The International Canoe Federation gears up for its most active season

ICF gears up for record 2022 season

The International Canoe Federation (ICF) is set for its busiest year ever in 2022, with an unprecedented 12 world championships scheduled. After two years of pandemic-induced uncertainty, paddlesports anticipate a strong comeback, with all ICF disciplines hosting world title events as international borders reopen.

Highlights of the 2022 calendar:

• Augsburg, Germany: ICF Canoe and Extreme Slalom World Championships, marking 50 years since slalom's Olympic debut.
• Halifax, Canada: Canoe Sprint and Paracanoe World Championships.
• The 2022 World Games in Birmingham, Alabama, features canoe polo and introduces canoe marathon.
• Portugal concludes the season with a double-header for ICF Canoe Marathon and ICF Ocean Racing titles.

Beyond world championships, numerous world cup events are planned, including three inaugural Stand Up Paddling (SUP) World Cups. The canoe sprint Super Cup also returns. ICF President Thomas Konietzko expressed enthusiasm for "almost five full months of world-class events," signaling the sport's resurgence. He noted athletes' eagerness to compete internationally after two years of uncertainty, thanking hosts and highlighting new venues as a sign of global growth.

The condensed Olympic cycle for Paris 2024, due to the Tokyo Games postponement and pandemic travel restrictions, limited recent international racing. The 2022 season begins with an ICF Canoe Sprint World Cup in Racice, Czech Republic, in May, already attracting nearly 500 entries.

[go to the magazine: paddleworldwide]

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