Welcome to the ICF Freestyle World Championships 2009!

At the end of August 2009, about 400 of the world's best freestyle kayakers will gather in Thun to compete against one another in the Freestyle World Championships 2009. They come from all over the world to Switzerland, willing to risk it all for this competition.

The city of Thun, with it's very impressive Scherzligschleuse, offers a unique platform for the Freestyle World Championships. The wave of Thun is only rideable after the flood gates have been properly adjusted. The adjustment of the gates to form a surfable wave is performed only once a year: last time for the VW Multivan River Jam 2008. Which means that all the athletes compete under the same conditions, without any advantages for anybody.

Since 1997, various freestyle events have taken place here. A few examples are the European Championships in 2002, the Mammut Masters in 2003, or the World Cup Finals 2008. For five long years, since 2004, a by now very experienced, young team has been planning the World Championships 2009 in Thun.

The city of Thun with it's many historic and beautiful sights is located right at the foot of the alps. The nearby Lake of Thun offers wonderful places to relax and tons of possibilities for freestyle sports or other activities.

The Organisation Committee intends to set up a unique wild-water-arena in the middle of this beautiful city. Numerous cultural highlights and freestyle shows are going to take place, as well as different concerts and parties in the evenings, where everyone is welcome!

Besides sports and culture, sustainability is a very important matter to the organizers of this unique event. By integrating classes from schools all across Switzerland, we want to pass on knowledge about the environment and the importance of the sustainable use of it's resources to our future generations, our kids!

More information and updates about the ICF THUN 2009 will follow soon.

STAY TUNED!

* Current World Freestyle Champion: Eric "EJ" Jackson (USA), World Cup Finals 2008, VM Multivan River Jam, Thun