Overview
Rafting has been accepted as a formal CSA discipline, in line with the international trend.
2014
The International Rafting Federation (IRF) is holding their R4 World Rafting Champs this year in Brasil, hosts being Brazilian Canoe Confederation and Itaipu Binacional.
The dates are from the 8th to the 19th October with the U19 and U23 age groups competing from the 8th to the 12th and the Open and Masters (40+) competing from the 13th to the 19th. Each of these divisions will have the men and women categories.
The host city is Foz de Iguaçu. The Sprint, Head to Head and Slalom will be held on the artificial course, the Itaipu Canal.
The Downriver will start just below the Iguassu Falls – a very spectacular location – and the teams will race down through the Iguassu National Park.
This year is R4 (4-man rafts) which is more suitable to artificial courses and smaller rivers. This means teams of 5 (4 plus 1 reserve) will attend which is sometimes easier to fund and train for than the R6 events.
South Africa, as members of the IRF, are eligible to send their best team over to this event in each of the available categories and divisions. So that means any teams interested in competing in the following categories should contact the CSA Secretary General, Colin Simpkins : U19, U23, Masters (40+) and Open – men’s and women’s teams in all of these.
In 1999 South Africa achieved a Bronze in the Head 2 Head and Silver in the Slalom – it would be great to see our teams back at this event competing. The last time we saw a team at a WRC was in 2007. We have such great canoeists – it’s a small step over into a raft!
Selection and Trials
Committee’s Contact Details
Shaun Griffin – spgriffin@vodamail.co.za (082 210 0180)