The 16th Ordinary Congress of the European Canoe Association will be held this Saturday, 25th March 2023, in Chania, Greece. The delegates will be voting for the elective positions of the ECA president, one vice-president, three Board members and ECA auditor during the one day congress in Crete.
The biggest dilemma of the 16th Ordinary Congress of the European Canoe Association is undoubtedly who will be leading the association in the next four year term.
Albert Woods OBE, will be running for the re-election with the support of the Canoe Federation of Greece, and Jean Zoungrana as the new candidate with the support of the French Canoe Federation.
Both candidates have sporting background, they both competed internationally in wildwater disciplines (slalom and wildwater canoeing), later continued their path in the organisational and technical roles, being involved in the highest instances of sports governing bodies in their respective countries and wider.
Albert Woods OBE has been leading the European Canoe Association since its foundation in Rome in 1993. He has been maintaining several other positions and titles, to highlight a few: Honorary Life Vice President of the British Olympic Association, Vice Chairman of the British Olympic Association (1999-2013), President of the British Canoe Union (1992-2017), member of the EOC Co-ordination Commission European Games in the 2015, 2019 and 2023 editions, Member of ICF Executive Committee since 2015 etc.
Jean Zoungrana is running for the ECA president position with the nomination of the French Canoe Federation, whose president he is since the year 2016. In addition, he is also the Vice-President and Member of the board of directors of the French National Olympic and Paralympic Committees (since 2021). Jean Zoungrana used to be technical delegate at the International University Sports Federation (2012-2016) and President of the Britany regional canoe committee and member of the national federal council (2012-2016).
Slovenian Andrej Jelenc, former wildwater canoeing World Champion, who has been a member of the ECA Board of Directors until now, is a candidate for the position of the vice-president of the European Canoe Association.
Three positions in the ECA board of directors are for the grab at this congress and there are six candidates for the three spots.
Jovana Stanojević from Serbia, ECA technical delegate for canoe sprint, and German representative Manuela Gawehn, wildwater canoeing technical delegate, are running for the re-election to the board of directors. One of the candidates is Jaroslav Pollert from the Czech Republic, whose mandate of the ECA vice-president will end this Saturday.
Also running for the position in the ECA board of directors are Geir Kvillum, president of the Norwegian Canoe Association, Eva Lindmark from Sweden, who has been a member of the ICF Canoe Polo Committee since 2006, and Maris Pravains from Latvia, who is a board member of the Latvian Canoe Federation.
The only candidate for the position of the ECA Auditor is Evelina Petrova from Bulgaria.
22.3.2023
