You've seen people tackle huge rapids in kayaks and rafts, tossing and churning — even flipping — through the white water, and probably thought that looks like fun. And if you've ever tried it, well, you know just what a wild ride it can be.

Now, imagine taking on Class V rapids face first on what looks like an oversized boogie board with slots for your arms.

That's what you get with sledging, a sport from New Zealand -- via Europe -- that's gaining momentum among the thrill-seeking crowd in the Rocky Mountains and beyond.

And boy, is it a rush.

"It was the by far the biggest thrill I've had in a long time," said Brandon Deters, who moved to Aspen four months ago. "You're eye level with the water. You're seeing rapids, rocks at eye level and you're trying to avoid rocks. When you're going through the rapids it's a rush trying to scoot around the rocks without hitting them."

The origins of sledging date back to World War II, when French soldiers used a similar mode of transportation to discreetly move weapons and equipment downriver. It was fun, so people in the French Alps kept doing it, but it didn't find its sweet spot until the late 1970s, when a group of Frenchmen brought the concept to New Zealand.

The Kiwis love adventurous activities, so sledging took off once sporting goods companies began manufacturing boards in the early 1980s. Now they do it all over the rivers on the North and South islands, and the sport has increased in popularity in Europe and Africa, where it's called hydrospeed.

There have been pockets of people -- mostly transplanted Kiwis -- sledging in the United States for years, but it wasn't until Gary Pera moved to Aspen in 1998 that it started to take off. He operated a sledging company back home in New Zealand and thought the rivers around Aspen would be the perfect place to give the sport a foothold in the States.

It wasn't as easy as he thought.

Because no one had heard of sledging, there were no rules or regulations for river or guiding permits. Pera also couldn't find anyone to insure his new business; guiding people face first down a river doesn't exactly sound safe.

But he was persistent.

Working with the State of Colorado, Pera came up with a set of standards for sledging permits and finally convinced an insurance company that he wasn't too high of a risk. He started up Aspen Seals three years ago and now the company takes groups on guided trips -- from $90-$110 -- down the Roaring Forks, Colorado and Arkansas rivers, and there are plans to add a tour down the Royal Gorge next summer.

"It's been a hard road, but it's been worth it," said Pera, who operates Aspen Seals with his 20-year-old son, Jamal. "It's a passion of mine and my son's. We love the sport and we love being out there showing people how to do the sport."

It doesn't look all that difficult: throw on a wetsuit, strap on some fins and lie down on the board. But it's much more complicated -- and more strenuous -- than that.

Sure, you're floating along with the current, which ranges 3-to-6 mph, but a big part of sledging is being able to read the river, figure out which direction will keep you from crashing into a rock or dumping over. The board is more than just a chunk of plastic. Its thick front end is made for cushioning the impact of rocks, and the shape is molded around the rider's upper torso.

And it's not like they're taking these things down trickle currents. Pera's company specializes in Class IV and Class V (the hardest) rapids, stretches of river that kayakers need years of practice to tackle. It's hard, but undoubtedly fun.

"The intensity of the river is what causes the adrenaline rush," Pera said. "The water hitting your face, the fact that you're going through rapids that are so extreme that even in rafting and kayaking it takes years for you to be able to do this. We can take first-timers down because of the techniques we use. It's a science; we have the formula and it works."

Deters is certainly hooked. Shortly after moving to Aspen, he spent a week trying all the water sports in the area, from rafting to riding rubber kayaks to sledging. It was no contest which one was best.

"It's boogie boarding. It's more of a rush than that, but it's the same concept -- you're on your belly, having your arms on the board, riding waves, doing fun things if you want to mess around," Deters said. "It was a blast."

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John Marshall is asap's sports writer, based in Denver.

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