The World Rafting Federation’s delegation, composed of the President, Mr. Danilo Barmaz, the Vice President, Mr. Boris Purjakov, the Secretary General, Mr. Matteo Benciolini and the President of the Para-Rafting Commission, Mr. Oleksandr Bakanychev, on the occasion of their visit to the capital of Ukraine, Kiev, have had the opportunity to meet Mr. Yaroslav Voitovych, Minister for Youth and Sport of Ukraine and Mr. Matvij Bidnyi, Director of the department of Physical Culture and Non-Olympic Sports at the Ministry headquarters located right by The Olympic Stadium of Kiev.

During their meeting, the WRF Delegation members and the Ukrainian authorities have discussed about the future of the Ukrainian Rafting Federation.

Mr. Yaroslav, has expressed his desire to support and back the Ukrainian Federation and has expressed the possibility of celebrating rafting competitions in Ukraine in the near future.

The Executive Board of World Rafting Federation (WRF) with the deliberation n. 16/2018 approved the application for the membership of the Mexican Rafting Association. "WRF is glad to see that our international community is growing. This is the first step of a long work for the development of the rafting worldwide" said WRF Trasurer Ms. Blerina Ago during the Executive Board in Dalaman.

The first session of this season, has left us a very clear concept of Rafting for this community; a meeting between friends.

The competition took part last Saturday and Sunday, with new innovations and rules. Cited Nikica Sminderovac: “We are very happy and we do our best to improve this event next year”

“Everyone was glad to be present at this first WRF Event. Slunj is a wonderful place with a very important river: a great spot for all the World Rafting Federation community” said Danilo Barmaz, WRF President.

After this encounter, where the Italians left their first footprint of the season, all the teams belonging to the WRF, will prepare themselves for the next event, which will take place at Rize (Turkey), next May.

Great news from Rize (Ardeşen), where Turkish Rafting Federation is organizing the first WRF World Cup in May (9-14 May 2018).

The President Fikret Yardımcı has signed an important agreement with the local authorities: the entry fee, the accommodation, the feeding and the transportation (from Trabzon Airport TZX - Ardeşen) gonna be FREE.

This represents a great result for the WRF that is working to facilitate the participation of a large number of Nations.

The WRF Vice President Fikret Yardımcı said: “The National teams gonna pay only the flights tickets, all the rest will be paid by the local authorities. It’s an amazing help from them”

The WRF President Barmaz says thank the Governor of Rize Erdoğan Bektaş, the Mayor of Ardeşen Hakan Gültekin, the District Governor of Ardeşen Emrah Yılmaz and President of Turkish Rafting Federation Fikret Yardımcı for the great work.

The WRF Executive Board, during the meeting taken place on 6th April in Dalaman (Turkey), has appointed the President of Ukrainian Rafting Federation, Mr. Oleksandr Bakanychev, as President of the WRF Pararafting Commission. The Pararafting is a strategic activity in the development of the rafting worldwide.

Rafting in fact is accessible to disabled persons and persons with reduced mobility (the physically disabled, the visually impaired and the blind). As a team sport, it represents a possibility of inclusion and involvement. The same kind of sport format, developed for the able bodied, is suitable for disabled persons, on the understanding that, for safety reasons, there are one or more able bodied river guides/athletes on board.

Next weekend, it is going to celebrate the European Cup, which is the first competition of the season. It will take place in Croatia days 16, 17, 18, specifically in Slunj, Rastoke and Kroana River.

This event has a special importance, considering that is the first to add the new competition format, RX, and the use of one pole in the Slalom gates.

Compete category R4, Masculine, Feminine, and Mix (only in RX). This event is open to no-WRF Teams.

The Executive Board of World Rafting Federation (WRF) with the deliberation n. 16/2018approved the application for the membership of Kazakhstan Rafting Federation. The President of Kazakhstan Federation, Mr. Maxim Zimin, signed the application for the membership during a crowded press conference in Dalaman for the presentation of the National Turkish Cup. WRF Danilo Barmaz said "We are honored to have Mr. Zimin among us and to welcome Kazakhstan Rafting Federation; it can represent the turning point in the development of WRF in Asia."

According to the Art. 32 of the WRF Statutes, a meeting of the WRF Executive Board will be held on 6th April 2018 at 8.30 p.m. in the city of Dalaman (Turkey) during the Turkish National Championship where also any different international teams are going to compete (Russia, Bulgaria, Georgia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Iran, Mongolia, Ukraine, Serbia, Kazakistan and Italy).

The main topics on the agenda are the approval of the Sport Rules, the Judges Handbook and the Justice Rules, but also the development of rafting in the international sport community. This meeting will be the second Executive Board in 2018.

On Friday, January 26 , 2018, representatives from 15 different countries (3 continent) reunited in Belgrade, Serbia, to sign the official act that created the new world governing body for sport rafting, the World Rafting Federation (WRF).

In presence of Mr. Ivo Ferriani, IOC member and President of the International Bobsleigh and Skeleton Federation (IBSF), the new WRF board was approved by the present members: Mr. Danilo Barmaz (Italy) was unanimously chosen as President of the newly born federation. Mr. Barmaz declared that “The creation of a new world federation was the natural outcome of the feelings and intentions that most of the rafting community was manifesting. The path toward a real international recognition is now paved in front of us: we just need to walk it”.

The WRF congress will continue on Saturday, January 27, with the first meeting of the new board of directors and the beginning of the work of the commissions, with the main goal of defining the sport calendar for the upcoming season.