May 2002 Newsletter

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GUIDE EDUCATION & TRAINING

The IRF website (www.intraftfed.com) has been updated with the list of IRF certified Assessors, Instructors and Guides. The French and Spanish versions of the GT&E system of certification has also been made available there. The advertising page for guides and companies has been erroneously requesting passwords and logins. This should be sorted by the time you receive this newsletter. Apologies for those who encountered this.

COMPETITIVE RAFTING

There are a number of events that are happening in the near future. Some are open for international teams and some are national events. Here they are, more or less as given by the organisers:

XV ITALIAN Rafting Championship 2002
Valsesia International Trophy – Save the river
1st June 2002 – Scopello (VC) – Italy
(International teams welcome)

This competition is proclaimed by the Italian Rafting Association (UISP-Coni) and organised by A.I.Raf in collaboration with the "Valsesia Wild Water 2002 Organising Committee". This event plays a role in the A.I.Raf’s initiative, organised in the UISP’s Italian Canoe and Kayak Federation circle.

Those allowed to take part in the competition are the A.I.Raf’s Club, Company and affiliate Team members. Foreign teams are also invited to take part in the competition.

This is the only opportunity teams will have to compete for the Italian Title Super Sprint Event and the "Valsesia International Trophy – Save the river"
The race - Super Sprint in two heats
Score- Sum time of the two heats
Boats and competing team members Teams are only permitted to use rafts provided by the organization (Pulsar 3.80). Competing teams: One raft for 6 member teams.
Course Scopello services park – Scopello bridge. Distance: 800 meters, difficulty III – IV WW.
Schedule Saturday 1st June
10.30 Team Leaders Meeting for the collection of competition numbers and the course trial schedule awarding (the rafts will be provided by the organisation)
11.00 Course trials Start
14.00 Course trials End
15.00 1^st heat starts
16.30 2^nd heat starts
18.30 Prize-giving
Regulation A.I.Raf’s sport regulation
Entry Maximum competition entries; 30 teams. Team entry must be sent to A.I.Raf before the 30.05.2002.
The official announcement of competition along with logistic information and the entry models will be available after the 10.05.2002 at A.I.Raf., Fraz. Neyran, 85/e, 11020 Brissogne (AO), tel/fax 0165/762711 – e-mail: airaf@airaf.it, or consulting the web site: www.airaf.it

WORLD COAST RAFTING CHAMPIONSHIPS
in Oostende Flanders
13 - 15 Sept 2002

The preparation of the WORLD COAST RAFTING CHAMPIONSHIP on 13 - 15 sept is almost finished. We have put together a program that will make all the teams feel welcome. Our attention is now focused on the team selections and the training. We give all the international teams the opportunity to test their preparation in the two races on the Flemish coast :
on the 22 th of june in BLANKENBERGE and
on the 23 th of june in OOSTENDE on the location of the W C R C.
The price for participation is 150 euro for the two races. Teams of 6 members : men, women of mixed allowed. If you have any question, don't hesitate and mail us. You will also find a lot of info on our web site (click on English) www. rafting .be

SCANDINAVIAN RaftingChamps
26th and 28th June 2002
(extremsport festival, international teams welcome)

The rafting championship is to be held on the 26th of June (slalom and downriver combined). There will also be riverboarding, inflatable kayaking and several kayaking competitions throughout this week. Most of the international best kayakers will be participating while the raft people are from Norway, although all teams are welcome!! Last year we had 600 participants from 16 different nations. We expect more than 800 participants in the different sports during the weeklong festival.
Check out www.ekstremsportveko.com, see "RAFTING", then follow the links through "Åpent Scandinavisk mesterskap" and finally RULES - this is in English and tells what is happening.

HOLLAND - Dutch Coastal Rafting
9th June & 8th September
www.raft.nl

These events are ideal for training for the World Coastal Rafting Championships. Also, there are 2 new sites, full of links for rafting (competition, equipment, tourism): www.raft.pagina.nl; www.raft.startkabel.nl

GERMAN Nationals 2002
October 19th to the 21st
Augsburg/Gremany.

For more information check out www.RaftingCanyoning.com > Rafting > Europa > Deutschland > Deutsche Rafting Meisterschaften

RUSSIA

Siberian Rafting Champs on the mighty Katun River. It will be held in format of the World Rafting Champs on May 31 to June 2 (C4, C6) in Altai Region. It is an official competion hosted by the Russian Rafting Federation.Contact: rafting@prpassat.ru

1st AUSTRIAN Rafting Championships
April 2002

25 Teams came from Hungary, Italy, Chech Rep., Germany and Austria competing in 4-man Rafts. One women's team from Hungary.
Racing site: Village of  Wildalpen/Country of Steiermark/Austria (next big city is Linz) .
River: Salza, WW Grade II-III
Water temp: freezing, rain/snow.
sprint: 81 sec.
slalom: 3 Min 3 sec.
downriver: 28 Min 40 sec.
Results.
1st: RTA - Kanu Schwaben Augsburg 920 Pt.
2nd: Rafting Club Sterzing - ITA 724 Pt.
3rd: Raftingklub Adaco Tabor 2 - TCH 720 Pt.

USA

Clear Creek Challenge, Colorado, May 31 - June 2
Whitewater Cup and Gauley Race are combining and are on September 20 to 23rd. Even though it is for the US Nationals, all teams from all over are welcome.
FYI we will be doing the whitewater cup in Sept 2003 on the Gauley once again so please put that in your diaries as well.

We hope these events stir you into action and hope to see you attending as many as possible.

WORLD CHAMPS: The announcement will be made at the end of May as to whether the next IRF World Champs will happen in Tasmania later this year. If the sponsorship is not found for this event, the World Champs will then definitely happen next year.

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