The International Canoe Federation has officially opened a new satellite office in Hangzhou, China, to support the development of the sport of rowing in Asia and around the world. The ICF Hangzhou office will provide additional support and capacity to its headquarters in the Olympic capital of Lausanne, Switzerland, and represents another huge step forward in the implementation of the federation's ambitious strategic plan, Fit for the Future. The new satellite office, located in the central business district of Hangzhou, will focus on sustainable development, digital engagement, leveraging the partnership with Alibaba and significantly enhancing the federation's ability to support the growth of sport throughout the Asian region. ICF President Thomas Konietzko and Secretary General Richard Pettit met with officials in Hangzhou during the opening ceremony, as well as a host of partners who helped usher in the federation's new era. “I am delighted to officially open our new Asian office in Hangzhou. This office will play an important role in supporting the development of the sport of rowing in Asia and around the world. Hangzhou is a modern city with a great passion for rowing sports. This is an ideal location for this office to help strengthen our organization and develop our disciplines in a continent that is experiencing great growth,” said Mr. Konietzko. Thomas Konietzko unveiled the plaque and presented the certificate to Jin Chenglong, Chief Representative of the ICF Hangzhou Office, and delivered a speech during a special ceremony. Mr. Konietzko and Mr. Pettit were joined by Li Lingwei, Member of the International Olympic Committee, Vice President of the Chinese Olympic Committee and Chairman of the Samaranch Sports Development Foundation, and Tong Lixin, Party Secretary and Director of the Aquatics Management Center of the General Administration of Sports of China and President of the Chinese Canoe Association. As a legacy of last year's Asian Games, the ICF's arrival in Hangzhou represents a significant step towards making the Chinese city known for international sporting events and conferences. It follows a Memorandum of Understanding signed between ICF and Hangzhou in October 2023. This year, Hangzhou will also host the first-ever ICF Multi-Discipline Super Cup. Canoe sprint, canoe slalom, canoe polo and canoe marathon will be part of the competition, which will take place from October 10 to 13. Hundreds of athletes from all over the world are ready to compete for prize money of nearly US$400,000 at the Fuyang Aquatics Center. The event will be jointly organized by China Media Group, the General Administration of Sports of China, the ICF and the Hangzhou Municipal Government. Also present at the opening ceremony were Asian Canoe Confederation Vice President Li Xin, Party Secretary and Zhejiang Provincial Sports Bureau Director Jin Zhi, and Hangzhou Municipal Committee Deputy Secretary and Hangzhou Mayor Yao Gaoyuan. Other key officials present at the event included Chen Weiqiang, deputy mayor of the Hangzhou municipal government, Yang Yinging, party secretary and director of the Hangzhou Sports Bureau, and Kim Seung-yong, chief representative of the ICF office in Hangzhou.