The 2025 International Canoe Federation Slalom World Championships provided a clear example of how international sporting events can generate broader societal value alongside elite competition.
Staged at the Penrith Whitewater Stadium in Sydney, the Championships not only delivered a successful competition but contributed to community engagement, local economic activity, and the advancement of sustainability and legacy objectives within paddle sport.
A four-year partnership between Paddle Australia and Griffith University was established to revolutionise the way sport is measured in Australia and overseas.
As part of the programme, Paddle Australia set out to deliver improvements in areas such as health, wellbeing, performance, legacy, sustainability, environment, and ecotourism – as well as supporting, inspiring and developing all paddlers.
During the World Championships, research teams from Griffith University undertook on-site data collection, engaging with athletes, event organisers, and community stakeholders to better understand the broader impacts associated with the event.
Griffith University Professor Sharyn Rundle-Thiele noted the partnership had already taken initial steps to quantify paddle sport’s value as a driver of community change, with the collaboration placing emphasis on social return on investment.
“The more we improve people’s health, the less it actually costs us as taxpayers. This is a change in the conversation for how the value of sport is measured, and that’s all happening as part of Paddle Australia and Griffith University’s partnership,” said Rundle-Thiele.
The collaboration also aligns with shared priorities in high-performance sport and sustainability, supported by Griffith University’s cohort of more than 600 high-performance student-athletes.
“There are a few things that brought us together. One is our dual focus on supporting high-performance athletes, the other is around sustainability, making sure that when people are out there paddling, that they are also thinking about the environment,” said Bronwyn Harch, Vice President of Industry and External Engagement.
For Paddle Australia, the World Championships formed part of a longer-term strategic approach to maximising the contribution of sport in the lead-up to, and beyond, the Olympic and Paralympic Games Brisbane 2032.
Related links
