Here is the Team Information letter for the IRF’s 2018 R4 European Rafting Champs (ERC) – this will allow teams to start planning for their trip to Bratislava, Cunovo, Slovakia in July.

This location is already well known for many as a very successful R4 Euro Champs was held there in 2014. It is a great course with easy viewing and good challenges on the water; and plenty of accommodation varying from hotel, bungalow, boarding house to the cheapest option of camping, right there at the race location.

The key information is:

World white water rafting championship hopefuls will converge on Tully in May to vie for a spot in next year’s international event.

Here’s a taste of the white water that awaits you!

More than 100 paddlers will race in the Pre-Worlds and Australian Rafting Championships on the Tully River – and organisers are calling it a dress rehearsal for the “real deal” in 2019.

Tully will host the 2019 IRF World Rafting Championships, after securing the rights late last year in a coup for both Australia and the local community. The Pre-Worlds are also part of the package.

Australia World Title winners 2001 on the Zambezi. Left to Right – Sean Gill, Chris Brumley, Graham Maifredi, Glen Merrick, Mark Miller, Clancy Heywood.

Event director . . . → continue reading . . . WRC Australia and Pre-Worlds launch their website
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A recent breakaway rafting group has caused quite a stir amongst the rafting community. Many in the rafting world are horrified that efforts have been made to splinter the strong camaraderie the IRF has built over the past 20+ years. A HUGE outpouring of support towards the IRF has been received through letters, emails and social media.

In the few hours since we issued our position letter, the IRF has received publicly endorsed support from most of the highly respected National Rafting Federations in the world, including:

The IRF Board of Directors would like to wish you all a successful 2018! As we move quickly through the first month of the New Year, we want to take this opportunity to express our gratitude to each of you – our federation members – for participating in our success for these last 20 years.

Threat to rafting unity Recently it has come to our attention that Mr. Danilo Barmaz, President of FIRaft (the Italian Rafting Federation, an IRF member), has approached some of our member organizations with an invitation to abandon the IRF and join him in creating another international rafting federation. Barmaz plans to head a meeting in Belgrade, Serbia later this week, and has invited a few IRF members to sign up. Mr. Boris Purjakov, President of the Serbian Rafting . . . → continue reading . . . To All IRF Member Organisations and Interested Parties – from the IRF BOD
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Many members have recently been approached by Mr. Danilo Barmaz, President of the Italian Rafting Federation (an IRF member), with an invitation to abandon the IRF and join him in creating another international rafting federation.

The invitation included documents containing defamatory and false statements about the IRF, and very misleading statements that suggest that he will be able to accomplish far more than the IRF has done over the last 20 years — particularly the goal of putting rafting in the Olympic Games.

Below is the response from the Czech Rafting Federation which falls under the Union of Boaters of the Czech Republic (SVOCR).

SVOCR letter to Mr. Danilo Barmaz

The IRF BOD will be responding shortly as well.

Rather than work with the IRF to reach this goal, Mr. Barmaz . . . → continue reading . . . SVOČR responds to the activities of Mr. Barmaz of the Italian Rafting Federation
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