Chris Spelius

Chris Spelius was a biology major at the University of Utah, graduating in 1976. He was the oldest member of the US canoe team at the 1984 Olympics. Spelius won three gold medals at the 1983 National Sports Festival and competed at the 1982 World Championships. While in college Spelius kayaked and guided rafts on the Colorado River. He later moved to the Nantahala Outdoor Center in the mountains of North Carolina to train for kayaking. Spelius was the first kayaker to descend Niagara Gorge, beneath Niagara Falls.

After the 1984 Olympics Spelius taught kayaking in North Carolina for two years. In 1986 he moved to Chile, where he taught paddling and worked as a river guide on the Futaleufu River. He started Expediciones Chile which guides groups down the Futaleufu and other rivers in Chile. Spelius has also recorded several first descents in Chile.