IRF (International Rafting Federation) Assessment

Welcome to the International Rafting Federation Guide Training and Education Award System. Many thanks for investing your time and money into your personal development in order to help the work of the IRF, which is to make rafting safer world wide.

The IRF GTE Award System is now recognised in over 53 countries worldwide and is growing all of the time.

IRF GTE Awards are a certificate of competance and not a license. Some countries may also ask you to take their own nationally recognised award before you are legally allowed to raft commercially. And in a few countries their national federation processes all their countries certifications and cards directly with the IRF.

Before your workshop please read this document so you are prepared!

Please supply your course instructor with the following: 

1. Proof of experience:

Raft, Safety craft & Inline raft guide candidates

A signed and stamped logbook or experience letter stating that you have the required the minimum number of logged trips on the classification of water you wish to be assessed on:

  Level 2. (10 runs or 20 hours of logged river time experience on class 2 water).

  Level 3. (30 runs or 60 hours of logged river time experience on class 3 water).

  Level 4. (50 runs or 100 hours of logged river time experience on class 4 water).

Raft Trip leader candidates

A signed and stamped logbook or experience letter stating that you have the required the minimum number of logged trips on the classification of water you wish to be assessed on:

  Level 2. (50 runs or 100 hours of logged river time experience on class 2 water).

  Level 3. (75 runs or 150 hours of logged river time experience on class 3 water).

  Level 4. (200 runs or 400 hours of logged river time experience on class 4 water).

Instructor Candidates

A signed and stamped logbook or experience letter stating that you have the required the minimum number of logged trips on the classification of water you wish to be assessed on:

  Level 3. (100 runs or 200 hours of logged river time experience at TL level or above).

  Level 4. (100 runs or 200 hours of logged river time experience at TL level or above).

2. Proof of first aid requirements:

You will also need to provide your Instructor with a copy of a valid first aid certificate that must include CPR. Your IRF Award is only valid for a period of three years from the assessment date

when supported by a current, valid, IRF approved First Aid certificate. Please see the requirements below:

  Raft Guide, Inline Raft Guide, Safety Kayak, and Event Safety 1 & 2: Standard First Aid certificate (minimum course duration 8 hours, must include CPR).

  Raft Trip Leader, In-line Raft Trip Leader, Event Safety 3, Instructors, and Assessors: Advanced First Aid certificate (minimum course duration 16 hours, must include CPR).

  The certificate must show the dates of when the course was taken which must be no longer than 3 years old.

  IRF GTE does not accept First Aid certificates that are valid for more than 3 years or were 100% on-line First Aid courses.

  A copy of the card or certificate must be provided as proof and must ideally where possible be valid for at least six (6) months beyond the assessment date.

3. *Fees:

After successful completion of your IRF GTE assessment, you need to pay the IRF certification fee directly to your Instructor. These fees are separate from the tuition/ assessment costs that you pay to your Instructor. The certification fees are paid directly by your Instructor to the IRF.

The current IRF GTE certification fees are:

• Raft Guide, Safety Craft, Whitewater Guide:   $40 USD

• Raft Trip Leader:                                              $70 USD

• Instructor:                                                        $130 USD

When a person receives multiple awards at the same assessment, the highest award is charged plus $15 USD. For example:

• Raft Trip Leader $70.00 USD + Safety Kayaker $15.00 USD = $85 USD total

• Raft Guide $40.00 USD + Safety Kayaker $15.00 USD = $55 USD total

Please keep an eye on the IRF website here for any changes in these fees:

www.internationalrafting.com/gte1/guide-training-certification-requirements/

4. Certificates and Cards:

Please provide the following to your instructor:

  a digital passport style photograph

  your date of birth

  your email address

Once your Instructor has provided all your information and requirements to IRF GTE Admin and your fee has been received from your Instructor, your certificate and card will then be sent to you in pdf format. If you need a card you print the pdf out, cut the card out, fold it and laminate it yourself. You can also print the pdf so you have a copy of your certificate to present to anyone that requests it, or to display on your wall.

5. Renewals:

Your IRF Award will be valid for a period of three years from Assessment date. It is easily renewed

through your Instructor or to GTE Admin on gte@intraftfed.com by sending proof of the following:

  Log of Minimum of 10 runs at your level of award

  Current standard 1st Aid with CPR

  Payment of renewal fee (US$30 for another 3 years)

  A digital passport style photograph

  Confirm your date of birth

You are advised to start this process in the months prior to your award expiring to avoid penalty fees for expiring. If you would like to be reminded when your renewal is due please make sure you have given your Instructor your correct email address. If you change your address then let GTE Admin know.

6. News:

If you would like to be kept up to date with news from the Guide Training and Education section of the IRF please make sure GTE Admin has your correct email address.

If you have any questions about IRF Guide Training and Education please ask your Instructor first. Otherwise, if it is about administration issues contact GTE Admin on gte@intraftfed.com. If it is about the Award System itself – contact Mark Hirst on Mark.hirst@internationalrafting.com