News and views from the IRF

News and views - August 2021

August has come and gone and we find ourselves approaching the change in season and the final quarter of the year. These past eight months have been tough on us all and we hope that the whole rafting family can reunite soon for what is a bigger and brighter future - #StrongerTogether

GTE and Sustainability have featured big in our news this month. At the start of August we welcomed three new members to the GTE Committee and we've recently heard about the successful women-only raft guide workshop in Mexico.

Mid August saw the "Weekend for Rivers" festival take place on the Tara river on the border of Bosnia & Herzegovina, and Montenegro. This river is very dear to us having been home to the Downriver of the 2009 World Rafting Championships. The event was a success and even included an impromptu river clean up.

In the ever increasing membership and global recognition, we announced Peruvian Association of Adventure Tourism, Ecotourism and Specialised Tourism (APTAE) as our newest Associate Members.

The sixth installment of the highly respected Whitewater of Siberia forum took place in the latter half of this monthh. Expect postive and exciting news from the #riverfamily early next month as they all return home.

In a compassionate move, the Rivers and Forests Alliance (formerly Project RAFA) has partnered with the IRF and Whitewater Hall of Fame (IWHoF) to raise funds for sustainability projects that IRF Honorary President Rafael Gallo commenced before his untimely passing earlier this year. You can donate directly through the dedicated GoFundMe link here.

The Paralympics are in full swing and so with that excitement we look forward to be holding the first legitimate Para Rafting events in the near future.

As always, stay safe, and see you on a river soon.

International Rafting Federation
#RaftersAreAwesome #ThisIsRafting #RiverFamily #StaySafe

1st women only guide workshop in Mexico

31 Aug 2021 04:06 AM

By Ena Buenfil

This summer the 1st women only guide workshop was held in the Huasteca Potosina region, Mexico. The area has great potential for rafting activity with beautiful rivers of different classifications in states such as: Veracruz, Morelos, Oaxaca, Guerrero, Chiapas and of course San Luis Potosí in the Huasteca region.

Eight women attended this 1st women only guide workshop, most of them ecotourism guides (soft adventure) to learn about river descents.

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“Weekend for rivers” celebrated the Tara river

29 Aug 2021 02:48 PM

By Jasmina Marčok

As announced, on August 21, river and rafting enthusiasts, rafters from all over the Balkans and their guests gathered on the Tara River to mark the “Weekend for Rivers” supported by WWF Adria and the International Rafting Federation. The gathering sought to raise the voice for local rivers and pointing out the importance of preserving the Tara River and all its values that are in danger of being lost if the proposed development of hydropower continues.

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APTAE joins the IRF as an Associate member

21 Aug 2021 06:00 AM

The Peruvian Association of Adventure Tourism, Ecotourism and Specialised Tourism (APTAE) is the guild of adventure tourism in Peru. They are the Peruvian union that aims to disseminate, encourage and promote adventure tourism, ecotourism and specialised tourism in the country. We welcome them as Associate Members.

APTAE History

APTAE was born on October 29, 1981 with a group of businessmen who decided to represent the tourist activities that were emerging in the 70’s that needed to be recognised and promoted, such as walking, boating, climbing, among others.

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International Whitewater Hall of Fame and IRF honour RAFA

18 Aug 2021 09:42 AM

Rafael Gallo’s communities ask friends to support the projects he loved – International Whitewater Hall of Fame and IRF honour RAFA (Rivers And Forests Alliance).

The World River Centre and International Whitewater Hall of Fame (IWHOF), the International Rafting Federation and Rivers and Forests Alliance (RAFA) have announced a campaign to further the work and passion of Rafael Gallo, IRF Honorary President, conservationist and adventure tourism innovator, who lost his battle with pancreatic cancer earlier this year.

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Weekend for rivers – Balkan rafters remind us of the importance of valuing Europe’s last free-flowing rivers

10 Aug 2021 12:04 PM

Imagine rafting on cool, turquoise waters down a deep canyon on a hot summer day. This is exactly what hundreds of river lovers and rafting enthusiasts will do on August 21st. By navigating the fast waters of the Tara River, rafters from across the Balkans will celebrate rivers in the first ‘Weekend for Rivers’ festival, hosted by KES “Pustolov” Rafting Club and Rafting Center “Tara-Raft”, supported by WWF Adria and the IRF.

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Are You Ready for White Water of Siberia 2021?

04 Aug 2021 02:41 AM

This month, Russia will again host the International Cultural and Sports Rafting Forum “White Water of Siberia 2021” – the 6th time for this uniting event. It will take place on the territory of the Tomsk Region and the Altai Republic from August 16 to 25, 2021.

More than 86 applications have already been submitted for participation in this unique international project. Participants from such countries as: Armenia, Albania, Kazakhstan, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Palestine, Israel, Uzbekistan, India, Russia – claim to be among the 50 participants in the project.

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We welcome our new GTE Committee members

02 Aug 2021 06:00 AM

Despite the pandemic, the IRF’s Guide Training & Education (GTE) System has continued to grow in leaps and bounds across the globe. In order to keep up with the changing GTE environment, we regularly review the make up of the GTE Committee and so it is with great pleasure we welcome our new GTE Committee members.

The GTE Committee is still lead by Gáspár Göncz, IRF 2nd Vice President, and extensively supported by Mark Hirst of Lapin Koskikoulu as our GTE Secretary.

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