Preparations are in the final stages ahead of the World Rafting World Cup Series, set to take place in Sagana from July 5 to 12, with the Kenya Rafting Federation expressing confidence that the country is ready to host one of the biggest rafting events ever staged on the continent.
The championship is expected to attract participants and officials from 35 countries, with teams from 19 nations competing on the white waters of River Sagana.
Kenya Rafting Federation National Treasurer Ibrahim Mbogo Mwangi told Sporty Monday programme, Citizen TV, that organisers have finalised key logistical arrangements, while Team Kenya has completed its preparations for the competition.
“We are ready as Team Kenya, and even as officials we have done our best to ensure everything is in place,” Mwangi said. “We have a young team, and this competition presents a great opportunity for them to grow by competing against some of the best athletes in the world.”
The Kenyan team was selected during recent national trials held in Sagana and will be looking to build on last year’s success at the African Championships.
Beyond the competition, the federation believes hosting the World Cup Series will elevate the profile of rafting, a sport that has existed in Kenya for decades but has largely been associated with adventure tourism.
Secretary General William Kariuki Kinuthia said rafting has been practised in Kenya for nearly 40 years, primarily as a commercial tourism activity, before the federation was established in 2024 to promote it as a competitive sport.
“For many years, rafting was known as a tourism product. We formed the federation because we wanted Kenya to compete internationally and gain recognition for rafting as an official sport.”
Kinuthia said Sagana was selected because it meets international competition standards. The course was certified by the International Canoe Federation during preparations for the 2008 African Olympic canoeing qualifiers and remains Kenya’s only internationally approved white-water venue.
He added that although the federation has identified several other rivers with the potential to host competitions, expanding the sport remains challenging due to infrastructure requirements and land ownership along river corridors.
“You need more than suitable rapids. International competitions require changing rooms, sanitation facilities, reliable access roads and other amenities before a venue can be approved.”
The federation also views rafting as a platform for youth development and job creation. According to Mwangi, the sport offers opportunities beyond competition, including coaching, river guiding and sports tourism, while complementing the Competency-Based Curriculum by providing alternative pathways for young people to develop their talents.
Officials, however, acknowledged that the high cost of specialised equipment remains one of the biggest barriers to the sport’s growth. A competition raft costs about USD2, 000, while commercial rafts range between USD 5,000 and USD 10,000. A professional paddle costs approximately USD500, making the sport expensive to establish and expand.
The federation credited the State Department for Sports for supporting preparations for the World Cup event and called on Kenyans to attend the championship and experience the sport first-hand.
“We want people to come to Sagana and experience rafting for themselves,” Mwangi said. “This is more than just a competition; it is an opportunity to showcase Kenya and introduce more people to a sport with enormous potential.”
