2025 ICF Canoe Ocean Racing World Championship race days confirmed

DURBAN – The race schedule for the 2025 ICF Canoe Ocean Racing World Championships was confirmed on Wednesday with the two championship races set for Saturday and Sunday.

The more prestigious singles (SS1) race has been given the prime slot of Sunday, which is predicted to have the best wind and surf conditions within the Friday to Sunday race window. Paddlers will be competing for the World Championship title on a course from the Durban Undersea Club (at the Point Water Sports Club) to Westbrook, about 34 kilometers north of the start.

Sunday's wind is predicted to be a 25-40 km/h south-westerly, which should make for an ideal test of skills, speed and fitness of the world's best ocean racers.

The doubles (SS2) race, which is centred around the Mixed Doubles World Championship event, will see paddlers heading 27km south on Saturday from DUC to Amanzimtoti, in what is predicted to be a north-easterly wind of around 15-20 km/h.

Unofficially the activities kicked off on Sunday with the world's oldest surfski race, the Pirates-Umhlanga-Pirates event providing paddlers with something of a curtain raiser. The official activities began on Monday with the first day of race registration at DUC. Paddlers and officials can pick up their accreditation until Thursday, when the Parade of Nations from DUC at 3pm leads into the Opening Ceremony at uShaka Marine World at 4pm.

Wednesday's decision to hold the races on Saturday and Sunday means Friday is now something of a training day for the paddlers, and the top contenders are likely to spend some time familiarising themselves with the finish venues and making sure they know the landmarks to look out for so as to judge their approach to the beaches on race days.

2025 ICF Canoe Ocean Racing World Championship Schedule

Wednesday
10h00-16h00: Registration office open at DUC
16h00: Team managers meeting
Thursday
09h00-16h00: Registration office open at DUC
14h00: Compulsory pre-race briefing for all participants at DUC
15h00: Parade of Nations at DUC
16h00: Opening Ceremony at uShaka
Saturday
06h00: Check in for SS2 World Championships
08h00: SS2 World Championship – DUC to Amanzimtoti
Sunday
06h00: Check in for SS1 World Championships
09h00: SS1 World Championship
15h00: Medal Ceremony followed by After Party at DUC