We had many people from all around the world sending us their appreciation of our Guidelines for a safe re-entry into rafting. For some it has helped them get their operations back on the water and for others it has helped them present guidelines to their governments and/or health authorities who are in the process of opening up activities again. We hope it has worked well and that many of you are back on the water!
As a reminder, this is a ‘living’ document – meaning that as new information becomes available about COVID-19 and updated precautionary health measures are developed for confronting it, the document contents will change accordingly. We invite you to visit the document link on occasion to review any changes.
Recently our tourism partner, Adventure Travel Trade Association (ATTA), has been putting some work into writing guidelines for the adventure tourism world, one of them being for rafting. They have also released guidelines for trekking and biking and will be releasing guidelines for seven other adventure activities by the end of July. There is no cost for anyone in the tourism industry to access and use these guidelines, thanks to ATTA and its contributors. The website link is: www.adventuretravel.biz/covid19guidelines.
For operators wanting to go above and beyond requirements set by their national health departments, there is a free 2 hour online course by World Health Organization (WHO). Anyone can register and take the test for free. If you score 80% or higher, you can get a free certificate. This course provides a general introduction to Acute Respiratory Infections (ARIs) and basic hygiene measures to protect against infection. By the end of the course, you should be able to describe basic information about ARIs including what they are, how they are transmitted, how to assess the risk of infection and list basic hygiene measures to protect against infection. The link to this can be found here: openwho.org/courses/eprotect-acute-respiratory-infections
Tucked away in a quiet corner of Australia is one of the greatest gems of the Australian wilderness The Franklin River. This incredible river is no place for the casual adventurer and represents one of the most remote commercially run rivers in the world. The Franklin is typically run as an 8-10 day expedition where the only way out after you put in is either downstream or via helicopter.
The Franklin River flows for 78 miles (125 kms) from the Cheyne Range to the Gordon River through the Franklin-Gordon Wild Rivers National Park, a part of the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area. Rafting trips typically put in for their journey at the Collingwood River bridge,1116 Ft (340m) above sea level, and finish at the Gordon River. Rafters can then either catch the Gordon River ferry at Heritage Landing, or charter a float plane or yacht to pick them up from Sir John Falls camp.
Where is the Franklin river in Australia?
The Franklin is situated on Tasmania’s west coast which boats a much cooler and wetter climate when compared to the east coast. Frequent low pressure systems hit the west coast causing heavy rain, snow, and ice.
The West Coast Range blocks these systems from impacting the east, therefore making the West Coast a rain catchment with some areas receiving over 79 in (2,000 mm) of rain per year. The rivers catchment is large and subject to very high rainfall. As a result rapid rises in river levels may be experienced as much as 3 ft (1 m) one meter per hour in the canyon. Continue reading The Franklin River, Australia’s hidden gem.
DISCLAIMER: The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by the author do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs, viewpoints or official policies of the IRF.
Olympic Day was introduced in 1948 to commemorate the birth of the modern Olympic Games on 23 June 1894 at the Sorbonne in Paris. The goal was to promote participation in sport across the globe regardless of age, gender or athletic ability.
The modern version of Olympic Day developed into much more than just a sports event. Based on the three pillars “move”, “learn” and “discover”, National Olympic Committees (NOCs) deploy sports, cultural and educational activities all around the world with hundreds of thousands of people – young and old – participating in sports activities, such as runs, exhibitions, music and educational seminars. Some countries have incorporated the event into the school curriculum and, in recent years, many NOCs have added concerts and exhibitions to the celebration.
Since the COVID-19 pandemic forced the world into lockdown and the postponement of the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020, close to 5,000 Olympians have engaged with a remarkable 243 million people online across more than 50 countries in the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC’s) #StayStrong, #StayActive, #StayHealthy campaign by sharing their daily workouts and uplifting tips on how to stay healthy in body and mind. Olympic Day 2020 will take this campaign to the next level.
Olympic Day 2020 will see Olympians, athletes and fans all over the globe get active in the world’s largest 24-hour digital Olympic workout. Twenty-three Olympic athletes have already joined the recording of an official Olympic Day workout video, and on Olympic Day, athletes from around the world will lead live workouts at 11 a.m. local time across 20 time zones on @olympics Instagram live.
The IRF is a strong supporter of the Olympic Movement and has several Olympians within our rafting family. As we continue to pursue our dream to take rafting to the Olympic Games, we encourage our athletes to participate with the Olympic family and join in the fun with these workouts! Let’s all try and stay fit and healthy as during these difficult times, until we are once again able to get back outside and on the river again!
Deciding on what to wear when white water rafting is essential as it provides that safety barrier against injuries as you white-knuckle down the rapids. The right gear can also offer a comfort level so you can stay out on the water for longer doing what you love to do. This article will help you determine how much gear you should wear and the essentials that you will need to keep you consistently comfortable throughout the varying seasons.
Consider the weather
Just the same as with anything you do, you have to take into consideration what weather you are expecting for that day. Traveling down the rapids on a baking-hot day is different from making the same trip in the middle of winter. One thing that remains constant is that you will have a plastic helmet that never really sits comfortably on your head, and you will have a bulky lifejacket.
Make sure you know which age category you can race in
As announced earlier, the IRF has completed the renegotiation of contract dates for the World Rafting Championships (WRC) 2021 and 2022, that resulted in our rescheduling the 2020 China and 2021 Bosnia World Rafting Championship events. These events were pushed back one year because of the uncertainties caused by the COVID-19 pandemic – as many other sports have done with their events of similar size and importance.
This change has impacted quite a few of our member nations who ran their R4 WRC selections in 2019 or early 2020, and many other member nations who have so far been unable to run their selections because of pandemic restrictions. The rescheduling of the WRC’s meant that many athletes who were eligible under the IRF Race Rules to compete in the U19 and U23 age divisions in 2020, would not be eligible to race in the same age divisions in 2021.
To address this issue, the IRF Executive Committee asked the Sport & Competition Committee (S&C Com) to consider implementing a rule exception. Following a unanimous vote from the S&C Com, an age exception to the IRF Race Rules will exist for the 2021 calendar year. This exception allows an athlete who was eligible for an age division in 2020 to be eligible for the same age division in 2021. This effectively means for the WRC 2021 race calendar, the U19 age group will become U20, and the U23 age group will become U24. This race rule exception will remain in effect only for the 2021 race calendar year. It does not affect age divisions for 2022 or subsequent years.
It is 10 years since the rafting world tragically lost Branka Štulić, the captain of Bosnia & Herzegovina’s Open Women’s team.
On the 10th June 2010, Branka Štulić, the eternal captain of Rafting Klub “Kanjon’s” Open Women’s team, left this world for the eternal rivers in the sky. Branka died at the European Rafting Championships in Val di Sole, Italy.
Each year, Rafting Klub Kanjon hosts an IRF Euro Cup in Banja Luka, in memorial to her strength, courage and friendship. Due to the pandemic this year, the Euro Cup has been postponed. On this, the occasion of the tenth anniversary of her tragic death, relatives, members of the club, and friends laid flowers at the monument to the eternal captain of the club.
Also in her memory on this day, the members of RK Kanyon gathered to celebrate what Branka loved and what brought many of them together. They paddled downriver on the world famous Vrbas river from Bijeli Potok to Karanovac.
Branka’s old team mates in front of Branka’s memorial board at RK Kanjon’s camp
Annually, RK Kanyon run the Branka Štulić Memorial Rafting Euro Cup in Banja Luka in her honour, to remember this special person, and to raft on in her memory. Each year, the event typically sees in excess of 20 teams from many nations participating showing the true strength of the rafting family coming together to honour her.
Following the unexpected need to postpone our 2020 World Rafting Championship (WRC), the IRF has been working hard on delivering the best solution in these unprecendented times. Many meetings (virtual of course) and negotiations with all parties involved have delivered a robust solution that we feel will meet the expectations of all athletes and continue to deliver to the high standards that have come to be expected over the last two decades of organising the pinnacle of world raft racing.
It is therefore with great pleasure, that the IRF can now announce the schedule for our World Rafting Championships 2021 and 2022.
WRC 2021 will be held in China from 15 to 21 August, on the Wupai river in the city of Ziyuan which was home to the 2019 IRF Pre-Worlds and has hosted two other IRF World Cups. IRF WRC 2021 will be R4 and so national members may need to review their selections accordingly.
Sprint section on the WuPai River 🇨🇳
Bosnia & Herzegovina will now host WRC 2022 from 29 May to 05 June 2022 on the famous River Vrbas. This will be an R6 championship.
Further details including registration information for WRC 2021 will be launched later this year. Stay tuned across our social media or sign up for our newsletter for more information as it becomes available.
IRF President Joe Willis Jones presents Rafael Gallo with his title of IRF Honorary President
Last year at the IRF 2019 Congress held in Tully, Australia, the IRF voted to bestow the title of Honourary President on Rafael (Rafa) Gallo to honour his long and unrelenting support of rafting and in particular, the IRF. The IRF would like to give back its unrelenting support to Rafa in this, the hour of his need, as he finds himself paddling through a life threatening Class 6 – a rapid on the river of life called Pancreatic Cancer during the time of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Rafa is a long time legend in the rafting and conservation world, and one of the founders of the IRF. Together with Lee Porter, he motivated the key people in the raft racing world at the time to join together to create a formal organisation that would create, maintain and officiate universal race rules and world championships, as well as set standards for rafting guides and raft tour operators. And so the IRF was born.
Rafael Gallo paddles with Project RAFT co-founder Mike Grant at the 1991 Project RAFT Championships in Costa Rica
But before even that, Rafa was captain of the rafting team that represented Costa Rica at the first international rafting competition event held in Siberia, Russia in 1989, and the second event held in Nantahala, North Carolina, USA in 1990, and served as the principle host for the 1991 event held in Costa Rica. These early events organised by Project RAFT set the stage for the creation of the Camel White Water Challenges, which lead to the first official World Rafting Championships and the birth of the IRF in 1997.
As President and co-founder of Rios Tropicales, Costa Rica’s leading rafting tour company, Rafa has been a leading conservationist, visionary, entrepreneur, and change maker in Costa Rican adventure tourism for over 35 years. Rafa helped to lead the fight to save Costa Rica’s iconic Pacuare River from being dammed, and sits on a number of boards where he continues to lead efforts to protect and preserve Costa Rica’s rainforests, rivers, and local communities. A few of these boards include organisations like Fundación Ríos Tropicales, Reservas de Costarricenses, America Outdoors, Explorer’s Club, and various Costa Rican Tourism organisations.
Rafa opening the 2009 IRF World Rafting Championship, Banja Luka 🇧🇦
Rafa has additionally been honored internationally and in Costa Rica with recognition and awards like the Pioneers for Prosperity, International Whitewater Hall of Fame, National Geographic Ashoka’s Changemakers Geotourism Award, TIES Innovation Leadership in Sustainable Tourism Award, and more.
Since the formation of the IRF, Rafa has served various roles on the IRF Board of Directors (BOD) for most of its existence, including IRF President, Vice President, and Chair of the Conservation Committee. He has also served as an IRF Chief Judge, and Assessor with the IRF GTE system. One of his proudest achievements was to host the first-ever carbon neutral sports world championship, the 2011 IRF World Rafting Championship, an amazing achievement. After retiring from the IRF BOD, his new position of Honourary President has allowed Rafa to continue his ambassadorship for the IRF, his most recent work being that of working as the IRF representative with the United Nations to help train former FARC combatants in Columbia as rafting guides, and again stepping up to create and host the highly successful IRF World White Water Rafting Summit.
Over these past few months, Rafa has been going through cancer treatments in the United States and has responded positively to it. However, with the added challenge of COVID-19 threatening everything, including the health of his rafting company, it has been a hard and daunting path. But what is incredible is that none of this has slowed him down or reduced his amazingly indomitable spirit and initiative. We salute him as we admire his strength, positive outlook and fierce determination – traits that helped the IRF grow and develop during its formative years, and are sure to help him during his current challenges. You can hear Rafa speak about these challenges during a recent interview here with #TourismStrong.
The IRF and the world of rafting is eternally grateful for all Rafa has done and continues to do. For those wanting to send Rafa a message of support, please feel free to do so on projectrafa100@gmail.com
As parts of the world start easing COVID-19 stay-at-home orders and other restrictions the big question in rafting operators’ minds is – how to start getting back onto the river and running trips safely? Properly managed outdoor activities are among the safest activities to engage in as the outdoor environment presents fewer opportunities for the virus to spread when compared to indoor activities. Rafting trips can be one of the more challenging adventure activities to manage during this pandemic.
The IRF has solicited ideas and advice from our Guide Training and Education (GTE) Committee and various rafting tour companies around the world to help raft tour operators, and even recreational rafters and racers, to negotiate this first descent towards the ‘new normal’ of running river trips. If you have solutions to any of the problems that rafting operators are facing in getting people back on the water please do let us know. You may download a PDF version of this article in ENGLISH and in SPANISH for printing and sharing. (Will be updated when needed. These versions are 20200528.)
Get familiar with the RIGHT information:
Keep up to date on the latest information from trusted sources, such as the World Health Organisation (WHO) and your local and national health authorities.
In addition to following WHO guidelines, it is also essential to follow your local legal restrictions that govern activities of this nature (which any operator, guide and trip leader must familiarise themselves with before offering a trip).
Preparation for the ‘new normal’
Develop a clear plan to address the typical risks associated with rafting and the heightened risk created by the Covid-19 pandemic. Know what to do if someone becomes ill with suspected COVID-19 at any stage of the trip.
Minimize opportunities for transmission by instituting sign-up and check-in procedures that do not require physical contact.
Check with your liability insurance providers for any changes to liability insurance policies as a result of operating during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Create or edit your liability release waivers to include any social distancing guidelines that should be highlighted to the participants prior to the commencement of a trip.
Have a plan for postponing or canceling your trips if conditions, such as local infection rates or local guidelines change.
Consider the financial implications to you and your participants if your government or local authorities suddenly or unexpectedly implement more restrictive measures.
Provide participants with clear information regarding deposits and refunds which explains what will happen if a participant is unable to begin or to complete a trip due to illness or a change in local requirements.
Determine how you will communicate schedule changes to your participants and ensure that you have accurate contact information for each participant.
Carabiners are not only an essential rescue tool on the water, but one of a boater’s most versatile pieces of equipment. From unwrapping boats to attaching equipment to hanging a hammock boaters keep several of these at had at all times. In this article, we are going to break down why carabiners are important as well as some tips on how and what to select. If you are trying to understand what is out on the market we have a helpful buyer’s guide at the bottom of the page otherwise you can find more info about carabiners below.
Carabiners are such an ubiquitous and important fundamental of boating life, unfortunately in the boating world we spend far too little time discussing their use and implementation. Many boaters climb as well and it is important to note that although rope work, anchors, fundamentals of force, and implementation of equipment has many parallels; applying every principal of climbing to boating paints an inaccurate picture of what the focus is on the water.
Parts of a Carabiner
Satan’s Carabiner
Carabiner Gate
This makes the whole system work. There are 2 major styles of carabiner gates locking and non-locking. There are a couple major styles of non-locking carabiners; wire gate and solid gate.
Unlike carabiners for climbing where non locking gates are often used, in boating a non-locking carabiner is the devil.
Given the number of impacts that occur on the river, the constantly shifting gear, and sometimes flying people; there is no place on a boat for a non-locking demon carabiner. The potential to fly into a carabiner during a surf or a flip, then getting your PFD caught in it, only to hold you underwater, or against a rock is just too much of a risk.
Having a non-locking carabiner is worrisome enough, however most boaters tend to store carabiners within easy reach or on the lapel of their PFD during use. Both scenarios at all violate the clean principal and can put people at risk as well as turn a rescuer into a victim.
Locking carabiners are more safe, effective, and common among boaters. There are 2 major styles of locking carabiner that are available (they go by many names): manual locking and auto locking. Continue reading A Boater’s Guide to Carabiners …
DISCLAIMER: The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by the author do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs, viewpoints or official policies of the IRF.
We had many people from all around the world sending us their appreciation of our Guidelines for a safe re-entry into rafting. For some it has helped them get their operations back on the water and for others it has helped them present guidelines to their governments and/or health authorities who are in the process of opening up activities again. We hope it has worked well and that many of you are back on the water!
Tucked away in a quiet corner of Australia is one of the greatest gems of the Australian wilderness The Franklin River. This incredible river is no place for the casual adventurer and represents one of the most remote commercially run rivers in the world. The Franklin is typically run as an 8-10 day expedition where the only way out after you put in is either downstream or via helicopter.
The Franklin is situated on Tasmania’s west coast which boats a much cooler and wetter climate when compared to the east coast. Frequent low pressure systems hit the west coast causing heavy rain, snow, and ice.
Olympic Day was introduced in 1948 to commemorate the birth of the modern Olympic Games on 23 June 1894 at the Sorbonne in Paris. The goal was to promote participation in sport across the globe regardless of age, gender or athletic ability.
By James Eastwood from 
As parts of the world start easing COVID-19 stay-at-home orders and other restrictions the big question in rafting operators’ minds is – how to start getting back onto the river and running trips safely? Properly managed outdoor activities are among the safest activities to engage in as the outdoor environment presents fewer opportunities for the virus to spread when compared to indoor activities. Rafting trips can be one of the more challenging adventure activities to manage during this pandemic.
