Join Us at the 2024 Paddle Sports Show for an Inspiring Talk by Francesco Salvato
Francesco Salvato, the renowned Italian whitewater paddler with numerous first descents worldwide and the founder of Free Flow Kayak School, will host a compelling debate at this year’s Paddle Sports Show. Following the publication of his recent article on the Kayak Session website, Salvato sparked widespread discussion in the paddling community by questioning whether it’s time to evolve the river grading scale. Now, he’s bringing that conversation to the Paddle Sports Show, inviting both paddle sports professionals and the audience to weigh in on this crucial topic.
Paddle Sports Show: You’re hosting a debate at this year’s show. What’s the main message you want to convey to the audience?
Francesco Salvato: The message is simple: it’s time to revisit the river difficulty scale. The paddling community, alongside the International Canoe Federation (ICF), which oversees river classification, needs to evolve with the sport. Keeping the scale closed doesn’t make sense anymore.
Paddle Sports Show: Were you surprised by the passionate debate that followed the article’s publication on social media?
Francesco Salvato: I was both surprised and happy. It showed me that the community is highly engaged with this issue. There are people on both sides of the debate—some support the idea of change, while others are opposed. But what’s clear is that it’s a topic that sparks strong reactions. The upcoming debate at the show is the next step in this conversation.
“Having an open scale is also essential for safety. Intermediate paddlers need to clearly understand the challenges they’re facing on the water.”
Paddle Sports Show: Why is it so important to you to change the river difficulty scale?
Franco Salvato: A closed scale hinders the growth of the sport and doesn’t provide the accuracy needed when assessing river difficulty. Having an open scale is also essential for safety. Intermediate paddlers need to clearly understand the challenges they’re facing on the water. With more and more paddlers hitting rivers each year, it’s crucial to get this right.
Paddle Sports Show: Do you expect a new scale to be decided at the show?
Francesco Salvato: That’s not the goal. The objective is to have a productive discussion involving paddling professionals, world-class paddlers, and the audience. We’re here to listen, learn, and push the conversation forward. I’ve been advocating for this since 1992, when I wrote my first book on kayak safety, yet nothing has changed. So, while I’m not overly optimistic about immediate change, it’s worth trying. Hopefully, the ICF will take notice and send representatives.
“It’s time to decide the best path forward for an open and more precise river classification system.”
Paddle Sports Show: With the film festival the night before and the entire paddlesports industry and community gathered under one roof, this promises to be a lively discussion! What would be the ideal outcome from this open debate?
Francesco Salvato: The Film Festival will showcase some incredible paddling, with participants taking on extremely difficult rapids—rapids we want to classify accurately. The ideal outcome would be for the ICF to officially open the debate, bringing in top paddlers and experts to reassess the current scale. It’s time to decide the best path forward for an open and more precise river classification system. I believe this will be a fascinating and important moment for the sport!
Join Franco Salvato at the Paddle Sports Show on September 24th at 5:00 PM for what promises to be an engaging and important conversation.
For more information about the Paddle Sports Show 2024 Conference Program, visit: www.thepaddlesportshow.com/conferences-talks-program/
Learn more about Free Flow Kayak School: www.freeflowkayak.it
Read Francesco’s article: What Grade is Malupa? Time for a Reassessment of the River Difficulty Scale in White Water Kayaking
