News

Rafting Operator Accreditation (ROA) launch
Development

Rafting Operator Accreditation (ROA) – what is it?

The Rafting Operator Accreditation (ROA) Committee has now achieved this stage and is ready for input from stakeholders. The IRF has for many years discussed the merits of developing an accreditation for operators that offer whitewater rafting guided or instructional services. Simply put, this process would provide a means of recognizing operators that meet or

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Racing

Save the Karnali – Nepal’s last and most pristine free-flowing river

by Megh Ale and Karen Bennett The mighty Karnali, Nepal’s longest, largest, and least known river system is in peril. Of the three major river basins emerging from the Nepal Himalaya—the Koshi, Kali Gandaki, and Karnali—the Karnali is the only river that remains free-flowing. All others have been dammed for hydropower generation reflecting an increasingly

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Racing

Colombia’s Farc ex-combatants and police paddling together

Colombia’s Rafting For Peace raft team made a big impression on all who attended the 2019 World Rafting Champs in Australia earlier this year (see Rifles for paddles). They were touched by their amazing story and admired the strength these paddlers showed in not only taking on learning to raft, but to also step away

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Racing

Uniting nations and sports under a common goal for climate change

Presenting to an audience of over 200 from over 20 nations at the inaugural IRF World White Water Rafting Summit, Ian Ponce, Programme Officer of the UNFCCC Programme Secretariat, shared the five key principles of the UNFCC programme and introduced the Sports for Climate Change initiative. Ian gave an overview of progress to date and highlighted

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Development

Pioneering the accreditation of recreational rafting operators

As the global governing body for rafting sport and the globally recognised standards setter for raft guiding through the IRF Guide Training & Education (GTE) system, the IRF are taking another pioneering step forward in rafting safety through the implementation of the IRF Rafting Operator Accreditation. Two days of discussion and sharing of experiences of

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Development

IRF and International Rivers in historic agreement to be better stewards to the world’s rivers

At the conclusion of the International Rafting Federation’s inaugural World White Water Rafting Summit, leading global rivers campaign organisation International Rivers and the IRF signed an historic Memorandum Of Understanding to bring together the common goals of both organisations to ensure that all rivers of the world have a voice. Introducing the agreement, summit MC

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Sustainability

In defence of our rivers – becoming stewards to our local environments

IRF President Joseph Jones and International Rivers’ Monti Aguirre sign an historic river protection MOU (Memorandum of Understanding) International Rivers Latin America Program Coordinator, Monti Aguirre, will challenge each of us to stand up and be counted for the future of all our rivers at the inaugural IRF World White Water Rafting Summit.   Monti

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