Asian Continental Confederation activities Q1 2025

ICF Board of Directors meeting in Hangzhou

From March 3 to 5, I attended the first ICF Board of Directors meeting of the year at the Hangzhou Representative Office in China. During the visit, I met with a local boat supplier in Fuyang District, Hangzhou, to discuss potential sponsorship opportunities for canoe and kayak activities in Asia.

Events galore

Pattaya hosted back-to-back ICF Canoe Slalom World Ranking races, followed by two more in Nan’an, China. As European Canoe Slalom paddlers made their way back home, this competition provided an excellent opportunity for them to stop in Asia after the Australia Open. They competed in the SEA Open and Thailand Open, extending their travel plans and testing an Asian course. The China Open was a second opportunity for European paddlers to race in Asia before returning home. A big thank you to the Organising Committee for hosting a smooth and successful event!

TIP camp benefits paddlers

From February 28 to March 13, 2025, talented young paddlers participated in the Canoe Slalom Talent Identification Programme (TIP) camp organised by the International Canoe Federation in collaboration with the Rowing and Canoeing Association of Thailand (RCAT). The camp welcomed athletes and coaches from five National Federations: India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Mongolia, and Singapore (10 athletes and 5 coaches) and was led by three expert ICF coaches — Atcharaporn Duanglawa (Thailand), Tohru Kanaya (Japan), and Lachlan Bassett (Australia) — along with ICF coordinator Clement Rota (France). It was encouraging to see many junior and u23 athletes qualify for the Final at the Asian Junior and U23 Canoe Slalom Championships. A highlight of the camp was an athlete winning a silver medal — Pallavi Jagtap of India — in the U18 women’s canoe final.

Kayak cross debut in Asia  

Following its Olympic debut at Paris 2024, kayak cross officially made its way to Asia in 2025. The first official kayak cross event in Asia was held at the 2025 Asian Junior and U23 Canoe Slalom Championships at the whitewater artificial course in the Rowing and Canoeing Training Center (RCTC), Rayong, Thailand. The event provided another platform for young and talented athletes to shine, bringing together 13 Asian National Federations and over 180 participants. A huge thank you to the Organising Committee for ensuring a smooth and successful championship!

By Chainarong Charoenruk, President of the Asian Canoe Confederation