Risk managing commercial rafting operations with multiple guide systems

10 September 2019

International Rafting Federation Raft Guide Instructor and New Zealand Rivers Association Chair Tim Marshall will lead a discussion at the inaugural IRF World White Water Rafting Summit on the challenges faced by commercial rafting operators when dealing with multiple raft guide certification systems.

International Rafting Federation (IRF) Raft Guide Instructor and New Zealand Rivers Association Chair, Tim Marshall will lead a discussion at the inaugural International Rafting Federation World White Water Rafting Summit in Costa Rica from October 8 to 13, 2019, on the challenges faced by commercial rafting operations developing risk assessments when faced with multiple raft guide certification systems around the globe.

Tim is the current chair of the New Zealand Rivers Association (NZRA), the national organisation for professional rafting guides and companies in New Zealand. The main aspects of the association is to moderate the National Rafting Qualification and coordinate national river rescue workshops. NZRA is the voice for guides and companies to the national government regarding the law under which they operate and the voice to the New Zealand national qualifications holder. NZRA have a close working relationship with these bodies, actively meeting with these organisations a couple of times a year and having open lines of communication when required.

In addition to being an active instructor at New Zealand national river rescue workshops, Tim is a Grade 4 IRF Raft Guide Instructor. Tim also runs his own rafting company Ultimate Descents New Zealand which is based in Murchison, South Island, New Zealand. This unique cross function of multiple raft guide systems and commercial rafting operations makes Tim the ideal person to lead the discussion on the challenges faced by commercial rafting operators when making risk assessments using multiple raft guide qualifications and schemes.

Tim said he is “really looking forward to being a part of the first World White Water Rafting Summit in Costa Rica, to share stories, ideas and systems in place around commercial rafting, guiding and river safety”.

In addition to his raft guide experience, Tim is well known in the raft racing circuit having coordinated most New Zealand national selections and having been Race Director for the 2013 and 2019 IRF World Rafting Championships in New Zealand and Australia. Tim is additionally the up-coming Race Director for the 2020 IRF World Rafting Championships in Ziyuan, China. He has worked with the IRF helping produce the last four years of World Cups in China as a mixture of Race Director and Safety Director at these events.

As though rafting is not enough, Tim is also a senior firefighter for his local fire station in Murchison and an active member and trainer of his regional Swift Water Search and Rescue team. Tim is looking forward to the Summit and said that the “river community is something I cherish being involved in and I enjoy sharing the pleasure of river travel and exploring the precious rivers of our planet.”

Summit workshops cover important topics such as the future of IRF Guide Training and Education (GTE); advances in raft guide certifications; environmental risks facing rivers; how raft guides and adventure travel outfitters can transform their communities; rafting and world peace; dealing with drugs and alcohol among guides and clients; and, how to work with language barriers and engage in non-verbal communications.

For more information see the official website: www.irfwwraftingsummit.com or Facebook: @WWWRaftingSummit