the essential
From July 8 to 13, 2025, Foix will organize the canoe-kayak world championships on its natural whitewater site at Rébech.
The summer sporting event is being prepared in Foix. At the beginning of July, from 8 to 13, the canoe-kayak world championships will be organized in the county town, on the natural Rébech basin. In total, more than 600 competitors, from 50 different countries, will participate in the Junior and U23 Worlds.
350,000 euros of work on the water stadium
Since its creation in the 1990s, the Rébech whitewater site has become a “mecca for canoeing and kayaking” in France. “Here, we are on a natural basin,” explains Fabien Guichou, sports assistant at Foix town hall and in charge of organizing these junior and U23 world championships. “It’s increasingly rare in such competitions to have a natural pool.”
After the last world championships organized in 2010, the site underwent a small renovation. “350,000 euros of work has been carried out to improve the site and also respect all the standards required to host the world championships,” indicates the mayor of the county town, Marine Bordes. Concretely, two important projects are being addressed: that of the site itself and that of the banks.
Also read:
Ariège: the Rébech site in Foix will host the canoe-kayak world championships in 2025
In addition to offering an exceptional site for young athletes, some of whom will aim to participate in the next Olympic Games in 2028 in Los Angeles, kayak cross will offer a real challenge to the organizers. “We will have to make the starting structure for the event ourselves, which caused a sensation at the last Olympics. Our technical services will take care of its creation.” The deputy mayor hopes, even if it is dismantled at the end of the world championships, that the structure can be reused in the long term, in particular to allow the arrival of French teams in the discipline during preparation courses, for example.
The Jean Surre playground monopolized from June 23
In the last weeks before the competition, which will see the competitors immersed in Ariège from July 2 for the first training sessions, the Jean Surre playground will be closed to associations. “The area will be inaccessible in order to install the site, the networks (water, electricity, etc.) as well as the stands. There is about a week and a half of preparation,” says Fabien Guichou.
Moreover, among the three stands which will be installed near the Ariège river, one of them will require the removal of the fencing of two tennis courts nearby. “We had to change them anyway,” jokes the sports assistant. “More seriously, this will allow the creation of a ‘VIP’ zone so that partners can meet their colleagues.”
Also read:
Foix: the Rebech whitewater stadium is getting a makeover before important deadlines
Beyond the area near Ariège, the entire plain will become the world championship village. “Where there is the parking lot, it will be the partners’ village and a sort of local producers’ market in order to introduce spectators to local products,” explains Fabien Guichou. “There will be entertainment areas around the tennis and padel courts. In collaboration with the departmental tennis committee, we are planning an activity to introduce visitors to these disciplines.”
A global competition which will be accessible free of charge for all. Up to 2,500 spectators per day are expected on the Jean Surre playground. The opening ceremony will take place on July 7, and the world championships will begin the next day with the kayak cross event in the Rébech whitewater basin.
Search for volunteers and partners
For the smooth running of the event, which will be followed around the world thanks to a live broadcast, the organizing committee will launch, between now and April, a call for volunteers. “We need around 300 volunteers,” says the sports assistant of the county town. Obviously, they will be able to rely on members of the local canoe-kayak club, but they will undoubtedly need more hands to manage all the centers of activity.
On the other hand, in order to achieve World Championships that live up to their ambition, the organizers need partners. If their absence will not prevent the hosting of the Worlds, their support will make it possible to organize a larger-scale event. “I am thinking in particular of the broadcast of the event and the installation of a TV set in order to produce a sort of analysis program of the Worlds. Without partners, this will not be possible.” Offers are available. More information on 06 32 64 54 85 or by email at [email protected].
