Name: Hanna Farrar

Birthday: 2/19/87

Home: Carbondale, CO

Favorite Shred Ready helmet and color: Vixen, Cornflower

Describe the time you were most glad that you were wearing your helmet.
I was playboating in a hole where I live in Colorado. My brother let me borrow his IR Overthruster because I was trying to get some huge loops and space godzillas. On one, I popped up really far and threw my head and body forward. I had popped so far out of the hole that my boat had a delayed reaction to my motion. Instead of rotating in front of my boat, my head hit the overthruster really hard. I was lucky to have my Shred Ready on because it protected my head and face from becoming a broken mess.

What person do you respect the most? Who is your hero? I respect a lot of people who pursue their dreams and live on the edge. I have always looked up to my older brother, Matt because he has always looked out for me and has taught me most of what I know. I appreciate ski racer Bode Miller’s perseverance to push and develop his sport despite the negative attention that the U.S. media has given him.

What movies/books/comics/TV shows, etc are you into right now?
Anything funny- Anchorman is great, as is Night at the Roxbury, Zoolander, etc. I am a dedicated OC fan and also watch a lot of ski movies. The last great book I read was Mountains Beyond Mountains by Tracy Kidder and I also love Dante.

What are you listening to these days? Mostly hip hop- Classified, Wyclef Jean, Young Jeezy, Mase, Swollen Members, etc. and also some sweet dance music.

What was the best concert you attended?
Recently- the concert at the 2005 Teva Mountain Games- Digital Underground, Coolio, Tone-Loc and Young MC

What are some things that motivate you? Sunny days, amazing athletes, new ideas, my coaches and my brother.

What sports do you enjoy watching or participating in besides your main sport? I love skiing and have done it since I was 2 and I also enjoy playing soccer and climbing. I really like watching ice hockey.

What's the most fun you've ever had while participating in your sport?
I have fun everyday I am on the river, but some memorable times stick out like trying to throw the biggest move on a local wave with friends, learning new tricks with my brother and laughing at each other, teaching friends to kayak, and surfing big waves on the Ottawa.

What's the best trip you've ever been on? In high school there were two amazing trips that I took. One was a trip around Colorado with one of our kayak coaches to train for the spring. We went snow kayaking, fishing, kayaking, and even grilled our dinner over our campfire. We made a movie of the trip and I could watch it over and over again. I also went on an incredible trip down the Yampa River my senior year and it was a really meaningful time for me to spend with friends and my coach.

What goals are you working towards right now? I am working to push women in kayaking to learn new tricks and go bigger and bigger on waves. I am training this winter to be in shape to session big waves this spring. My goal is to lead by example and prove that women can go as big as men in kayaks.

When people look at your life, how would you like to be remembered?
I want to be remembered as an athlete that pushed her sport and lived in the moment every moment.

What do you view as your biggest accomplishment?
In kayaking, being a member of the US Kayak Team for 2 years and becoming recognized as a progressive kayaker. In life, learning to balance being a competitive athlete and doing other sports with school and work and still be happy.

What advice do you have for other people coming up in your sport? You have to make what you are doing fun to be motivated to stick with it- so have fun!

One sentence that describes your life:
“It would behoove you to cast off sloth.” (Dante Alighieri)

Duran Duran, Tear for Fears, Hall and Oates, or Cindy Lauper? Why?
Cyndi Lauper because girls just want to have fun

Why are athlete bios always so lame? They are only lame if the athlete spends more time being an athlete than working on making an interesting bio.