Officials from the Kenya Rafting Federation (KRF) are preparing to travel to Rome next month to officially present Kenya’s bid to host the 2026 World Rafting Championships.
The move comes barely a week after Kenya hosted a successful African Rafting Championship on the Sagana River in Murang’a County, the first of its kind on the continent.
“We’re not just guessing here; we’ve tested these waters,” said KRF Secretary General William Kinuthia, who will lead the delegation to the International Rafting Federation (IRF). “River Sagana is arguably the best rafting course in Africa. It has hosted Olympic qualifiers before, and we’re confident it can take on a world championship.”Last week’s African Championships saw the Kenyan team provide an all-conquering display of winning all the gold medals up for grabs.
The same victory also earned them the sole African slot in this year’s Senior World Rafting Championships, taking place from November 3–9 in San Carlos de Bariloche, Argentina.
“Our performance in Murang’a was not just about winning, it was a message to the world that Kenya is not just participating, but we’re leading," Kinuthia said.The four-day competition brought together teams from 11 different countries.
Kenya came out on top in all key events. Slalom, Downriver, Rx, and Mixed Slalom beat stiff competition and thrilled fans along the banks of the Sagana.
As part of their preparations for Argentina and to keep the momentum alive, the team will head to the East Africa Ocean Rafting Championships in Mombasa this October, before moving to Uganda for more training sessions along the River Nile.
This year’s World Rafting Championship is expected to draw nearly 400 athletes from around 30 countries.
But if all goes well in Rome, the world could be heading to Sagana next year instead.
