At 43-years-old, extreme kayaker and world record holder, Tao Berman has announced his retirement in an exclusive interview with “Canoe and Kayak” magazine.

At the end of a storied career that’s landed him features in too many magazines and TV shows to count, and provided him with a considerable income stream (unusual for a pro kayaker), Berman answers the question “why now?” 

“I like to have a goal,” he says. “And I’ve accomplished every goal I set in this sport.”

Though we’re sad to see him go, we have to wonder if Berman–the master of PR who’s jumped out of helicopters into 90-foot waterfalls and lived life by the motto: “Bad press is good press”–is really done or if he’s just messing with us.

It sounds like he’s for real but, hey, we can still hope.