Running alongside the International Canoe Federation Wildwater Canoeing World Championships, a development camp brought together young athletes from around the globe for a week of kayaking, team building, and unforgettable memories.
Held from May 16 to 23 in Banja Luka, Bosnia and Herzegovina, the camp focused on preparing athletes for Wildwater Canoeing competition while fostering strong friendships and team spirit both on and off the water.
Nine athletes representing Estonia, Romania, Hungary, North Macedonia, Brazil, and Senegal participated in the camp.
The programme was led by Vedran Soskan and Darko Savic from Banja Luka, alongside Matyas Olsak and Frantisek Salaj from Czechia.
“All members of the development camp already had previous paddling experience, but we worked hard to prepare them for wildwater kayaking,” said Soskan.
“We really appreciated the respect we received from all the athletes, and we did everything we could to make this camp as fun and enjoyable as possible.”
The camp’s impact was evident in competition results as well as in the atmosphere created among the group.
Sisters Daniela Sofia and Milena Sofia both reached the women’s canoe sprint final, with the 20-year-old Daniela and 17-year-old Milena highlighting the progress made throughout the week.
“I thought the week was incredible. There was so much learning both in and out of the water,” said Daniela Sofia.
“The time spent with the other athletes was super important for personal development.”
Milena Sofia said: “This camp helped me achieve some great results, especially in the C1 sprint.
“These were unforgettable moments that I will remember forever, even more so because it was my first time in Europe and competing in my first world championships.”
North Macedonian paddler, Marija Panovska also highlighted the lessons learnt in Banja Luka.
“I am really happy to have been part of this development programme, and I absolutely enjoyed every bit of it,” she said.
“I met so many amazing people, learnt a lot of new things, and got to do things I had never done before.”
Coach Salaj praised the atmosphere created within the group.
“Together with the other coaches, we managed to create a really functional training group with a great atmosphere, mutual respect, and constant motivation to improve,” he said.
“We didn’t just experience training sessions and work on the water, but also many moments together outside of it, which helped us build new friendships and bring people together.”
The week was also filled with lighter moments that reflected the close bond formed among the athletes and coaches - from Barbie singalongs during downtime to playful “punishment” push-ups whenever someone arrived late.
“I would also like to thank all the athletes for being amazing, and Wally [Ndiaye] for always being late so we could have an excuse to do push-ups,” joked Soskan.
“I also want to thank my fellow coaches, who were incredible and helped lead this team to the finals.”
Manuela Gawehn, Chair of the ICF Wildwater Canoeing Committee, also praised the group’s efforts.
“The coaches and athletes were all more than amazing,” said Gawehn.
“You showed us great performances during the races. I am really proud to chair our discipline and help young, talented athletes follow their dreams.”
Main photo credit: Vojtech Simacek
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