Alex Tippett

FLOATS WITH OUR


OVER 16 SEASONS OF EXPERIENCE

BOAT TYPE: Raft

BOATING STYLE: R2, TEAMS

I honestly don’t remember a time when I wasn’t rafting.

My parents met as river guides and raised my sister and me as whitewater kids, spending summers in Lotus, California, on the South Fork of the American River. Rafting has always been part of our family life — from day trips to multi-day expeditions on rivers like the Grand Canyon, the Tatshenshini, and the Middle, Main, and Lower Salmon.

Joining the Junior Guides Raft Camp is what really hooked me, though. It transformed rafting from a family activity into something I led and loved. That passion eventually evolved into starting a raft racing team. Today, the roles have almost reversed: my sister and I compete around the world, and our parents now join us as they captain their own teams as well.

FAVORITE RIVERS / RAPIDS

My favorite rapid is Clavey Falls on the Tuolumne River.

It’s a super fun rapid and it was the first Class 5 rapid I ever guided a few years ago.

MOST EPIC SWIMS

My most epic swim was when I was 8, swimming Horn on the Grand Canyon. I was perched on top of the gear pile on my dad’s oar boat, holding on tight as he told me — one hand on a cam strap, the other on a lollipop. Then the strap snapped, and I went flying into the freezing water! I surfaced next to the boat, still clutching my lollipop, grabbed the perimeter line, and my dad pulled me back in. Definitely a swim I’ll never forget.

ACHEIVEMENTS

The Troublemakers Raft Racing Experience:

2024 & 2025 National U19 Champions (2025 USRA Nationals Overall 2nd Place - all ages and categories)
2024 IRF World U19 Men Silver Medalists in Head2Head (Bosnia)
2025 IRF Pacific Cup Open Men Bronze Medalists in Sprint (New Zealand)
Competed as Team USA Open Men at 2024 WRF Pan American Championships (Chile)
Competed as Team USA at 2025 WRF World Youth Championships (Slovenia)
Qualified as Team USA U19 Men for 2024, 2025 (Malaysia)
2026 World Championships

GOALS

Some of the rivers on my goal list are the Futaleufú, the Zambezi, and Cherry Creek (this time running it with my team, since I’ve already done it with my dad).

REVIEWS

The Troublemakers paddle a 12.5' Sotar that served as one of the race boats for the 2024 USRA Nationals, along with a small green Sotar designed for the 2025 Nationals. When I’m out with my family on multi-day trips like the Grand Canyon and other wilderness rivers, I row an 18' Sotar. My personal favorites, though, are the boats I take my friends out on — a 10' Sotar cat I learned to row when I was little and the 12.5' rasta-colored Sotar that I row now.

Alex Tippett EXPLORES WITH SOTAR

You have got to check out their epic adventures!

FOLLOW ON EVERYTHING

CONNECT WITH Alex Tippett

burman.val@gmail.com

ON THE OFF SEASON

I love rowing crew in a single, double, and quad with Tahoe Crew! I’m also a professional DJ, performing as DJAlexT.


ATHLETES

ALEX STORGION

Tennessee, United States

ALEX TIPPETT

California, United States

ANNALEE DECKER

West Virginia, United States

CONRAD NIVEN

Colorado, United States

KENNY BEAUCHAMP

Colorado, United States

NATHAN STAYROOK HOBBS

California, United States

RYAN HUCK

Colorado, United States

SAM ELWELL

Washington, United States

TIM BRINK

Oregon, United States

TEAMS

OREGON RAFTING TEAM

The Oregon Rafting Team is a nonprofit whitewater racing team from the Pacific Northwest, built around elite paddling, river stewardship, and a hard-charging love for Class III–V whitewater. Founded by competitive athletes and river runners, ORT has grown into a 15-time West Coast Champion and 2024 National Champion team that promotes rafting through racing, conservation, youth and veteran river trips, and community service.

RED LADIES RAFT RACING TEAM

The USA Women’s Raft Racing Team – Open, also known as the Red Ladies, is a competitive women’s whitewater raft racing team representing the United States in national and international raft racing. Built around teamwork, river skill, strength, and trust, the team brings together experienced paddlers who train and race across demanding whitewater disciplines while helping grow visibility for women in competitive rafting.

REDWOOD RAFTERS


The Redwood Rafters are a Humboldt County youth whitewater rafting team based in Northern California. The team gives young paddlers a place to build river skills, teamwork, confidence, and respect for wild rivers while competing in raft racing events across disciplines like sprint, downriver, head-to-head, and slalom. Built around community support, volunteer coaching, and a love of getting kids on the water, the Redwood Rafters help grow youth and amateur raft racing on the North Coast.

RIFF RAFT RACING

Riff Raft Racing is a Western Colorado raft racing team made up of elite men’s and women’s paddlers who compete nationally and internationally while promoting the sport of raft racing. Their mission also includes protecting the rivers they train, race, and play on for future generations of paddlers.

STEEP CREEK PRODUCTIONS

Steep Creek Productions is a film production company that specializes in documenting high-stakes expedition footage. Their work is centered on bringing the "stories behind the rapids" to life, focusing on the personal narratives and human experiences that occur during intense outdoor adventures.