First Russian Para Rafting Championship

11 December 2020

ANO TSAFKST “Energy of Life”, together with the Russian Rafting Federation’s (RRF) Para Rafting committee, held the first Russian Para Rafting Championship from October 24 to 25, 2020, on the Belaya River, Khamyshki village, in the Republic of Adygea.

The event was held within the framework of the “Pararafting without Borders” project and the All-Russian rafting competition “Interrally” Belaya 2020″. Partners and sponsors were: Time Trial LLC; Volny Veter; RaftingSochi.ru with the support of the Presidential Grants Fund.

The purpose of the first Russian Para Rafting Championship

The purpose of the event was to develop and popularize para rafting (adaptive rafting) and adaptive water tourism in the Russian Federation. Para rafting is a new team sport, where para-athletes (people with disabilities) participate in a raft.

The objectives were:

approbation of a new sport of para rafting and adaptive water tourism (adaptive rafting);
popularisation of para rafting and adaptive water tourism (adaptive rafting) in Russia;
preparation of a sports reserve for para rafting;
identification of the strongest para rafting teams;
approbation of new rules and equipment (new developments) at competitions.
identification of the strongest athletes and para-athletes to create a Russian national para rafting team to participate in international competitions in 2021

Competition program

Competitions were held in R4 and R2 teams formed by gender in established age groups.

Disciplines in R4 and R2 classes were sprint, parallel sprint, slalom and H2H and Overall winners with the highest combined points.

R4 (OC) – “Open category” – this team consisted of 2 para-athletes and 2 non para-athletes. Teams of groups could be male, female and mixed.
R4 (D) – composed of hearing impaired / deaf.
R4 (LTA ) – composed of amputees.

R2 (OC) – composed of 1 para-athlete plus 1 non para-athlete
R2 (LTA, D) – composed of 2 para-athletes

Age categories were juniors (14 to 16 years); adults (men) (17 to 55 years); women (16 to 55 years).

The organiser of the event, ANO TSAFKST, provided rafts (R4, R2) and water equipment (helmets, vests and paddles) for participation in the competition free of charge within the framework of the “Pararafting without Borders” project, with the support of the Presidential Grants Fund.

Adaptive Equipment

During the first Russian Para Rafting competition, specially modified rafts were used for people with disabilities. For those with amputated lower limbs and for those who cannot hold on to the leg straps of the raft, belts had been specially designed (developed by ANO TSAFKST) for safe and comfortable holding of the para-athlete on the raft and for participation in competitions. The belt, due to the additional straps, created an additional point of support on the raft for para-athletes and held them during the rafting, and were equipped with a self-releasing system in the event of a raft flip.

The Open Festival “Pararafting Without Borders”

This event which took place in Sochi from September 19 to 20, is dedicated to people with disabilities and their families.

The participants of the festival learned about the safety measures and rules of this extreme sport, got acquainted with the outfit and equipment, types of rafts, a unique development of fixing people with disabilities for safe rafting on a mountain river. Mixed teams were formed so that children with and without disabilities work together and support each other. Successful rafting on the river increases the life motivation of children and adults with disabilities and their families.