ICF Wildwater Canoeing Committee activities

The ICF Wildwater Canoeing Committee meetings were held on monthly base together with the European Canoe Association (ECA) Wildwater Canoeing Working Group with the aim to share duties.

Main focus of the work during the last period were:

• Development of the Wildwater Canoeing sport programme
• Preparation of rule change proposals with confirmation through the ICF Board at the beginning of April.
• Content of rule changes were mainly clarifications and simplifications of the rules with the aim to strengthen the development of the discipline

The preparation of the 2024 season:

• Meetings with organisers of World Championships and World Cups and potential future organisers for the next years
• Finalising of our development policies and dealing with the National Federation to support athletes for our development activities
• Preparation of first coaching seminar in Veles, North Macedonia
• Preparation of ITO assessments

International calendar of European downriver races brings results

Several teams from Italy, Slovakia, Slovenia or Czechia practically took advantage of the common calendar and went to France (Vigeois), Italy (Valstagna), Czechia (Sázava river), Germany (Augsburg) or Slovakia (Čunovo) to compete. These are not ECA Cup races but local races. The athletes benefit from common training, the opportunity to compare themselves with each other and to travel and see the world.

Our goal is to continue updating the calendar for the next seasons and to create the international calendar of the top races accordingly.

An estimate of the number of boats on the ICF Wildwater Canoeing World Championships to Sabero has been made which can be found here.

Subsequently, it is planned to coordinate and help each other to get the required number of boats to Spain. These boats will be available for overseas athletes and for TIP Development Program athletes.

We consider this event a real challenge and a demonstration of cooperation between the different European National Federations and individual clubs.

Top Wildwater Canoeing events in 2024 are:

• The 2024 ICF Wildwater Canoeing Senior World Championships Classic and Sprint and 2024 Wildwater Canoeing Master World Championships Classic held in Sabero, Spain from August 14 to 18 
• The 2024 ICF Wildwater Canoeing World Cup in Veles, Republic of North Macedonia, June 14 to 16.
• The 2024 ICF Wildwater Canoeing World Cup in Mezzana, Italy, June 20 to 22
• The 2024 ECA Wildwater Canoeing Junior and U23 European Championships in Dallenwill, Switzerland, July 3 to 6

By Manuela Gawehn, Chair of the ICF Wildwater Canoeing Committee