The 2023 Team Japan will be one of the strongest ever sent to represent their country, when they arrive in Perth, Western Australia, for the 2023 ICF Canoe Ocean Racing World Championships.
Leading the men’s open team is Naoto Uchida, the 2023 Japan National Men’s Ocean Racing Champion. While Naoto has age and experience on his side, younger paddler and runner-up 2023 National Champion Katsunari Chijiiwa is aiming to challenge Naoto in the Western Australian waters.
Megumi Kono and Erika Ichihara, 2023 Japan National Women’s Ocean Racing Champion and runner up respectively, will be venturing into international waters for the first time. Both women will be arriving in Perth ahead of schedule to contest Shaw and Partners “The Doctor” race as a part of the Shaw and Partners WA Race Week and will get well acquainted with the famous Perth trade winds of the same name.
Team Japan 2023 Masters paddlers Taiki Fukunaga and Akira Ohnishi both have considerable international paddling experience. Taiki was the 1995 Japan National Men’s Ocean Racing Champion, in addition to competing internationally with OC and SUP. Akira, Naoto and Katsu all competed in the 2019 ICF Canoe Ocean Racing World Championships.
Join Team Japan on the start line! Entries are now open Enter HERE
