Keep Moving Forward
Feb 18th, 2024, Damien pulled a 2.8 tonne Jeep Gladiator, Pick-Up truck 12km / 8 miles, solo in 3 hours, 30 minutes. The message was “Sometimes the toughest part of your journey you have to do alone”
Ultimate Maldives Paddle
Feb 17th, 2023, Damien created history and change the minds of an entire country by doing what 85% of locals thought to be impossible. Starting in Hulhumale, an area of the capital of the Maldives, Damien paddled for 9 days to reach the Equator, 480km. Paddling across 8 atolls, 8 local islands and crossing the largest open water channel in the Maldives of 100km. The paddle has become a beacon of hope of what is possible, brought a reconnection to the Maldivian people and the ocean and opened up to a new outlook on fitness and wellness in the Maldives.
The Ultimate Balloon Ride
May 9th, 2022, Damien rode in a Hot Air Balloon basket to 10,000 feet. After calming and focusing his breath and lowing his heart rate with the OBM Method, he stepped out of the basket and climbed a rope ladder, with no parachute to the top of the balloon. At the top he took in the blue sky as he strapped on his parachute rig and launched off the balloon envelope. Landing in a random farm paddock, setting a new world first of being the first person to ever attempt a climb like that and breaking his own record of skydiving off the top of a Hot Air Balloon.
New Heights
June 18, 2021, Damien had set himself a challenge never been done before. He would ride on top of a Hot Air Balloon, 7500 feet above the ground. 5am at West Tennessee Skydive Drop Zone the burners fired up and Damien rode the balloon up as it inflated, to be standing on top. As the sun rose, so did the balloon. At 5000 feet Damien experienced something no one has ever done before by meditating on top of a hot air balloon with the sunrise. At 7500 feet the balloon pilot informed Damien that as high as the balloon would go. Damien walked out the edge of the balloon to run and lap off, breaking another world record.
One Breath Tour
April 21, 2019, Damien began his One Breath Tour. He spent 50 days riding a motorcycle across the US while stopping at schools, detention centers, Veteran and Men’s Support Groups, and different sports facilities along the way. On his stops, Damien spoke to the various groups about overcoming challenges, depression, and suicide, sharing the tools he discovered to rise above and keep moving forward throughout his life. During this tour, he exchanged notes with the countries leading universities, including Yale, Stanford, and Harvard psychology lecturers and professors, to help create new literature on how we deal with mental health in men and youth.
500 mile paddle
On January 24, 2015, at 3:04 pm, Damien Rider paddled into Bondi Beach after a 17-day 500-mile solo and unsupported paddle. Along the way, he had 21 shark encounters, starvation, dehydration, and was knocked unconscious numerous times before accomplishing his goal, leaving professionals wondering if he’s human. National Geographic produced a film, HEART OF THE SEA, on his extraordinary challenge and the reason behind why he took on such an extreme adventure.
Skateboard Route 66
On August 23, 2016, at 3:04 pm, Damien rolled into Santa Monica Pier after a 56-day 2500-mile 56-day skate across the entire Route 66. This journey included a 24-hour nonstop skate through the scorching hot temperatures of the Mojave Desert – just another challenge that Damien proved critics wrong when they told him that it was impossible. Damien was the world’s first person ever to skate the entire Route 66, claiming yet another world first world record title.
3 Day Thailand Challenge
On January 6, 2016, at 7:30 pm, Damien completed a 3-day nonstop event around Phuket, Thailand. The event consisted of 3 different disciplines: a 50-mile prone paddle, a 50-mile stand-up paddle, then an 80-mile run around the island of Phuket. A world-first type of event completed anywhere in the world.
Circumnavigate Phuket Island
On October 5, 2015, at 2:30 pm, Damien completed a 4-day solo and unsupported circumnavigation of the island of Phuket, Thailand, on a Stand Up Paddleboard. A feat never before attempted
Other World First and World Records
include running a full marathon holding up a 36lbs mattress with the message “Never lay down, Never give up!”, Live streaming an entire marathon run carrying a 30lb camera rig while talking to viewers throughout the race, and even riding a 1950s rickshaw bike 180 miles!
