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Rafting

Rafting is team paddling in an inflatable raft on whitewater or demanding river sections. In competition, slalom, downriver/sprint, head-to-head or similar formats count depending on federation and event; recreationally, guide, safety briefing, PFD, helmet, water level and team commands are central.

LevelMain sport FamilyPaddlesports Family CategoryWater sport / whitewater

AI-generated illustration: Rafting — AI-generated illustration

Classification

Category Water sport / whitewater

Family Paddlesports Family

Level Main sport

Getting started

Kurzbeschreibung Team paddling in an inflatable raft on whitewater, in races or as a guided trip.

Geeignet für Suitable for people who like water, team commands, outdoor adrenaline and clear safety rules.

Cost A guided beginner trip or club training is more realistic than owning a raft; rental gear is standard. Trip/class fees, PFD/helmet/cold protection, club fees, travel and possible rescue training. Rafting outfitter, whitewater club, paddling club or United Rafting/IRF/ACA-adjacent training. Water level, weather, guide commands and rescue plan are mandatory,…

First progress Team commands in one session; safe river reading and rescue need repetition.

Fitness level medium to high

Was du brauchst

raft
paddle
PFD
helmet
guide/coach
team
cold protection by water
rescue gear

First steps

book guided trip
take safety briefing seriously
practise paddle commands
learn swim/rescue signals
choose easier whitewater grade

Certified rafting outfitter, paddling club, whitewater club or rafting race team.

Run only with PFD, helmet, guide/group, water-level check, weather check and rescue plan.

Weitere Angaben

Tags team, outdoor, water, rafting, water-sport, paddelsport-familie, wassersport-wildwasser, water-sport-whitewater

Rules and format

Die Grundlagen

Ziel

Complete the rafting course as a team safely, legally and, by format, fast or cleanly.

Teilnehmer

Raft team.

Teamgröße

Crew size by raft class/event.

Spielfeld

Whitewater river or whitewater channel.

Dauer

Depends on format and event.

Wertung

Time, gates/penalties, head-to-head and/or overall points.

Gewinnbedingung

Best valid time, placing or score in the announced format.

Ausrüstung

raft
paddle
PFD
helmet
rescue gear

Wichtige Regelpunkte

course/gate error
safety breach
unsporting contact
equipment breach
ignoring guide/briefing

Regelquellen

Federations and sources

Federations

United Rafting
United Rafting (United Rafting)
International Canoe Federation (ICF)

Rafting International Canoe Federation · federation-guide · high
Race Rules International Rafting Federation · rulebook · high
5 beginner tips to know about rafting International Rafting Federation · beginner-guide · medium
Rafting American Canoe Association · federation-guide · high