BANJALUKA TO HOST WORLD RAFTING CHAMPIONSHIP FOR THE THIRD TIME

Banjaluka and the Vrbas River will host the world’s best rafters for the third time. More than 60 teams from 20 countries have already confirmed their participation. According to the “Kanjon” Rafting Club, everything is ready for this major rafting event.

"All events will take place between Karanovac and Krupa na Vrbasu. The sprint and H2H races will be held on the Bijeli Buk course. The slalom will take place in the Tijesno Canyon, and the downhill race will run from Krupa to Karanovac. The opening ceremony will be held in Krupa na Vrbasu on Wednesday, May 29th, at 6 PM, followed by a concert by the band Ultrazvuk. Roads will be open for traffic, so we invite everyone who can and wants to come to the opening and attend the races on the Vrbas," said Aleksandar Pastir. He emphasized that the goal is to promote Krupa na Vrbasu, aiming for it to be included in the top 20 most desirable tourist villages in the world.

Banjaluka rafters are also training hard for the upcoming World Championship. "This is our river, the stakes are high, and everyone expects the best results from the local teams," said Dragan Babić, captain of the BiH national team and Banjaluka’s “Dajak Club”.

"The goal is, of course, always to be the best. Realistically, we aim to be among the top 4 or 5 teams in the open category globally and to vie for a medal. In the master category, we are aiming for the title, and we are definitely one of the best teams in the world. We want to win the World Championship and take a step forward compared to the previous Championship in Banjaluka, where our master team finished second. Now we want the title, and I believe we are ready. We have the strength to achieve it," said Babić.

The local audience will be focused on our master team, which won a gold medal in the sprint and a silver in the overall ranking two years ago. "A lot of work has been done, and this championship could be the pinnacle of our careers," said Igor Kuzmanović, a member of the BiH national team’s master squad.

"Dragan Babić is an addition compared to the last World Championship, and with him, we have the right to hope for an even better result. The crew also includes Nebojša Tadić and Andrej Zamolo. I’d like to highlight Andrej for his incredible strength," Kuzmanović added, hoping his team will at least repeat their previous performance of winning three medals, including a gold in the sprint.

The World Championship begins on Tuesday. Our teams are training hard and invite fellow citizens to support them in their quest for medals on the home river. The sprint and H2H races will take place on Bijeli Buk, the slalom on June 1st in Tijesno Canyon, and the downhill race the next day from Krupa na Vrbasu to Karanovac.