About the ICF Canoe Freestyle World Champs 2021

What is Freestyle?

Freestyle is a dynamic discipline where competitors aim to score points for tricks and flips on a set water feature.

Points are awarded for each different rotation during a timed choreographed routine, and bonus points can be gained for how deep and how long the boat can be kept under water during a mystery move.

If you are new to paddlesports then check out our Guide to Canoe Freestyle Moves blog here. It will give you a good grounding in what to look out for.

Holme Pierrepont boasts some of the best features in the world, so expect to see some high scores.

About the 2022 ICF Canoe Freestyle World Championships

Held every two years, the ICF Canoe Freestyle World Champs is the pinnacle of the ICF freestyle calendar.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2022 World Championship was postponed but we look forward to watching the action between 27 June and 2 July 2022. The event will see over 200 of the world’s best freestylers from more than 25 countries come together at the National Watersports Centre in Nottingham, England to battle it out across nine events.

  • MK1 Men’s Kayak
  • MK1J Men’s Kayak Junior
  • WK1 Women’s Kayak
  • WK1J Women’s Kayak Junior
  • MC1 Men’s Canoe Decked
  • WC1 Women’s Decked Canoe
  • XOC1 Open Canoe
  • MK1SQ Men’s Kayak Squirt
  • WK1SQ Women’s Kayak Squirt

We are aware many people will have concerns over the impact of COVID-19.  We will continue to review the possible implications and mitigations we can put in place to protect athletes, volunteers and spectators and make this the safest event possible.

The British Canoeing Events Team

Legacy & Festival

The Freestyle World Championships is not just about the competitors. We want to ensure that there is a lasting legacy to the event.

We want to ensure local people, paddlers from across the country, and competitors from around the world, are inspired to do more. Through the event we will:

  1. Deliver a festival of paddlesport providing a whole host of competitions for paddlers and have a go sessions for those new to the sport
  2. Inspire existing and aspiring freestyle paddlers to develop in the sport
  3. Provide opportunities for school groups and young people to see the sport, engage in paddlesports and access a range of physical activities
  4. Support the development of local clubs and coaches to maximise local participation

The details of these projects will be announced in the coming months but if you would like to find out more or to get involved with these as part of the ICF Canoe Freestyle World Championships then please contact events@britishcanoeing.org.uk.