ICF Canoe Slalom Committee activities

Intensity builds

The pre-Games training period was a key time for selected athletes to get used to the Olympic course. They appreciated and enjoyed this time on the water, so it was definitely a big success. 
June also saw the first-ever global Olympic qualification event in kayak cross take place in Prague, Czechia. Competition was extremely intense and the outcome was great as it showcased what kayak cross could like at the Olympics.  

Asian Games site visit

As Chair of the ICF Canoe Slalom Committee, I was invited to Nagoya, Japan for a site visit ahead of the 2026 Asian Games. 
It was a fruitful trip as we assessed the Canoe Slalom venue and met with the Host Organising Committee. 
The venue is located close to Toyota City and hosted the World Cup Final back in 1994. 
This will be refurbished and we will ensure that there is an even better legacy programme in place.   

History made in Slovakia

Liptovsky Mikulas in Slovakia hosted the ICF Junior and U23 Canoe Slalom World Championships which was very well organised. It had been 11 years since Liptovsky Mikulas last staged the event which is a platform for the next generation of Olympians. 
There were more than 400 athletes from all five continents participating. Slovenia’s Ziga Lin Hocevar stole the show with two gold medals. 
Another highlight was seeing China and Argentina win golds for the first time with Ting Yang and Manuel Tripano claiming titles. We had a great spread of medals and revelation of new talent that we would love to see in the next Olympic cycle. 

Kayak cross is a big highlight in successful Games

The Olympic Games were a huge success in terms of public attendance with every session almost completely packed. The nine-day programme worked very well as it gave added value to Canoe Slalom and made a very strong impact. Having one medal event per day in slalom was a great way to promote the sport and is something we might consider doing in kayak cross as well. It’s the first time we had done that for slalom and it made a huge difference. On top of this, it’s far simpler to manage the media, the medal ceremony and the anti-doping process. Oceania stole the show with four golds, while France pleased the home fans by winning one gold and two silvers. Kayak cross was a real highlight so I am more than pleased with it. It is a great achievement to see it make such an impact on the public as the atmosphere was amazing for every single race, even in the qualification. The course design worked well and there was drama throughout the competition. In my opinion, it was a complete achievement, ticking all the boxes – big attendance on site, media impact and the way the competition happened with different medal winners. 

By Jean-Michel Prono, Chair of the ICF Canoe Slalom Committee