For the first time in Kazakhstan, the KOKSU WATER FEST 2023 was held from 13-19 June 2023 on the Koksu River in Kerbulak district, Zhetysu region.

The main organizers of the competition were the Tourist Information Center “VISIT ZHETYSU” and the Rafting Federation of Kazakhstan.

Special attention should be given to the sports part of the event. On the Koksu River, 17 male and 6 female teams from various countries met to compete in this race.  Competitions took place in the Sprint, H2H, Slalom and Downriver disciplines, with teams competing for medals in each, as well as for the honor of gaining enough points to win the Overall competition medal.

Special mention is given to the Kazakh men’s team ‘Legion’ which though facing more experienced and stronger competitors, they pulled a split second ahead to win gold in the Sprint discipline.  Also deserving mention is the Open Women’s silver medal awarded to team ‘Nice’ who travelled all the way from Mongolia. Bronze medal went to team ‘Yarye’ from Kazakhstan and we hope to see them at more international events. The event also welcomed rafting teams from Kyrgyzstan, the first to have raced at an international rafting event of this level.

An IRF judges’ seminar was held during the Championship.  The assessor of the seminar was the chairman of the IRF Judges Committee, Goran Lolic. During 3 days 17 participants received wide theoretical knowledge and had an opportunity to practice right there, at the international rafting competitions. All of them received international IRF judging certificates. This was the first time such training was conducted in Kazakhstan, and it was a great step for the development of Kazakhstan raft racing and local and international tourism.

All in all, over 300 people took part in the festival.  Tourist rafting, various master classes, the beauty of the mountain river pleased all those present.

The event was a major sporting and tourist event of the summer. For foreign tourists there was a field trip to the SNPP “Altyn Emel”. The concept of a healthy lifestyle, love of nature, sports, rafting – all this “KOKSU WATER FEST 2023”.

Also, on June 17 on free basis by Rafting Federation of Kazakhstan was organized friendly rafting on the discipline of marathon race at a distance of 19 kilometers, which was attended by representatives of the tourism business, government agencies and community. In this friendly confrontation prizes were distributed as follows: 1st place – team cycling club “Bike team”, 2nd place – team of public organization “Altyn Adam”, 3rd place – team Koksu rural district.

We look forward to future KOKSU WATER FESTS!