The ICF Canoe Sprint World Championships are an international event in canoeing, 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 1954 ICF Canoe Sprint World Championships were held in Mâcon, France. This event was held under the auspices of the International Canoe Federation.
The 1958 ICF Canoe Sprint World Championships were held in Prague, Czechoslovakia. This event was held under the auspices of 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 1959 ICF Canoe Slalom World Championships were held in Geneva, Switzerland under the auspices of International Canoe Federation for the second time. It was the 6th edition. The mixed C2 team event was not held at these championships after taking place in the previous one. The Swiss city hosted the championships previously in 1949.
The 1961 ICF Canoe Slalom World Championships were held in Hainsberg, East Germany under the auspices of International Canoe Federation. It was the 7th edition. The women's folding K1 team event was not held at these championships after taking place in the previous one.
The 1965 ICF Canoe Slalom World Championships were held in Spittal an der Drau, Austria under the auspices of International Canoe Federation for the second time in a row after hosting the event previously in 1963. It was the 9th edition. It also marked some changes in which the folding kayak events were replaced by standard kayaks for the men's and women's events. Additionally, the mixed C2 team event returned for the first time since 1957.
The 1973 ICF Canoe Slalom World Championships were held in Muotathal, Switzerland under the auspices of International Canoe Federation. It was the 13th edition. A record nine nations won medals at the championships.
The 1981 ICF Canoe Slalom World Championships were held in Bala, Wales, Great Britain under the auspices of International Canoe Federation. It was the 17th edition. The mixed C2 event was reinstated after not being held at the previous championships.
The 1987 ICF Canoe Slalom World Championships were held in Bourg St.-Maurice, France under the auspices of International Canoe Federation for the second time. It was the 20th edition. Bourg St.-Maurice hosted the event previously in 1969.
The 1995 ICF Canoe Slalom World Championships were held in Nottingham, United Kingdom under the auspices of International Canoe Federation at the Holme Pierrepont National Watersports Centre. It was the 24th edition. Nottingham became the first city to host the canoe slalom and canoe sprint world championships, having hosted the sprint championships previously in 1981.
The 1999 ICF Canoe Slalom World Championships were held in La Seu d'Urgell, Spain under the auspices of International Canoe Federation at the Segre Olympic Park. It was the 26th edition. A record eleven nations won medals at these championships.
The 2002 ICF Canoe Slalom World Championships were held in Bourg St.-Maurice, France under the auspices of International Canoe Federation for the record-tying third time. It was the 27th edition. Bourg St.-Maurice hosted the championships previously in 1969 and 1987, and matches the times hosted by Spittal, Austria and Meran, Italy. Beginning at these championships, this event would be held on an annual basis in non-Summer Olympic years. The 2001 championships were scheduled to take place in Ducktown, Tennessee in September that year on the canoe slalom course used for the 1996 Summer Olympics in neighboring Atlanta, but were cancelled in the wake of the September 11 attacks.
The 2007 ICF Canoe Slalom World Championships were held in Foz do Iguaçu, Brazil under the auspices of International Canoe Federation. It was the 31st edition.
The ICF World Junior and U23 Canoe Slalom Championships are an annual international canoeing and kayaking event organized by the International Canoe Federation (ICF). The Junior World Championships were first held in 1986 and then every two years until 2012. The Under-23 category has been added to the program in 2012. Since then the championships have been held annually. Athletes under the age of 18 are eligible for the junior category.
