When you’re kayaking on a 340-mile race down the Missouri River, the last thing you should be worried about is fish.
Except when one weighing 30 pounds hits you in the face. Brad Pennington, who was considered a favorite in the race, withdrew after just a few hours of kayaking after a silver Asian carp jumped out of the water and hit him “like a brick,” the Telegraph reports. He had to withdraw after the fish left him with a pounding headache.
The racers were already wearing construction helmets – after this incident, they are considering switching to hockey helmets. When you have to upgrade your helmet to protect you from fish, you know they’re scary. (Check out video of Asian carp in Illinois.)