Running wild in the mountains of eastern Washington as a child, world-class extreme kayaker and entrepreneur Tao Berman continues to run wild through the record books and life. A world-record waterfall-drop holder since his 98.4-foot kayak flight off of Upper Johnston Falls in Banff National Forest, Berman is a powerhouse, a living riveting story of pushing envelopes to the unthinkable edge. As analytical as he is physically powerful, Berman not only pushes the limits of possibility but redefines them, leaving behind in his wake a tidal wave of inspiration and can-do attitude. His life story of adventure prowess, domination of an extreme sport, and personal audacity to go where others fear to tread is as gripping as it is inspiring. Whether you need a kick in the pants or not, follow Berman's incredible tale as he redefines human limitations with guts, training, persona, and maybe even sometimes a little luck.



Tao Berman holds three world records, including one of the two world-record waterfall-descent records of 98.4 feet. He has also completed more than fifty first descents of rivers and was a Pre-Worlds champion for freestyle kayaking competition. He has starred in many extreme-sports videos and on TV programs, including Dateline NBC, CNN’s World Sports “Play of the Day,” and two episodes of Discovery Channel’s Stunt Junkies. He’s also been featured in Sports Illustrated, Men’s Journal, Rolling Stone, and Maxim magazines. Counting print, TV, and video exposure, millions of people view Tao every year. One recent program alone—the Teva Mountain Games coverage on Fox Television—was broadcast to 150 million households. He’s a public speaker sought by business audiences seeking lessons on risk taking and goal setting, and by schoolchildren keen to meet an extreme-sports celebrity. Sports Illustrated writes, “Berman is the best-known kayaker on the planet,” and Rolling Stone calls Tao the “world’s most extreme paddler.” His Web site is www.taoberman.com.

Pam Withers is a longtime whitewater kayaker and author of
thirteen teen adventure novels, most of them best-sellers and
three of them award nominees. A former editor at River World and
Adventure Travel magazines and a popular public speaker, she has written
for publications ranging from the New York Times to McCall’s. Her Web
site is www.takeittotheextreme.com.