The upcoming year is set to be packed with ICF events and the calendar has been made even busier by the rescheduling of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

As a result of the postponement, athletes will have an opportunity to earn an Olympic and world title in the same year for the first time ever.   

"Last year was such a tough year for everyone involved in our sport, so the opportunity to get out on to the water again this year can’t come soon enough," said Perurena.

"Obviously the health and safety of everyone in our canoeing community remains our number one priority, and we will continue to follow the advice of medical experts and the guidelines of local authorities.

"But if the experts are correct, and new vaccines will allow some return to normality, then we are ready to put on a show like never before. 

"Everyone, from the athletes and event organisers to the hundreds of volunteers around the world, wants to get back to what we do best - putting on outstanding international competitions."

The ICF calendar for 2021 boasts world titles across nearly all disciplines, including the Canoe Sprint and Paracanoe World Championships in Denmark's capital Copenhagen, scheduled for September 16 to 19 and the Canoe Slalom World Championships in Bratislava, due to take place from September 21 to 26. 

These will take place after the Olympic Games in the Japanese capital, scheduled for July 23 to August 8. 

Other events scheduled for this year include the Stand-Up Paddling World Championships in Balatonfüred in Hungary from June 18 to 20, and the Extreme Canoe Slalom World Championships in Bratislava in September, scheduled to run parallel with the Canoe Slalom World Championships. 

World titles are also set to be contested in ocean racing, freestyle, dragon boat club crew, wildwater, marathon and polo disciplines. 

"The forced cancellation or postponement of so many events in 2020 has provided us with a wonderful opportunity in 2021 to showcase the breadth and depth of the paddling world," Perurena said.

"In many cases athletes have had an extra 12 months to prepare for their premiere event, and coupled with their hunger to get back into international competition, we are sure we will see a level of action like never before."