ICF announces host for 2023 SUP world championships

The 2023 International Canoe Federation Stand Up Paddling World Championships will be held in Pattaya, Thailand.

The ICF and the Rowing and Canoe Association of Thailand reached agreement following this month’s Congress to host next year’s world titles on the scenic beaches of Pattaya. The championships are likely to be held in November.

The decision to host in Thailand continues the successful push by the ICF to embrace the global reach of stand up paddling. Previous ICF world championships have been held in China, Hungary and Poland.

The titles will once again feature sprint, long distance and technical races, as well as the popular inflatables contests. There are also plans to stage a one design race, with details to be announced soon.

The RCAT organisers are promising to put on a SUP festival both on and off the water, with beach parties and local performers supporting a world-class competition featuring the best athletes on the planet.

“The City of Pattaya has no end of beautiful beaches available to host our world championships, which provides us with endless possibilities for exciting ocean racing,” ICF SUP coordiator, Hoichan Kwon, said.

“We were impressed with the enthusiasm and vision of the RCAT during our ICF Congress this month, and have absolutely no doubt they will put on a tremendous show.

“We are also excited because Thailand is also home to many prominent SUP brands, including our valuable partner, Starboard. This should remove a lot of the logistical stress involved in transporting boards.

“Our athletes expect the very best at our world championships, and we can confidently say the 2023 titles will continue our history of hosting a top-class competition.”

The ICF will soon announce details of the 2023 SUP world ranking calendar, which will provide athlete qualification pathways.