Paracanoe began as an initiative by the International Canoe Federation (ICF) to allow athletes with an impairment to compete in the sport. The discipline featured with exhibition status under the name paddleability at the 2009 Canoe Sprint World Championships in Dartmouth, NS, Canada, and was given official status as paracanoe at the following year’s edition in Poznan, Poland. Later in 2010, the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) announced at a meeting in Guangzhou, People’s Republic of China, that paracanoe would make its debut at the Paralympic Games in 2016 in Rio de Janeiro.

In 2022, paracanoe will make its debut at the Paddle Australia Canoe Marathon Championships. More information coming shortly.

Individuals are categorised into one of three different classes within the disciplines of Kayak (K) and Va’a (V)

Paddle Australia classification information is located HERE.

Visual Guide to classification HERE (downloadable poster).

Exercise for Disability eBook (ESSA – Exercise & Sports Science Australia)