The History of the French Canoe Kayak and Paddle Sports Federation

In this article, we will talk about the history of our federation and much more!

First of all, it is important to know the current president of our federation.

Our President is Jean Zoungrana , he was elected in 2016 and re-elected in 2020.

He is also vice-president of the French National Olympic and Sports Committee (CNOSF) in charge of Better Living Together, within the executive office.

The Vice-President of our federation is Didier Chavrier .

History of the FFCK

In 1867, the Scotsman Mac Gregor arrived in France aboard his "Rob Roy", a wooden kayak inspired by ancestral models.

This event marks the beginning of the modern era of Canoeing.

First Club:

The first Canoe-Kayak club was born in 1904 on the banks of the Marne: the Canoë Kayak Club de France in Bry sur Marne. Other clubs and sports associations governed by the law of 1901 were created.

The French Canoe-Kayak Federation was born in 1931 from the desire of these clubs to come together in order to organize the practice as best as possible.

Today, the federation has more than 700 clubs which welcome more than half a million practitioners for regular or occasional practice. The federation has a State delegation for the organization of the practice in 11 disciplines: Line Racing, Slalom, Downhill, Kayak-Polo, Marathon, Freestyle, Mérathon/Ocean racing, Va'a, Waveski Surfing, Dragon Boat. These disciplines are practiced as part of a competitive or leisure activity.

Hiking, rafting and stand-up paddleboarding are also disciplines practiced in our clubs for recreational purposes.

The federation relies on a network of regional and departmental committees, to be closer to the clubs and their territories, in particular state services and local authorities.