COPAC — Pan American Canoe Federation

What is COPAC?

COPAC is the continental association for canoe and kayak in the Americas within Paddle Worldwide, the world federation known as the International Canoe Federation until 26 July 2026. Paddle Worldwide’s Statutes, in force from 27 July 2026, name in Article 20.1 the “Continental Associations, which are recognised by Paddle Worldwide”: the Asian Canoe Confederation, the Confederation of African Canoe, Paddle Europe, the Oceania Canoe Association and the “Pan American Canoe Federation”.^[2]

The association’s own site presents itself under the title “COPAC” with the description “Pan American Canoe Federation”; it is a JavaScript application whose text could not be retrieved, so the association’s statutes, legal form and description of itself could not be read.^[1] Panam Sports, in its qualification manual for the 2025 Junior Pan American Games, refers to it as COPAC, the acronym of its Spanish name.^[8]

It covers the paddle disciplines Paddle Worldwide governs, which the world federation counts as “10 disciplines worldwide, recognised by the International Olympic Committee”; Pan American championships in 2025 and 2026 were held in canoe sprint and paracanoe, canoe slalom and kayak cross, and canoe polo.^[4][5][6][7]

What does COPAC govern or do?

COPAC writes no rules of the sport; competitions run under Paddle Worldwide’s rules. Its tasks are set by Article 21 of the Statutes, under which continental associations are to “develop and promote all aspects of paddlesport in their continent”, and “to organise Continental Championships and other international competitions” in the disciplines; the same article also requires them to implement gender-equality and environmental policies, to hold yearly audits and to publish the minutes of their meetings.^[2]

The association also takes part in running the world federation. Under the Statutes the Executive Committee includes “Five (5) Continental Presidents”, and until the 2028 Congress the Council includes “Up to three (3) Members of the African, American and Asian Continents represented by at least one female”.^[2] Paddle Worldwide’s page on continental associations states that each develops and promotes paddlesport on its continent and that their presidents contribute to its governance.^[3]

Anti-doping, world rankings and the competition rules belong to Paddle Worldwide; no document retrieved names COPAC as a signatory of the World Anti-Doping Code in its own right.

When was COPAC founded and where is it based?

No founding date for COPAC could be confirmed from a retrievable primary source, and the date and terms of any renaming could not be confirmed either: the association’s own site, which would carry its history and statutes, returned no readable text, and Paddle Worldwide’s continental page gives only its name and web address.^[1][3]

The association’s seat could not be established from its statutes. The world federation’s position is separate and dated: its 2026 Statutes record that the congress held in Antalya on 7–8 November 2024 decided that the federation “be called Paddle Worldwide (PW) from 26th July 2026”, and place its headquarters in Budapest, Hungary, with administrative offices in Lausanne and Hangzhou.^[2] Article 20.4 allows a continental association to accept a national federation from outside its geographic area only with Paddle Worldwide’s authorisation.^[2]

How is COPAC recognised?

The recognising instrument is Paddle Worldwide’s Statutes, in force from 27 July 2026. Article 20 lists the “Pan American Canoe Federation” as one of the five continental associations formed by national federations of the same continent, and Article 21 delegates to these associations the development of paddlesport on their continent and the organisation of continental championships and other international competitions.^[2] Paddle Worldwide’s own list of continental associations names the Pan American Canoe Federation and links to copaconline.com.^[3]

Olympic recognition belongs to the world federation: Article 2.1 states that “Paddle Worldwide is recognised by the International Olympic Committee (IOC)”, and COPAC holds no IOC recognition of its own.^[2] The continental multi-sport tie is the Pan American Games of Panam Sports, scheduled for Lima from 23 July to 8 August 2027.^[9] Panam Sports’ qualification manual for the 2025 Junior Pan American Games provides that “COPAC confirmará a Panam Sports y a los CONs las plazas” won in canoe sprint qualification.^[8] The canoe qualification system for Lima 2027 could not be retrieved.

What does COPAC organise?

Pan American championships are held in several disciplines. Canoe Kayak Canada, naming itself as organiser, listed the Pan American Canoe Sprint & Paracanoe Championships at the Olympic Basin in Montréal from 13 to 15 July 2026, with an event-website link to copaconline.com.^[5] It also listed the Pan American Canoe Slalom and Kayak Cross Championships in Kananaskis, Alberta, from 31 July to 2 August 2026, and the Canoe Polo Pan American Championships in Edmonton on 23–24 August 2025, naming itself as organiser of both; those pages do not state COPAC’s role.^[6][7] Edition numbers, a first edition and the frequency of the senior sprint championships could not be retrieved, nor the host of the 2025 sprint championships.

For the 2025 Junior Pan American Games, Panam Sports named the “Campeonato Panamericano Junior y Sub23” in Montevideo, Uruguay, on 13–15 November 2024 as the canoe sprint qualifying event.^[8] On 4 October 2026 the Lima 2027 Pan American Games were upcoming.^[9]

Who are its members?

The members are the national canoe federations of the Americas: Article 20.1 of Paddle Worldwide’s Statutes describes the continental associations as formed by “National Federations that belong to the same continent”, and Article 20.4 provides for members from outside the continent only with the world federation’s authorisation.^[2] A membership list or count from COPAC itself could not be retrieved.^[1]

Paddle Worldwide’s about page stated in October 2026 that it has 173 national federations; the Americas share of that figure is not printed on the page.^[4] Canoe Kayak Canada, the Canadian federation, listed the 2026 sprint and slalom championships and the 2025 canoe polo championships, all held in Canada.^[5][6][7]