International Rafting Federation instructor and assessor Zach Basset is in the country to train local river guides and oversee Kenya’s rafting standards ahead of next month’s Rafting World Cup Series.
“I’m here in Kenya to help improve qualification standards throughout rafting in the country and also provide water safety support for the World Cup.
I have met a lot of participants preparing for the World Cup so far, and these guys are training hard and really pushing themselves. I’m excited to see how they perform. I also had the opportunity to go out with some of the guides, and in the next couple of weeks I’m looking forward to bringing together rafting guides from across Kenya and introducing this new qualification system. It will provide them with qualifications that reflect their skill levels, which will support them in areas such as legal work, insurance, and hopefully create opportunities for them to work internationally as well,” said Basset.
The United Rafting Federation (URF) outlines global standards for competitive racing, team composition, age limits, and required safety equipment. This aims to ensure fair play, international consistency, and hazard mitigation across all sanctioned river events.
“We intend to establish a framework. We already have one internationally through United Rafting, which is helping bring the sport together and set the required standards and skill levels.
Like any profession, there has to be a basic skill set. Can you perform? Can you maneuver a raft correctly down a particular grade of river? Rivers range from Grade 1 to Grade 6, with Grade 6 being unrunnable. But beyond that, can you keep people safe? Can you make it a fun and enjoyable experience? Can you continue protecting the rivers you work in?
There’s so much more to rafting, including rescue work. People falling out and swimming in the river is part of what we do. We want to be part of the river, but guides need to be able to maneuver not only their boats but also rescue each other and take care of themselves while in the water,” added Basset.
“The race course is going to be really exciting. It’s super cool. Today on the Tana River, we had the chance to go to the upper section and run some of the main drops and falls, which are within the Class 4 range. Everyone was having an amazing time — there were cheers and excitement all around. The guides were energetic, high-fiving each other, and there were big smiles everywhere. It’s an excellent section of whitewater.
I’m really looking forward to taking the students and the guides already working here out onto the river and simply enjoying it, because that’s what we do.”
The Rafting World Cup Series will be held at Rapids Camp, Sagana, from 6th–12th July 2026. A total of 32 countries are expected to participate, with 19 competing nations having already confirmed attendance.
