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.
Paracanoe classification is the classification system for paracanoe. It consists of three categories KL1, KL2 and KL3. Paracanoe will be included for the first time at the 2016 Rio Paralympics. The sport is governed by the International Canoe Federation.
Charlotte Sarah Henshaw is a British Paralympic full-time athlete across multiple disciplines. Originally a swimmer, she changed to canoeing from 2017, becoming the reigning World champion in the KL2 (five-time) and VL3 (three-time) 200m events. In September 2021, at the delayed 2020 Summer Paralympics in Tokyo, she became a Paralympic champion at her fourth games, winning the Women's KL2 event.
Curtis Wain McGrath, is an Australian paracanoeist and former soldier. He took up canoeing competitively after both of his legs were amputated as a result of a mine blast while serving with the Australian Army in Afghanistan. McGrath won consecutive gold medals in the Men's KL2 at the 2016 Rio and 2020 Tokyo Paralympics, and has won ten gold medals and a silver at ICF Paracanoe World Championships between 2014 and 2019.
Amanda Jane "AJ" Jennings is an Australian paracanoeist who has won two gold medals at the ICF Canoe Sprint World Championships. She won a silver medal in the Women's 200m KL3 at the 2016 Rio Paralympics.
Paracanoe is canoeing for athletes with a range of physical disabilities. The Paralympic version of the sport is governed by the International Canoe Federation (ICF), and a va'a-specific variant is governed by the International Va'a Federation (IVF).
The 2015 ICF Canoe Sprint World Championships, the 41st edition of the World Championships, were held from 19–23 August 2015 in Milan, Italy.
Susan Seipel is an Australian Para-canoeist, a gold and bronze medallist in kayak and outrigger canoe at the 2015 and 2016 World Championships. She won a bronze medal at the 2016 Rio Paralympics and a silver medal at the 2020 Summer Paralympics.
The KL3 class is for paracanoe paddlers with trunk function and partial leg function. A KL3 class paddler should be able to sit within a forward flexed position. Paddlers use a foot board or the seat to propel the boat. Eligible paddlers typically meet one of the following:
The KL 2 class is for paracanoe paddlers with partial leg and trunk function alongside good arm strength. A KL2 class paddler should be able to sit upright within the kayak but may require a backrest. These athletes may be able to use a footboard to propel the canoe depending on leg function. Eligible paddlers typically meet one of the following:
The KL1 Class is for paracanoe paddlers who have very limited or no trunk function and no leg function. A KL1 class paddler is able to apply force predominantly using the arms and/or shoulders. These athletes will likely also have poor sitting balance and typically need a seat with a high backrest. Eligible paddlers typically meet one of the following:
Dylan Littlehales is an Australian paracanoeist. He competed for Australia at the 2016 Rio Paralympics and 2020 Tokyo Paralympics.
The 2016 Canoe Sprint European Championships was the 28th edition of the Canoe Sprint European Championships, an international sprint canoe/kayak and paracanoe event organised by the European Canoe Association, held in Moscow, Russia, between 24 and 26 June 2016.
The 2017 ICF Canoe Sprint World Championships, the 43rd edition of the World Championships, were held in Račice, Czech Republic, from 23 to 27 August 2017.
The 2016 ICF Paracanoe World Championships was held in Duisburg, Germany, from 17 to 19 May 2016. This event, which is usually part of the ICF Canoe Sprint World Championships, was held separately as the latter is not held in Olympic years. It shared the venue with, and was held concurrently with the 2016 European Canoe Sprint Olympic Qualifier tournament.
The 2018 ICF Canoe Sprint World Championships, the 44th edition of the World Championships, were held in Montemor-o-Velho, Portugal, from 22 to 26 August 2018.
The 2019 ICF Canoe Sprint World Championships, the 45th edition of the World Championships, were held in Szeged, Hungary from 21 to 25 August 2019.
The 2019 Paracanoe European Championships was held in Poznań, Poland, from 21 to 22 May 2019. This event, which is usually part of the Canoe Sprint European Championships, was held separately as the ECA chose not to organise said event because of the European Games.
The 2021 ICF Canoe Sprint World Championships were held from 16 to 19 September 2021 in Copenhagen, Denmark.
Scott Martlew is a New Zealand Para canoeist from Christchurch, New Zealand, who represented his country at the 2016 and 2020 Summer Paralympics.
