Athletes have been put at the heart of the International Canoe Federation’s move to bring consistency to the Canoe Sprint programme.
For the next four seasons, the same events will be contested at all the ICF’s Canoe Sprint World Cups and World Championships.
The decision has been made to ensure continuity for paddlers, assisting in their preparations for the ICF’s biggest competitions on the calendar from 2025 to 2028.
It is an exciting programme featuring 24 canoe and kayak events in single, double and four including the C1 5000m and K1 5000m that continue to generate electric atmospheres at events.
The Junior and U23 Canoe Sprint World Championships programme is almost identical to the seniors', with the only difference being that the 5000m races will be contested in a playful mixed relay format.
“Having stability in our competition programme in this four-year cycle is an important move for our discipline,” said Toshi Furuya, Chair of the ICF Canoe Sprint Committee.
“After years of change and seeing different events at different competitions, it will be great to have continuity across our World Championships and World Cups programmes.
“This will give athletes comfort as they will know exactly what events to target and prepare for each season in the build-up to the LA28 Olympic Games.”
There will be an equal number of events for both men and women, reinforcing the ICF’s drive for gender parity in paddle sports.
The kayak events are the same for both men and women with the K1 200m, K1 500m, K2 500m, K4 500m, K1 1000m and K1 5000m.
The only differences in the canoe competitions see the women race in the C2 200m and the men compete in the C1 1000m.
Male and female canoeists will also go into battle in the C1 200m, C1 500m, C2 500m, C4 500m and C1 5000m.
All these events will feature at this year’s ICF Canoe Sprint World Championships scheduled to take place from August 20 to 24 in Milan, Italy.
The same programme will also be in place at the two ICF Canoe Sprint World Cups in May with the first being held from May 16 to 18 in Szeged, Hungary, followed by the second being staged from May 22 to 25 in Poznan, Poland.
To maintain consistency, the programme will remain the same at all the ICF Canoe Sprint World Cups and World Championships in 2025, 2026, 2027 and 2028.
World Cup and World Championships programme (2025-2028)
Kayak
Men: K1 200m, K1 500m, K2 500m, K4 500m, K1 1000m, K1 5000m
Women: K1 200m, K1 500m, K2 500m, K4 500m, K1 1000m, K1 5000m
Canoe
Men: C1 200m, C1 500m, C2 500m, C4 500m, C1 1000m, C1 5000m
Women: C1 200m, C2 200m, C1 500m, C2 500m, C4 500m, C1 5000m
The programme for the ICF Canoe Sprint Junior and U23 World Championships has also been decided for 2025, 2026, 2027 and 2028.
It features 24 kayak and canoe events including the mixed K1 5000m relay and mixed C1 5000m relay.
Relay teams are comprised of one man and one woman, with the race seeing both paddlers complete two laps of the course and handing over between each one.
With the handovers taking place at the portage close to the spectators, the four-lap sequence of man-woman-man-woman throws up plenty of drama.
Montemor-o-Velho, Portugal will be the host of this year’s Junior and U23 Canoe Sprint World Championships from July 23 to 27.
“Portages continue to deliver great excitement at our World Championships and World Cups and I’m really looking forward to seeing the 5000m relay races thrill the fans at the Junior and U23 World Championships,” added Mr Furuya.
“It is going to be spectacular.”
Junior and U23 World Championships programme (2025-2028)
Kayak
Men: K1 200m, K1 500m, K2 500m, K4 500m, K1 1000m
Women: K1 200m, K1 500m, K2 500m, K4 500m, K1 1000m
Mixed: K1 5000m
Canoe
Men: C1 200m, C1 500m, C2 500m, C4 500m, C1 1000m
Women: C1 200m, C2 200m, C1 500m, C2 500m, C4 500m
Mixed: C1 5000m
