Explore diverse women’s narratives in adventure sports in this anthology that challenges stereotypes while promoting unity. It advocates for a transcultural feminism, one offering hope and empowerment to break barriers and live fully.

Featuring breathtaking photographs from around the globe, this anthology delves into the personal journeys of women in outdoor adventure sports like whitewater kayaking, climbing/mountaineering, and highlining. Spanning diverse corners of the world, the collection showcases life-writing from countries including Argentina, Austria, Canada, Chile, China, Czechia, Ecuador, France, Germany, India, Italy, Jordan, Mexico, Pakistan, Russia, Slovakia, Slovenia, and the United States.

With Flow, editors Denisa Krásná and Alena Rainsberry aim to spotlight the often-overlooked experiences of women in “extreme” sports while employing an intersectional social lens to examine the influences of gender, race, class, and sexual identity on these pursuits. This book offers an array of perspectives from aspiring enthusiasts and seasoned professionals alike, all of whom are on various life paths.

By illuminating the intersections within these sports and finding common ground among diverse women’s experiences, Flow presents adventure sports as fertile ground for a burgeoning wave of feminism.

Denisa Krásná is a Czech highliner and climber with ambitions as lofty as her lines in the sky. After making remarkable progress in her first year of slacklining, she has taken her webbing literally to new heights by rigging lines up in the air in places like Yosemite, the Dolomites, the Stawamus Chief, Czechia’s sandstone towers, the Bavarian Alps, and Tenerife. She aims to walk long, high lines in beautiful airscapes all over the world, combining her passion for highlining and alpinism, and simply appreciating the beauty of mountains. When she’s not on the line, Denisa is a dedicated scholar in the fields of Indigenous studies, critical animal and vegan studies, environmental humanities, and ecofeminism. She comes from Přerov, Czechia.

Denisa Krásná's profile page

Alena Rainsberry is an American kayaker who just wants to charge! After being introduced to whitewater three years ago, she is dedicated to improving her river running to chase it all over the world. Her motivation quickly materialized so that she soon started kayaking with world-class kayakers on big water. She lived and kayaked in Ecuador for three months to train on its beautiful jungle rivers, then travelled to the Indian Himalayas for a kayaking expedition. Alena thrives in immersing herself in different cultures and has a knack for making friends, connections, and community wherever she goes. She is a passionate advocate for getting women into the outdoors and encouraging them to try new skills. She currently lives and paddles in the Pacific Northwest.

Alena Rainsberry's profile page