ICF Canoe Sprint Committee activities Q4 2025

ACC Congress and BoD meeting in Thailand 

The Congress and Board of Directors meeting of the Asian Canoe Confederation (ACC) were held in Pattaya, Thailand on October 26 and 27. 

Asia is one of the most emerging areas for our sport. Following the presentation of the evaluation of Olympic Games Paris 2024 by President Thomas Konietzko, I gave the presentation about the principles of the new Olympic Qualification system.       

The purpose to create the new Olympic Qualification system beyond 2024 is to increase the participations across the board and to generate more continental activities and to widen the geographical scope of our sport in accordance with our Fit For Future strategy. In this regard, it is very important for the ICF to have the opportunities for good communication with National Federations at the Continental Congress.      

In creating the Olympic Qualification system, the ICF worked to keep good communication with NFs and enhanced transparency. 

We believe that the ICF can expand more opportunities for more nations to attend the Games and also to have good balance between excellence and universality in the Olympic Games.  

The introduction of the new Olympic Qualification system provides NFs, HOC, teams and athletes with further motivation towards high quality competition management and higher performances for LA28. 

ICF CSP Committee will work closer with the ACC for these purposes.  

Angola shows spirit of sport 

The 12th CAC African Canoe Sprint Championships was held in Luanda, Angola from November 27 to 30. A total of 89 athletes from 12 nations participated in the significant events. The atmosphere to enjoy the spirit of our sport was great. Africa is one of most emerging continents in the world. The level of the performances of the athletes is getting higher. 

The ICF also organised an examination of International Technical Officials. The opportunities to have educational courses for the technical officials are also very important for the global development of our sport.    

The leaders of CAC expressed that their ambition is to see Africa in the highest spotlight of world sport. The ICF Canoe Sprint Committee will work together with CAC closely towards our common goal to promote our sport in Africa further more.

Working Group for Brisbane 32 programme 

Building on the momentum and the unprecedented success of the Olympic Games Paris 2024, the International Olympic Committee confirmed 10 medal events for Canoe Sprint again at LA28, continuing the strong paddle sport presence at the Games. 

However, supporting the continued global development of Canoe Sprint and driving participation across emerging regions after LA28 and beyond is a priority for the ICF and the newly-established Working Group. 

Comprising 11 experts from all five continents and chaired by the ICF Canoe Sprint Committee Chair, the Working Group will analyse the current position of the Canoe Sprint discipline and look for ways to attract the younger generation of paddlers. 

The key principles for Brisbane 32 and beyond which we discussed are entertainment value, event diversity, youth appeal, accessibility and universality, sustainability and cost efficiency, digital first approach and preserve canoe identity. 

Sebastian Brendel, newly elected Chair of Athletes’ Committee, expressed the importance to spotlight athletes especially for social media and digital contents. 

It is very important to keep the good balance between traditional core part of our sport and the evolutional part. Supporting emerging National Federations with resources and assistance, the ICF hopes to tap into regions with high growth potential. I had a progress report of the Working Group in the ICF Executive Committee meeting which took place at the newly inaugurated ICF Budapest office.

By Toshi Furuya, Chair of the ICF Canoe Sprint Committee