ICF confirms retention of under-23 age group for world championships

ICF Retains Under-23 Category

The International Canoe Federation (ICF) has officially decided to maintain the under-23 (U23) age category for all its world championships. This decision came after a comprehensive survey of member federations, which revealed a strong preference to keep the existing age structure. Despite a proposal to lower the age limit to U21, the majority of national canoe federations voted to retain the current groupings. The ICF board of directors confirmed this outcome during their recent meeting in Turkey.

Financial Growth and Record Viewership

During the board meeting, it was reported that the federation continues to demonstrate robust financial health and has experienced significant growth across all canoe disciplines over the past year. Simon Toulson, the ICF secretary general, highlighted a substantial increase in viewership, both through online platforms and traditional television broadcasts. Notably, the 2019 world championships for canoe slalom, canoe sprint, and paracanoe set new records. These events were the largest in history, measured by the number of participating athletes, the global audience watching, and the level of engagement on social media. The ICF maintained its existing agreement with the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) and forged a significant partnership with Eurosport, a prominent European sports television channel, in 2019. This collaboration led to millions of viewers tuning in to watch canoeing events throughout 2019, with plans for further expansion in 2020.

Tokyo Olympic Preparations

Positive assessments were shared regarding the Tokyo test events for slalom, sprint, and paracanoe. Committee chairmen indicated that the stage is now set for highly successful Olympic competitions at world-class venues. It was also noted that tickets for the canoe slalom events have already been completely sold out. However, a significant concern raised was the potential for excessive heat during the...

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