Preparations for next year’s International Canoe Federation Canoe Sprint and Paracanoe World Championships are already in full swing in Poland.
ICF President Thomas Konietzko recently visited Poland to learn more about plans for the flagship event in Poznan.
It is set to be a busy 2026 for Poland with Krakow due to stage the ICF Junior and U23 Canoe Slalom World Championships before Poznan holds the ICF Canoe Sprint and Paracanoe World Championships.
Before that, Poznan will host this year’s ICF Canoe Sprint and Paracanoe World Cup from May 22 to 25.
The Polish Canoe Federation (PZK) is viewing the four-day event in Poznan in May as an ideal opportunity to give paddlers a taste of what to expect at the 2026 World Championships.
“For the ICF, athletes and spectators, it’s important to run this year’s World Cup really smoothly,” said Jolanta Rzepka, Secretary General of the PZK.
“This event will act as a dress rehearsal for the World Championships.
“Our aim is to create the best World Championships that the ICF has seen in decades.
“To make that possible, we need to involve a lot of people and have more volunteers.
“It’s really good to have this World Cup in preparation for next year’s World Championships.
“The World Cup is normally the most important event for us but this year it is also a dress rehearsal for the World Championships so we will be able show what to expect in 2026.
“Next year will be challenging for the Polish Canoe Federation, but we have different Organising Committees for the two World Championships and they are used to hosting big events.
“I know Krakow will be as well prepared as usual and there will be a lot of people helping out.”
Poland is a vastly experienced host of major ICF events, regularly holding World Cups in Canoe Slalom and Canoe Sprint.
Poznan last held the ICF Canoe Sprint World Championships in 2010 where Paracanoe featured as an official event for the first time.
The Polish city also staged the ICF Paracanoe World Championships in 2012.
As well as Paracanoe races in KL1, KL2, KL3, VL1, VL2 and VL3, the Polish organisers are planning to stage competitions for paddlers with intellectual impairments at the World Cup in May.
Mr Konietzko spent a day in Warsaw last month where he held discussions with Mrs Rzepka and PZK President Grzegorz Kotowicz over preparations for this year’s World Cup and next year’s Canoe Sprint and Paracanoe World Championships and Junior and U23 Canoe Slalom World Championships.
His visit also included meetings with Polish Olympic Committee Secretary General Marek Palus and Poland’s Secretary of State for Sports and Tourism Piotr Borys as well as a tour of the country’s Olympic Museum of Pope John Paul II.
Mr Konietzko said: “Poland has a long and successful history in our sport and is a very experienced host of our major competitions.
“It was a pleasure to visit Warsaw to speak with the Polish Canoe Federation, the Polish Olympic Committee and the Polish Secretary of State for Sports and Tourism.
“They were all purposeful and open discussions as we look forward to this year’s Canoe Sprint and Paracanoe World Cup as well as the 2026 Canoe Sprint and Paracanoe World Championships and 2026 Junior and U23 Canoe Slalom World Championships.”
Related links
