Global recognition of the International Rafting Federation
GAISF Membership Manager Davide Delfini and IRF President Joe Willis Jones after a successful meeting during the 2019 SportAccord Convention. At the International Rafting Federation Congress in Miyoshi City, Japan in 2017, our national rafting federation members voted unanimously that the IRF should continue to pursue its dream of taking rafting to the Olympic Games. In pursuit of this dream, the Congress also agreed that the IRF must finalise the work needed to apply for recognition by the Global Association of International Sports Federations (GAISF) at the earliest possible date. GAISF (formerly known as SportAccord) is the gateway organisation through which Olympic recognition is managed – no International Federation is recognised by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) without first becoming a GAISF member. Meeting GAISF membership requirements . . . → continue reading . . . Global recognition of the International Rafting Federation
U.S. Ambassador to Costa Rica gives thumbs up to safe rafting industry
Last Friday, U.S. Ambassador to Costa Rica, Sharon Day, showed her support for improving safety in the rafting industry by going rafting on the Pacuare River during the World White Water Rafting Summit finale. Ambassador Day was one of 207 people from over 20 nations from across the globe who joined together under the banner message of “One World, One River, One Family” for the closing event of the inaugural IRF World White Water Rafting Summit navigating the world-class rapids of the Pacuare River. 
The ambassador’s participation is especially poignant since tragedy struck in October 2018, when four U.S. citizens and . . . → continue reading . . . U.S. Ambassador to Costa Rica gives thumbs up to safe rafting industry
Delivering a powerful message: river guides and rafting operators are river guardians
Carlos Manuel Rodriguez, Minister of the Environment and Energy for Costa Rica The message from several international speakers during the World White Water Rafting Summit 2019 was loud and clear: river guides and rafting companies should be the guardians of the world’s rivers. Not only does their livelihood depend on clean and healthy rivers, they spend a considerable amount of time on rivers and, with clients in their rafts, are perfectly positioned to spread positive conservation messages. Carlos Manuel Rodriguez, Minister of the Environment and Energy for Costa Rica, delivered a powerful message to Summit participants on Oct. 9 that no more dams should be built in Costa Rica. Instead, he pointed to solar energy as the future power source for the country that currently generates 97% of its . . . → continue reading . . . Delivering a powerful message: river guides and rafting operators are river guardians
Reducing risk, improving safety, empowering rivers: three key messages from the IRF Summit
IRF President Joe Willis Jones and IRF Honorary President Rafael Gallo Taking ownership of our environment and rivers while also reducing risk and improving safety were definitely the key messages at the first ever IRF World White Water Rafting Summit. Binding agreements were signed by the International Rafting Federation (IRF) for river conservation and for the piloting of a rafting operator accreditation. A historic rafting trip on the Pacuare River of more than 200 people at the close of the World White Water Rafting Summit sent a message in favour of river conservation. 
Costa Rica Minister for Environment and . . . → continue reading . . . Reducing risk, improving safety, empowering rivers: three key messages from the IRF Summit
#AreYouReady to race in Futaleufú?
 Five months today, top teams from around the globe will start official training on the Futaleufú. Will your team be one of them?
Twenty years ago the International Rafting Federation was a young and developing global sports federation. The third Camel White Water Challenge took place on the Futaleufú river with teams from across the globe. Today many of these teams still race and still win medals. It’s time to revisit and see if the top teams of today are as good or better than those original teams. Competition organisers have invited the top 15 Open teams from this year’s IRF World Rafting Championship in Tully, Australia. The top 10 men’s and 5 women’s teams. Competition is now open for up to an . . . → continue reading . . . #AreYouReady to race in Futaleufú?
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 raft guiding from around the globe proved the perfect presentation pad for the IRF’s Recreational Operators Accreditation. So at the conclusion of the inaugural IRF World White Water Rafting Summit, President of the IRF Joe Willis Jones and Honorary IRF President Rafael Gallo proudly announced that Costa Rica will be the pilot nation for the IRF ROA implementation. Several years of planning and hard work have culminated . . . → continue reading . . . Pioneering the accreditation of recreational rafting operators
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 and IRF Sustainability Lead, Sean Clarke, presented a short film on the impacts of a large global corporation attempting to offset their carbon footprint through the purchase of carbon credits. The unfortunate reality being that the carbon offset is actually funding the destruction of the Alto Maipo river in northern Chile. A stark reminder that our rivers are still at great risk in spite of the current global . . . → continue reading . . . IRF and International Rivers in historic agreement to be better stewards to the world’s rivers
In defence of our rivers – becoming stewards to our local environments
 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 works as part of International Rivers’ Latin America program to support local movements for the protection of rivers; to identify new dam projects in Latin America and to examine their economic, social, and environmental impacts; and to design strategies to counteract their effects. She has worked for more than a decade in support of Amazon indigenous peoples’ rights and is co-producer of Amazonia: Voices From the Rainforest, a film on the fight of grassroots groups in the Amazon to defend their lives and their land. She has also been a tireless supporter of the people . . . → continue reading . . . In defence of our rivers – becoming stewards to our local environments
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