The world is back in the Balkans for the 2022 World Rafting Championships
With great pleasure the International Rafting Federation invited nationally selected teams from across the globe to compete in the official World Rafting Championships 2022, Banja Luka, Republika Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The iconic Kastel Fortress (Тврђава Кастел) once again welcomed teams from across the globe. Home to the 2009 IRF World Rafting Championships and 2015 & 2019 IRF European Rafting Championships, Banja Luka opened its doors for two weeks in the summer of 2022.
News:
- First day of racing concludes at WRC 2022
- A magical night that enchanted Banja Luka
- World Rafting Champs LIVE blog for the latest information!
- Gallo, the good spirit of the Vrbas
- Where to follow WRC 2022
- Debut of Mongolian Open Women’s team
- History of rafting on Vrbas began in 2003
- 65 teams have registered for World Rafting Champs 2022
Draft schedule:
May 24 (Tue) DAY 0 – Registration (optional)
10.00 – 20.00 Registration: RC Kanjon
May 25 (Wed) DAY 1- Registration
09.00 – 18.00 Registration: RC Kanjon
19.00 Captains meeting: RC Kanjon
May 26 (Thu) DAY 2 – Opening Ceremony
09.00 – 12.00 Official Training (H2H): Bijeli buk
21.00 – 22.30 Opening ceremony: City Bridge – Kastel Fortress
May 27 (Fri) DAY 3 – SPRINT
11.00 – 13:30. Sprint – all categories: Bijeli buk
14.00 – 16.15 H2H – Master: Bijeli buk
16:45 – 17:45 Medal Ceremony (Sprint all categories and H2H Master): Bijeli buk
20.00 Captain’s meeting: RC Kanjon
May 28 (Sat) DAY 4 – H2H
11.00 – 15:00. H2H – U19, U23, Open: Bijeli buk
15:30 – 16:30 Medal Ceremony (H2H U19, U23, Open): Bijeli buk
20.00 Captains meeting: RC Kanjon
May 29 (Sun) DAY 5 – Slalom
14.00 – 18.00 Slalom – U19, U23, Master: Canyon Tijesno
19.00 – 22.00 Slalom – Open: Canyon Tijesno
May 30 (Mon) DAY 6 – Transport to Foča
09:30 Medal Ceremony (Slalom): Kastel Fortress City Centre
10.30 Transport to Foča (River Tara)
20.00 Captains meeting: Tara River Camp
May 31 (Tue) DAY 7 – Official Training Downriver
10.00 – 17.00 Official Training (DR): River Tara
Jun 01 (Wed) DAY 8 – Downriver Race – Tara
10.00 Downriver: Tara River
18:30 Medal Ceremony (Downriver & Overall): Tara River Camp
20.30 Closing Ceremony IRF WRC 2022
Teams competing:
22 Countries, 61 teams
- Open Men (15)
- Argentina
- Australia
- Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Brazil
- Croatia
- Czechia
- Germany
- Great Britain
- Hungary
- Japan
- Kazakhstan
- Mongolia
- Romania
- Serbia
- Slovenia
- Open Women (14)
- Argentina
- Australia
- Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Bulgaria
- Canada
- Croatia
- Czechia
- Great Britain
- Hungary
- Japan
- Mongolia
- Romania
- Slovakia
- USA
- Masters Men (10)
- Argentina
- Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Brazil
- Costa Rica
- Czechia
- Great Britain
- Hungary
- Latvia
- Romania
- Slovakia
- Masters Women (6)
- Argentina
- Canada
- Czechia
- Indonesia
- Mongolia
- Slovakia
- U23 Men (8)
- Australia
- Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Costa Rica
- Croatia
- Czechia
- Japan
- Romania
- Slovenia
- U23 Women (4)
- Canada
- Indonesia
- Japan
- Slovakia
- U19 Men (2)
- Croatia
- Czechia
- U19 Women (2)
- Czechia
- USA
Media:
Daily updates: Regular updates will be made where internet connection makes it possible. Updates will be posted during the event on the IRF’s Facebook page, website, Instagram and Twitter.
Results: Published on the dedicated results page here and in daily articles posted on this and the IRF’s website, and social media updates.
Media Kit: Information for media:
- History of the International Rafting Federation
- General Info about IRF: The IRF is a non-profit organisation which seeks to unite rafters from around the world. This is done through competitions, recreational rafting and conservation. The IRF has an 11 man BOD and a large number of sub-committees which run its affairs. The key sub-committees are Sport & Competition, Guide Training & Education, Recreational Rafting and Conservation, Media & Marketing and International Relations. The members of these committees are from all over the world, representing rafting from all corners and continents.
- IRF World Rafting Champs – History and disciplines of the WRC
- Press: media@internationalrafting.com
- Photos and videos: here
Key details:
Dates: 25 May – 01 June 2022
River: Vrbas & Tara
Location: Banja Luka and Foča, Republika Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Categories: Men and Women
Divisions: Open, Masters (40+), Under 19, Under 23
Rafts: R4, TimeTrial 420
Organisation host: Rafting Klub Kanjon
Contact details: registration@wrc.ba
Useful links:
Key Officials:
Event Director: Alexander Pastir
Race Director: Alexander Pastir
Safety Director: Radoslav Kaurin
Team Liaison: Dragan Babic
IRF President: Joseph Willis Jones
IRF Secretary General: Sue Liell-Cock
IRF Safety Representative: Robert Kazik
IRF Media Representative: Sean Clarke
Jury:
- Eric Boudreau (CAN
) – Head Judge - Emilia Peneva (BUL
) – Jury - Jozef Kytka (SVK
) – Jury
Official Judges:
- Petra Plecita (CZE 🇨🇿)
- Kianoosh Mehrabi (IRN
) - Jasmina Marčok (SRB / ROU
/ 
) - Johana Arguello (CRC
) - Janko Tavcar (SLO
) - Jordanka Bogdanova (BUL )
- Hanieh Goharipour (IRN )
- Damir Kostic (SRB )
- Bibiana Kytkova (SVK )
- Dragan Sretenovic (SRB )
- Marina Naydenova (BUL )
- Uros Lovrencic (SLO )
- Sean Clarke (GBR / AUS 🇬🇧 /
)
Volunteer Judges:
- Ivan Simic (SRB )
- Zuzana Rehulkova – Lisicka (CZE 🇨🇿)
- Darko Davidovic (BiH 🇧🇦)
- Judges who complete the Judges course
