Education was at the forefront of the International Canoe Federation’s recent Canoe Sprint Talent Identification Programme (TIP) camp in Rayong, Thailand.
A mix of junior and U23 male and female athletes and coaches from Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Thailand, Hong Kong, Sri Lanka, Cambodia, Vietnam, Chinese Taipei, Mongolia, South Korea and Indonesia took part in the camp that was held from May 31 to June 16.
Among them, Sri Lanka and Mongolia were participating for the first time.
The camp was held at the Rayong Excellence Center in Thailand, after which athletes took part in the Asian Canoe Sprint Junior and U23 Championships.
The focus of the ICF Development Programme and TIP camp is to transfer knowledge to allow participating nations to grow and raise the bar in sports performance and education.
The success of the camp was further underlined when athletes from Chinese Taipei, Tajikistan, Vietnam and Kyrgyzstan went on to win medals at the continental event.
Sebastian Cuattrin of Brazil, Poland’s Zdzislaw Szubski, Mieczyslaw Krolikowski of Greece, Singaporean Kai Wen Ong and Thailand’s Woraporn Boonyuhong were the ICF coaches who were present at the camp.
They conducted seminars to help participating coaches develop speed, stamina and competition tactics for their athletes.
“The TIP camp in Thailand was a model of organisation. The accommodation facilities, the quality of meals and services were of a high standard,” said ICF Vice President Dr Cecilia Farias.
“The ICF aims for excellence in every event, and the Rowing and Canoeing Association of Thailand delivered a top-level camp.
“Special mention to the ICF team of coaches who contributed with their knowledge and expertise to an unforgettable experience for all the participants.”
The camp also saw an extensive discussion on paddling tactics, including video analysis of athletes to better their performances.
Other topics touched on include breathing techniques, stroke variables, injury prevention and antidoping.
“The Canoe Sprint TIP Camps have been held for some years. Sometimes, their importance is disregarded and seen as a sort of summer camp. There is nothing further from reality,” said Dr Farias, stressing the significance of TIP camps.
“The organisation of each TIP camp is a project with the support of several technical and administrative staff.
“The ICF, together with the event organisers, manage to provide this professional activity where youth and their coaches learn, improve their techniques and acquire the commitment of replicating back home all that was learnt.
“Together with the technical training, they benefit from an educational package that includes prevention of injuries, nutrition, safeguarding, antidoping - and soon we will add a sustainability module.”
Gender equality was another priority at the camp, with 16 male and 16 female participants, and 13 coaches of the different nations.
The next Canoe Sprint TIP camp is underway in Plovdiv, Bulgaria after which the city will host the ICF Junior and U23 Canoe Sprint World Championships from July 17-21.
Dr Farias, who is also the chair of the ICF Diversity and Inclusion Commission and is responsible for the ICF Sustainable Development Programme, thanked the National Federations for ensuring that the TIP Camps achieve gender parity.
“We are grateful for the cooperation of the National Federations in their understanding that each project of the ICF must be gender equal,” she said.
“It is everyone’s responsibility to ensure that girls, boys, women and men will have equal participation rights and the work at the National Federation’s level is crucial to achieve this goal.”
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