The World Paddle Awards (WPA) were started because there has never been an institution and international event that celebrated the most remarkable men and women from the world of competitive paddlesports along with their extraordinary achievements. Founded in 2013 by Rob van Bommel (ex-athlete for The Netherlands in canoe slalom and Director of Sportscene Media House), the WPA recognises the diversity of people and organisations in the paddlesports community honouring the hard work they put into our sports. The WPA aims to celebrate and tell the world about the incredible feats that have been accomplished by athletes or services provided by coaches, volunteers, the media, event organisers, manufacturers, officials and so on during the past year(s). There are 7 awards in total of which the winners will receive The Golden Paddle; a symbol of how each discipline, even though different in sensation to many, requires a paddle used from a boat on water. The Golden Paddle depicts our mission to unite all people and paddlesports. Furthermore the awards reflect the fact that there are many different paddlesports within the community. Besides the Olympic disciplines of canoe sprint and canoe slalom, the WPA also respects and celebrates non-Olympic paddlesports, about 15 in total. Nominations, selections and votes will be cast by both The WPA (by secret ballot) and the general public. The ever-growing WPA Academy is a unique association of the greatest living sporting legends and other figureheads in paddlesports. The Academy embraces the principles of using sport to help bring positive social change and unite the different paddlesport disciplines and cultures. You can find out more about the Awards, the Academy, the Golden Paddle, the nomination process and paddlesports at: www.worldpaddleawards.com. Partners: Nanthala Outdoor Center (NOC), Nelo, Sportscene Media House