HUB Pyrenees Whitewater

ongoing

The HUB Pyrenees Whitewater will be the world reference in whitewater kayaking, being the only centre endorsed by the International Canoe Federation (ICF) for international training and certification of coaches and technicians. This will ensure homogeneous standards of teaching and safety, facilitating professional mobility and consolidating an internationally recognized competence recognition system. With this proposal, Europe is leading this model of specialized HUBs, attracting athletes, federations and active tourism companies, positioning the HUB Pyrenees as the global epicentre of the discipline. Kayaking is not only a sports discipline, but also a driver of employment and economic development, crucial for retaining population in rural areas such as the Pyrenees, where active tourism represents a strategic opportunity to combat depopulation. This HUB will be the first step in an international network of ICF HUBs, establishing a replicable model of management, training and certification . The project is led by La Seu Canoe Club, Pau - Pyrenees Canoe Club the Spanish Federation and the French Canoe Federation, together with University INEFC, which will develop reference methodologies and training materials. The Portuguese Federation also participates in the consortium and will be the first to validate the model, training its staff in the HUB and ensuring its viability before global expansion. Aligned with Erasmus+ Sport, the HUB Pyrenees will combine transversal, personal and specialized training with an interconnected digital platform that will facilitate access to training resources and strengthen cooperation between European HUBs. With this initiative, Europe is not only structuring kayaking as a sport, but is also leading a new model of training and technical development, ensuring a lasting impact on education, employment and development in rural areas.