ICF Canoe Slalom Committee activities

Passing the baton 

In shaping the new ICF Canoe Slalom Committee following the recent ICF Congress in Antalya, Turkiye, I am pleased to have retained the holistic expertise of Meritxell Rodriquez of Spain and Vice Chair Alena Maskova of Czechia, with Eunsuk (Jake) Kim of Korea bringing a continental perspective and seasoned professional Daniele Molmenti of Italy, a strong sense of innovation and performance. Advisor Sue Natoli from Australia brings strong operational leadership, while technology expert Hans Petr Weiss of Germany rounds out the current team.  

Down to business 

At our first online meeting in November, responsibilities were allocated, and priorities set. The streamlined race formats, passed by the Board in April 2024, will be adopted at the ICF ranking events, World Cups and World Championships from January 1, 2025. A key challenge has been to set up the 2025 event schedules, while reducing the daily event costs for the Host Organisers.  

The Committee noted that changes to restrict access to the World Cup via new quota allocations were not approved by the Board following the Congress and will not be reconsidered until the 2028 Olympic qualification ranking system has been developed. Meanwhile, ITO allocations for 2025 are pending approval. 

The presence of athlete representatives Jiri Prskavec at the first Committee meeting, and Eilidh Gibson at the Congress, shows the commitment of athletes to be at the centre of the conversation. Equally, early consultation with the continents has been important, starting with a meeting with African representatives.  

Coming next: evolutions and innovations in areas of technology, equipment and venues as well as inputs into the development strategy. 

As Chair, I am grateful for the collaboration of the ICF Headquarters team and the Global Lead for Whitewater Thomas Rosset, who provides the important link for the Committee. 

On the water 

Looking ahead, Australia will host the next ICF Canoe Slalom World Championships, a celebration of the legacy from the Sydney 2000 Games and the first stepping stone in the next Olympic cycle, which will take us to LA 2028, via world championships in Oklahoma City, USA, and La Seu d’Urgell venue in Spain.  

Before this, the 2025 international season kicks off with a healthy programme of competition across the globe, starting with ranking races and continental championships in Oceania.  

In my new role, I look forward to connecting with the slalom and wider paddling community on or around the water and wish everyone an enjoyable end to 2024, followed by a healthy and successful 2025.  

Happy Paddling! 

By Richard Fox, Chair of the ICF Canoe Slalom Committee