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 An instructor tests a pumpabike on the river II
Ever heard of a pumpabike? No? Coen And Dirkje Koenders who run the Hotel Kierikki in Yli-Ii’s Stone Age Centre have, and they’re willing to bet tourists will pay 35€ for half a day’s rental to get one out on the water.
The Dutch couple are so impressed by this 2004 invention–the brain-child of Zimbabwean inventor Mike Fuzzey–that they've bought nine of them. And, as one of the first hotelliers if not the very first in Finland to offer this new ‘extreme’ sport, they might just be onto a winner.
Using a hydrofoil to create lift, pumpas are hydro-scooters that ‘fly’ at up to 8 to 9 metres per second or 18 mph, quicker than a rowing boat at its quickest as long as the rider bounces up and down, tenses thigh muscles, shouts ‘look at me!’ and whistles the theme tune to Free Willy. Or just the moving over water while bouncing part, unless you’d like to be part of a promotional video (letters to
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entitled “I am a pumpabike superhero”).
How did the idea start? “I’m always surfing on the internet looking for good ideas,” says Mr Koenders, who has run the Kierikki Hotel with his wife for a year now. “And one day I see these people using these bikes on YouTube. They’re in Miami, but I think, why not? This is something no-one around here has seen. I get on the phone and it turns out the best place to order them are from China, so we ship them here by boat!”
After the bikes themselves, the next step was a website, offering not only pumpa-rentals but ‘water-bikes, step-bikes, canoeing and more’ with ‘whole summer renting possibilities’ on the II river. Paintball is also on offer, and an instructor has been enlisted to train newbies (which is absolutely everyone). With everything ready to go, all the Koenders need are customers–though they’re confident Northern Finns will take to the pastime.
“It’s early days yet, but we’re confident,” Coen declares. “This bumpabike really is something new, so of course it’ll take time for the word to get around, but we really hope it’ll take off!”
I go outside for a demonstration. The thing's quite big at around two metres long, and looks like a cross between a surfboard and an exercise bike. Mounting it requires a standing start; you have to kick off from the pier, but the ride is fast and, from what I can make out, fun. Learning to use one isn’t a piece of cake, either, so visitors are more likely to feel a sense of achievement when they do finally ‘fly.’
35€ sounds a little steep, but that’s for a full half-day, which when compared to the price of a half-day’s jet-ski, or water-skiing lessons, does seem more reasonable. The pastime has been catching on, has been featured on British Television on Channel 5’s Gadget Show, and there must even be competitions somewhere.
All of which bodes well for residents and visitors to Yli-II. Maybe the Koenders will be the start of an entirely new Finnish sports obsession.
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