As we draw a close to 2020, we also say a fond farewell to Raewyn Larcombe. Raewyn has been the IRF’s Guide Training & Education (GTE) Administrator since 2009. At the time, the IRF had about 400 certified guides around the globe. Over the next decade this number has grown more than 500%.

Chair of the GTE Committee at the time was Steve Nomchong. He brought Raewyn on board as he knew her and her work with New Zealand Rivers Association (NZRA) and saw a good fit, and he was spot on.

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International Rivers, Rivers without Boundaries and other partners are seeking our active support in a global call to protect rivers for a just and green recovery, at www.Rivers4Recovery.org – sign up!

Hydropower – the false “green” energy

This global action focuses on calling out and confronting efforts to use the post-COVID-19 pandemic economic recovery to push for more destructive dams and prop up the ailing hydropower industry. At the same time, it highlights alternative pathways for a truly “green recovery” through river protection and other nature-based solutions, valuing community-based initiatives, that should be supported by governments and financiers.

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As the world faced life changes due to the COVID-19 pandemic, United Through Sports joined forces with over 100 organisations in 2020 to promote inclusion, equality, non-discrimination and peace for and with the youth of the world through the World Virtual Youth Festival.

Awards Gala

On the 19 December, the Leaving a Legacy Awards Gala Event opened with a traditional performance of Thailand’s national sport, the martial art muaythai, where the Sport Is Your Gang youth gave an energetic demonstration.

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The IRF is proud to announce the formation of its inaugural Para Rafting Committee. News of the committee’s formation has been greeted very positively within the rafting community and the wider para sports communities. The first key steps for the Para Rafting Committee are to finalise the Athletes Classification Code and Classification system. These standardised and transparent rules and regulations will greatly assist organisers of Para Rafting events; and provide the framework for the future of the sport.

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ANO TSAFKST “Energy of Life”, together with the Russian Rafting Federation’s (RRF) Para Rafting committee, held the first Russian Para Rafting Championship from October 24 to 25, 2020, on the Belaya River, Khamyshki village, in the Republic of Adygea.

The event was held within the framework of the “Pararafting without Borders” project and the All-Russian rafting competition “Interrally” Belaya 2020″. Partners and sponsors were: Time Trial LLC; Volny Veter; RaftingSochi.ru with the support of the Presidential Grants Fund.

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At this time of year many of you may be looking for presents to give to loved ones, or finding a good book to snuggle down with in your winter, or read on the beach in your summer – why not some good rafting books!

There are plenty of “how to” rafting books, but we’re focussing here on the more entertaining books – books about epic trips, or first descents, or great adventures, or just a river guides’ musings, or all of the above!

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Almost one year since we first heard about the coronavirus and so many teams have had to reimagine training strategies. We might be nearing the end of the calendar year, but down in New Zealand, summer is warming up and race teams are getting ready to get back in with their training plans. We catch up with Buba Martin and the multi-WRC title holders: New Zealand Open Women’s team.

We asked Team Captain Buba what it’s been like living in New Zealand with the pandemic escalating around the globe:

New Zealand has been relatively lucky with very low COVID numbers, much of the country went into a level 4 lockdown for 4 weeks, since then we have fluctuated between level 1- 2.

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