Darcy Gaechter is an extreme athlete, entrepreneur, environmental activist and author. She is the first woman to kayak across the widest part of South America, stretching 4,000 miles, from source to sea. Ms Gaechter has won whitewater kayaking races throughout the world and led kayaking expeditions in eighteen different countries. 

When she is not on a whitewater expedition, Ms Gaechter runs her kayaking business, Small World Adventures. She is also the author of The Kayaker’s Guide to Ecuador and Amazon Woman, an adventure memoir detailing her Amazon River expedition (its rights purchased to turn her story into a movie). In addition, Ms Gaechter donates her time to the Ecuadorian Rivers Institute and other non profit organizations. She is currently spearheading a fundraiser for ERI to help protect Ecuador's rivers and the ERI's volunteers during the COVID-19 pandemic. Ms Gaechter was featured in the award-winning film, Wild Water, by Anson Fogel.