The closing date for this year’s International Canoe Federation Ocean Racing World Championships in Perth, Australia, is just one week away.

Already some of the biggest names from the strongest countries have entered the prestigious event set to be held along the coastline of Australia’s Western Australian capital. Ocean racing is the largest competitive paddling discipline in Australia, guaranteeing a strong local contingent will be on hand to take on the best from the rest of the world.

This year will mark the seventh ICF World Championships, but the first to be held in Australia. Race day, depending on the conditions, has been set down for Saturday, December 2.

Competitors will race from Bathers Beach in historic Fremantle, cross the mouth of the famous Swan River, before ending at the world renowned Scarborough Beach in Perth’s northern suburbs.

The 21-kilometre world titles will be held just one week after the internationally acclaimed “The Doctor”, a 27-kilometre race from Rottnest Island to Sorrento Beach which regularly attracts the best ocean paddlers in the world.

Australia’s reigning world champion, Jemma Smith, and 2021 title holder Michelle Burn from South Africa head a powerful list of early entries for the women’s ocean race, along with Spain’s Judit Verges, a bronze medalist behind Burn in 2021.

Among the big names already locked in for the men’s race are South African powerhouse duo Andrew Birkett and Hank McGregor, both renowned marathon paddlers, and Australian Stand Up Paddling world champion, Michael Booth. All three have proven themselves as outstanding ocean paddlers, and each will be aiming for the first ever world title in Perth.

Australia’s Sam Norton and South Africa’s Ulvard Hart, both previous bronze medalists, will also enjoy the strong racing conditions.

More details of the ICF World Championships, and a link to enter the event, can be found here. Closing date for entries is November 20.