The International Whitewater Hall of Fame (IWHoF) will welcome its newest class of inductees on May 2, 2026, during a ceremony at the Canadian Canoe Museum in Peterborough, Ontario, bringing together paddlers and river advocates for an evening celebrating the whitewater’s most influential figures.
Hosted at the newly opened waterfront museum, the ticketed event will honor five individuals whose contributions have shaped whitewater paddling. This year’s inductees include advocates Hugh Canard and George Wendt, champions Danielle Woodward and Dana Chladek, and explorer Roger Parsons. Organized by the World River Center, the IWHoF has recognized more than 65 paddlers from 14 countries since its founding in 2005.
International Whitewater Hall of Fame honors paddling icons
Attendees will have access to the Canadian Canoe Museum’s exhibition hall, home to more than 600 canoes and kayaks, and a behind-the-scenes tour of the museum’s collection hall led by curator Jeremy Ward and executive director Carolyn Hyslop. The evening features a social, video tributes from past inductees and a silent auction of paddling gear, boats and artwork, before culminating in the induction ceremony. Get your tickets here.
A post-event tribute to inductee Roger Parsons is scheduled for May 3 on the Gull River in Minden, Ontario. Additional programming is hosted by Madawaska Kanu Centre, including three days of whitewater on the class II and III Madawaska River near Barry’s Bay.
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