The Canoe Polo qualification system for The World Games 2025 in Chengdu, China, has been approved by the International Canoe Federation.
Eight men’s and women’s teams will compete in Canoe Polo at next year’s Games.
Teams will be allocated based on rankings at the 2024 ICF Canoe Polo World Championships, with the top six in each event in Deqing qualifying for the World Games.
The highest-placed team in each event at this year’s World Championships from a non-qualifying continent will also obtain a qualification place for their National Federation if this team is ranked in the top 12.
If that is not the case, the next best-ranked team not yet qualified will take that quota regardless of the continent.
Hosts China will have one team each if they are ranked at the 2024 World Championships.
The ICF will inform all National Federations of their qualification places right after the World Championships, set to run from October 15 to 20.
The National Federations will have until December 31, 2024, to confirm their participation.
If a National Federation does not accept their quota place, then the next highest placed team, not yet qualified, will be reallocated the place.
Canoe Polo has been part of The World Games programme since Duisburg 2005.
France, Germany and New Zealand claimed gold, silver and bronze, respectively, among women at the previous 2022 edition in Birmingham, Alabama.
Among men, Germany triumphed with France finishing second and Spain third.
Along with Canoe Polo, Dragon Boat and Canoe Marathon competitions will be held at Chengdu 2025.
“Canoe Polo has been in The World Games since 2005 with really positive experiences and memories at each Games,” Greg Smale, Chair of the ICF Canoe Polo Committee, said.
“The ICF Technical Delegate, Eva Lindmark, has already visited next year's venue and it's really good.
“Those who qualify will be able to compete in excellent indoor facilities with the main 50m pool and 50m training pool in very close proximity and spectators numbers like those seen in 2013 in Colombia.
“Qualification at the worlds will be a hard battle, but it’s supposed to be to compete in the multi-sport World Games.”
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