World Class Whitewater: Turning a Love of Rivers into a Career with Mitchell Lamb (World Class Academy: Kayaker)

Mitchell Lamb went from Cambridge classrooms and water polo training to rafting some of the world’s wildest rivers, and now helps teenagers turn whitewater into a way of life. In this episode, Mitchell traces his journey from “relatively academic kid” to Program Director at World Class Academy, a travelling high school for adventure athletes that treats rivers, trails, and cultures as the curriculum.

We talk about his decision to skip the straight-to-uni conveyor belt and head to Tai Poutini Polytechnic on the West Coast, where two years of outdoor ed, 10-day bush trips, and full-immersion learning fast-tracked his maturity in ways a lecture theatre never could. Mitchell breaks down what those programs actually involve—costs, study load, the gear, the lifestyle—and how that diploma led to raft-guiding seasons in Turangi, California, Canada, and ultimately to the famous Kaituna River.

Mitchell also lifts the curtain on World Class Academy: a US-accredited high school that moves through Canada, New Zealand, South America, Europe & more while students spend their mornings in small-group classes, then hit whitewater every afternoon. We dive into safety, risk and resilience, what it’s really like to be “on” 24/7 as a teacher–guide–mentor, and how he navigates deep relationships with students who may see him as coach, big brother, and sometimes stand-in parent.

Finally, Mitchell reflects on what all this means for life after World Class - how you turn a love of rivers into a sustainable career, why outdoor ed still matters in a tech-saturated world, and the advice he’d give his Year 12–13 self (and any student who feels more at home on a rock ledge or in a kayak than behind a desk): follow the opportunities that light you up, jump in headfirst, and trust that something good will come from backing what you love.

Thanks Lamb!! Enjoy everyone!