The ICF Canoe Sprint World Championships are an international event in canoe racing, one of two Summer Olympic sport events organized by the International Canoe Federation. The World Championships have taken place every non-Olympic year since 1970 and officially included paracanoe events since 2010; since 2012, paracanoe-specific editions of this event have been held in Summer Paralympic years.
The 1938 ICF Canoe Sprint World Championships were held in Vaxholm, Sweden, outside Stockholm, between 6–7 August 1938. This event was held under the auspices of the Internationale Repräsentantenschaft Kanusport (IRK), founded in 1924 and the forerunner of the International Canoe Federation.
The 1948 ICF Canoe Sprint World Championships were held in London, Great Britain. This event was held under the auspices of the International Canoe Federation, formed in 1946 from the Internationale Repräsentantenschaft Kanusport (IRK).
The 1950 ICF Canoe Sprint World Championships were held in Copenhagen, Denmark. This event was held under the International Canoe Federation.
The 1963 ICF Canoe Sprint World Championships were held in Jajce, Yugoslavia. This event was held under the auspices of the International Canoe Federation.
The 1970 ICF Canoe Sprint World Championships were held in Copenhagen, Denmark for the second time after hosting the event in 1950. This event was held under the auspices of the International Canoe Federation. Beginning at these championships, the event would be held on an annual basis in non-Summer Olympic years, a tradition that continues as of 2009.
The 1973 ICF Canoe Sprint World Championships were held in Tampere, Finland.
The 1974 ICF Canoe Sprint World Championships were held in Mexico City, Mexico in neighboring Xochimilco. This marked the first time the championships took place outside Europe. As of 2009, all championships have taken place either in Europe or North America. The lake was where the canoeing and rowing events took place for the 1968 Summer Olympics.
The 1977 Canoe Sprint World Championships were held in Sofia, Bulgaria.
The 1978 ICF Canoe Sprint World Championships were held in Belgrade, Yugoslavia for a record third time. The Yugoslavian city had previously hosted the championships in 1971 and 1975.
The 1982 ICF Canoe Sprint World Championships were held in Belgrade, Yugoslavia for the record fourth time. The Yugoslavian city had host the championships previously in 1971, 1975, and 1978.
The 1983 ICF Canoe Sprint World Championships were held in Tampere, Finland for the second time. The Finnish city had host the championships previously in 1973.
The 1989 ICF Canoe Sprint World Championships were held in Plovdiv, Bulgaria.
The 1990 ICF Canoe Sprint World Championships were held in Poznań, Poland on Lake Malta.
The 1991 ICF Canoe Sprint World Championships were held in Paris, France.
The 1993 ICF Canoe Sprint World Championships were held in Copenhagen, Denmark for the third time. The Danish city had hosted the event previously in 1950 and 1970.
The 1994 ICF Canoe Sprint World Championships were held in Mexico City, Mexico for the second time at neighboring Xochimilco. The Mexican city had hosted the event previously in 1974 at the same venue that hosted the canoeing and rowing competitions for the 1968 Summer Olympics.
The 1995 ICF Canoe Sprint World Championships were held in Duisburg, Germany for the third time. The German city had hosted the event previously in 1979 and 1987 when it was part of West Germany.
The 1997 ICF Canoe Sprint World Championships were held in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, Canada on Lake Banook.
The 2002 ICF Canoe Sprint World Championships were held in Seville, Spain.
Sergey Petrenko (URS)
Miklós Darvas (HUN)
Borislav Ananiev (BUL)
Ivan Patzaichin (ROU)
Matija Ljubek (YUG)
Czechoslovakia 
Anke Ohde (GDR)
Poland