loss is tough – and this one sits deep.”
Reeves added, “From his teenage years, his warm smile and friendly nature, shone as brightly as his kayaking skills. He rose to become one of the greatest whitewater kayakers ever.”
The Chair of the ICF (International Canoe Federation), Terry Best, said “Bren was a great paddler but also a great person and a great friend to many. His achievements on the water will never be forgotten, but his achievements as a person go much further than that.”
He added, “Bren gave back so much more than he took and that is how he will be remembered. Bren made things better and his memory will live on.”
RIP – Rapids Inspired Performance
