The International Canoe Federation has launched a series of educational videos for Paracanoe in the build-up to the Paris 2024 Paralympics.
The Discover Paracanoe series, which features on the Planet Canoe YouTube channel, offers an excellent insight into Paracanoe, showing how accessible the sport is for people with different disabilities.
Paracanoe paddlers and coaches help viewers gain a clear understanding of the Paralympic sport and its wide-ranging benefits.
Episode One in the Discover Paracanoe series outlines what Paracanoe is and the six athlete classification categories across kayak and va’a that make up the discipline.
The other three episodes cover areas including how to get started, how to get comfortable and how the different classifications work.
The launch of the educational videos marks six months to go until the Paralympics get underway in Paris.
- ICF Discover Paracanoe: What is Paracanoe?
- ICF Discover Paracanoe: Getting Started
- ICF Discover Paracanoe: Getting Comfortable
- ICF Discover Paracanoe: What Class Are You?
Paracanoe will feature at the Paralympics for the third successive time after successful appearances at Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020.
The videos have been developed in collaboration with film makers Hit The Roof and thanks to the financial support of the International Paralympic Committee.
Australia’s three-time Paralympic gold medallist and multiple world champion Curtis McGrath believes the educational videos will help motivate people with disabilities to take up Paracanoe.
“Knowledge is power, and these videos provide great insight to the sport of Paracanoe,” said McGrath.
“It is important to know how to start and what it takes to set-up and paddle a boat to enjoy the sport I love so much.
“Being confident in the set-up, equipment, access and paddling fundamentals are key to progressing from beginner to experienced paddler.
“Beginning in this sport does take some assistance and these videos clearly inform those that will help a person living with disability get into a kayak or va’a with the information and understanding to get out on to the water.
“These videos will help expand our sport and ensure that every person, no matter what their ability, can enjoy canoeing.”
John Edwards, the Founding Chair of the ICF Paracanoe Committee, added: “We hope these videos will encourage more people to pick up Paracanoe paddling as a sport and as a part of their normal activity.
“To do a sport in nature is one of the unique and positive aspects of paddling.
“For persons with disabilities, paddling makes the world’s rivers, lakes and oceans accessible.”
Related links
