The EPP Core Group had the privilege of being invited to Warsaw, Poland, for the spring meeting of 2025 by PZKaj – the Polish kayak federation.
We had two days with a full agenda, including topics like the approval of new Bylaws and the approval of a new Framework.
During the meeting, we divided ourselves into three groups that worked on ‘Principles’ in the framework, ‘Leadership and safety’, and ‘Flat water/touring adaptation’.
The economy in EPP is strong, and therefore, we created a facilitator mobility grant, where countries can apply for funding for development projects.
For the yearly election, Christian Jacobsen was re-elected as chairman of EPP, Morten Ib Juul Madsen was re-elected as secretary, and Anders Danielsson was re-elected as treasurer.
While in Poland, we were invited to experience “Zwalka”. Zwalka is a technique developed to pass fallen trees and other obstacles in streams and small rivers without leaving the kayak. We went over beaver dams and rolled over fallen trees – an exciting experience!
Fun fact: The hotel we stayed in was filled with kayak artifacts. See pictures below.
We hope the meeting in Warsaw, Poland, inspires other countries, including Poland, to become members of the EPP family. When we talked about a prospective membership of PZKaj, we also discussed all the benefits that a membership brings, e.g.:
- Benefits of a bigger organization. The EPP is in talks with the ECA (European Canoe Association) and ICF (International Canoe Federation), which provides a certain level of recognition.
- The EPP can provide a platform for collaboration and relation to the EU – a potential source of recognition and funding.
- A national system shaped within the frameworks creates an excellent path to reach the end user/paddlers in the clubs, under the umbrella of the national federation.
- Membership in the EPP brings in revenue from the certificates issued under the EPP. For example, in Sweden and Finland, the revenue from these certifications exceeds the costs associated with EPP.
- Safety: Skills and knowledge – saves lives.
- Gaining a broader perspective on canoeing in general.
- A Membership of the EPP connects and improves relationships within Europe.
- There is a wealth of knowledge within the EPP group, though it’s not always readily accessible – it is shared at meetings and events.
- While the framework can be copied, the expertise in effectively managing an award system cannot – EPP facilitates the sharing of experiences among the members.
The next activity will be the EPP Benchmark at the Bodensee in Germany, 4-5 October, where we will work on SUP level 3, touring canoe level 1, and kayak level 1. This will be followed by a Core Group Meeting on Monday, 6 October.
Morten Ib Juul Madsen, EPP secretary
