The newly elected Executive Board Member of the United Rafting Federation (URF), William Kariuki Mwangi, who is the sole representative of the African continent on the newly formed global rafting governing body, is optimistic that his election will help grow and expand the sport of rafting across more African countries.
“I want to utilize this opportunity to champion the continent’s interests and help grow the sport in Africa. This is a big boost, and it is time to expand rafting from the current 16 African countries to about 30 in the next few years,” said William Mwangi, Secretary General of the Kenya Rafting Federation (KRF) and Executive Member of URF.
“This is a big step. Rafting is still a relatively new sport in Kenya and the federation itself is still very young. However, the confidence that the United Rafting Federation has shown in us by awarding Kenya the opportunity to host the 2026 Rafting World Cup Series is a major boost. By virtue of being on the board, we will also be bidding to host the 2029 World Championships, which are expected to attract more than 40 countries.”
The United Rafting Federation was officially formed on April 21, 2026, following the merger of the World Rafting Federation (WRF) and the International Rafting Federation (IRF) into a single global governing body with participation from 56 countries. The merger also prompted elections for new office bearers.
“My name was forwarded by the African Council, which is the continental body, and I was subsequently elected with the highest possible votes — 56 out of 56 federations. That is how I began my journey serving on the global body as an Executive Member,” added William Kariuki Mwangi.
The Executive Board members, who serve a four-year term, include President Danielo Barmaz (Italy), Treasurer Blerina Ago (Albania), and Board Members William Kariuki Mwangi (Kenya), Hadi Seyed Ghaziasgar (Iran), Gurkan Kose (Türkiye), and Boris Purjakov (Serbia).
The General Board includes representatives from Africa, the Americas, Asia, and Europe, with members from countries such as Colombia, Japan, and France.
