Tahiti will host the 2015 ICF Ocean Racing World Championships on the 2–3 October; with an entry that boasts the many of the world’s best paddlers across various disciplines the competition for top honours will be fierce. 

This is only the second time world honours have been contested in this discipline with the inaugural event in Portugal in 2013. However, despite the lack of a world championship the sport has a truly global following and has a world circuit that is one of the most successful of all canoeing disciplines.

Two of the 2013 champions will return to defend their crown with SS1 Men's and Women's gold medallists from Portugal, Sean Rice (RSA) and Michele Eray (USA), ready to compete in the Pacific Ocean later this week.

Canoe Sprint Olympic stars will also turn their hand to the discipline, as Clint Robison (AUS, K1M 500m) Barcelona 92 Champion, plus London 2012 gold medallists Murray Stuart (AUS, K4M 1000m) and Krisztina Fazekas (HUN, K4W 500m) each look to demonstrate their ocean skills.

Other canoeing stars will descend from the Marathon world; one that stands out is multiple-Marathon World Champion Hank McGregor (RSA).

2014 Ocean Racing European Champion Yannick Laousse (FRA) is another paddler set for the Tahiti showdown.

A total of 22 countries and 180 athletes will compete in the 2015 ICF Ocean Racing World Championships.

The event will be broadcasted LIVE on Tahiti National TV (TNTV) and also live-streamed on Planet Canoe YouTube channel.