This past weekend the Japanese National Champs were held and at the conclusion of the event the IRF President, Joe Willie Jones, was proud to announce that Japan’s bid to hold the 2017 World Rafting Champs has been successful.

Japan produces some of the top teams in the rafting world arena and so it is fitting for the World Championship to be hosted there. Japan were World Champions in the Open Men’s category in 2011, and in both Open Men’s and Women’s categories in 2010, as well as regularly winning other medals.

The event will be hosted on the Yoshino River, the Koboke section, which is near Miyoshi City. This is an exciting Class 3/4 section of river that should challenge the top teams of the world and show case some excellent raft racing.