During the last months the WRF Training Guide Programme Commission worked on the structure and contents of our Training Programme, appointing its details, and shared the fundamental steps during an e-conference where National Training Responsibles and Presidents took part in November.
After the initial greetings of the WRF President Danilo Barmaz, Francesco Fiorini, WRF Sport and competitions Commission member, introduced Mr. Xavier Postiaux from Belgium and Mr. Christian Huenchuleo from Chile, responsible and member respectively of the WRF Training Guide Programme Commission, and experienced rafting guides.
Mr. Xavier Postiaux, rafting guide since 1996.
He worked and paddled on the rivers of Europe, Iceland, Russia, Nepal, Canada, Peru and Chile.
The present situation counts about 20 National Training Responsible. This pivotal figure is in charge to schedule the training of the river guide and coach on the whole national territory, to train the instructors, to guarantee the maintenance of the standards laid down by the WRF Commissions in accordance with the local structures. The National Training Responsible is also the appointed interlocutor with the WRF Training Commission, cooperating in the international fields.
The aim of the WRF concerning this issue is to rise the number of the National Training Responsible to 39, the current members of the World Rafting Federation, without replacing the local organisation but sharing experiences and knowledges that will give an input to designate strategic points. Our river world will not grow up “from above”: there are not WRF instructors, WRF guides or WRF coaches; the WRF Training Commission indeed supports the training of instructors on request from the members, providing documents, workshops and any help it can get to the National Federation. The WRF Executive Board, that monthly calls a virtual but critical meeting due to the current pandemic situation, reiterates the philosophical will to share and cooperate.
Four starting points named “WRF Center of Excellence” show the strategic significance of building a network.
Huenchuleo Christian from Chile, President of the National Federation and Co-manager of the WRF Training Programme Commission, is working on the WRF Centre at the UFRO (Universidad de la Frontera) in Pucon, where he is already an instructor and the training manager of the white water activities.
Mr. Huenchuleo Christian is also a member of the National Rafting Team.
In India, the President of the Indian Rafting Foundation Shaukat Pal Sing Sikand is preparing the Centre of Excellence that will organise the next Asian Rafting Championship: the Grajretreat Resort (Himachal Pradesh state), in the middle of the Himalayas, is ready to host a great competition on the III+ level river Beas.
WRF President Danilo Barmaz and Mr. Shaukat Pal Sing Sikand from India
In June 2021 the World Rafting Championship will be held in L’argentière La Bessée. The WRF Centre, inaugurated in February 2019, gave birth to the Agonistic Rafting in France: the first National Rafting Championship in history took place there, 3 months later.
L’Argentière La Bessée on Durance river, in the middle of the French Alps
Last, and definitely not least, Sarapiqui Paddle Sports represents the Centre of Excellence of Costa Rica. The already structured organisation is the result of the 27 years of experience in organising river adventures and will give a fundamental input to the rafting movement in Central America.
Sarapiqui Paddle Sports since 1993: exploration and education
The WRF Training Programme for River Guide and Coach is available on our website and exposes the minimum standards required for the training of instructors, river guides and coaches, analysing the double aspect of rafting: the leisure activity and the sport.
The documents about the training structure and the pathway to become an instructor are available in the “River Guide” section on the WRF website.
WRF would also like to invite who is keen on rafting and its development to take a look at our website and consider the opportunity to go forward with our movement: do not hesitate to contact us, we can support each other!
